This very interesting Gospel message does a pretty good job actually of explaining our true state before God as sinners. (Could do a better job explaining what being dead in sin is all about.) Also nice was the role Christ plays as the great exchange on the cross: my sins in exchange for His righteousness. Two possible pitfalls of the presentation need to be addressed however: 1. Repentance is described in the sinner's prayer portion which I liked: "I don't want to sin any more.", but repentance and belief need to be fleshed out a bit more and how they are related. Most modern gospel messages don't show the relationship between the two and certainly don't express that these two are also part of God's gracious gift to us. Salvation is a gift but so in the ability to obtain the gift which clearly also comes from God. (Its your kindness that leads us to repentance, Rom. 2:4. Even belief or faith is also given to us by God and not self generated or inherent in us: Heb. 12:1-2. Jesus is the captain, author and perfecter of our faith.)
2. Having a sinner's prayer for kids can lead to false professions of faith that look great on the 'how many conversions this month' report. I certainly think we should lead children in prayer for salvation and do it often. Yes, we are saved at a specific point in time and space when the Holy Spirit applies salvation upon us but with kids,we can manipulate them into a prayer when they are not saved. They respond to "Just as I am", the song and leave "just as they were" the unrepentant, unsaved kid who prayed a prayer but now have a false, 'easy believism' religion that everyone will use to help prop him us during his life. "Of course your saved son, don't you remember when you prayed that prayer in church back when you were 6." I have seen this over and over again and it is shocking, hurtful, unbiblical and not where we want to end. I always pray with kids and my own kids that God would continue to show them these gospel truths and that he would open their heart to respond to the gospel just like Lydia was enabled by God during Paul's message in Acts 16:14.
With some tweaks this can really be a nice tool in the ministry arsenal. Even though I personally am not a huge fan of fake characters teaching real truth which I think sends a mixed message but I can't say that it is sinful for others to do it either. So, keep up the good work of working with kids and sharing the gospel with them.
Monday, September 28, 2009
video gospel for kids?
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