CKIDS SALVATION AND BAPTISM GUIDE

FOR PARENTS

SALVATIONAn Introduction to Salvation

There’s no doubt about it, one of the most daunting tasks of parenthood is modeling and leading a life in stride with Jesus Christ. It must be said, however, that you are already on the right path by the mere fact that you are reading this guide. Congratulations! You’ve got this! This guide will serve, not as a set of rules, but instead as a few insights on understanding salvation and leading your children towards it, and eventually into baptisms as well. Before we begin, it is important to have an agreed-upon definition of what is meant by “salvation.”

Salvation is the welcoming of God’s people back into his kingdom family through grace from the Father and loyalty to Jesus Christ. Salvation became a reality through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for the atonement of sin and defeat of death. In other words, salvation is not something we achieve – Jesus did that part for us. Rather, it is a reality in which we can step into. It is important to remember, however, that salvation is NOT possible without the saving work and grace of Jesus Christ, our king.

“…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”(Romans 10:9-10 ESV)

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Leading Your Child to Christ

Model your walk with Christ appropriately.

As you know, the way you live your life will have a significant impact on how your child lives their own. Every time that you talk about Jesus, read your Bible, pray, care for someone, and even when you’re nice to people in public, your child notices. As you model this life, always remind them why you live this way – it’s Jesus!

Attend church gatherings as a family.

There is power in the gathering of God’s people. First, these gatherings can take place right in your home. Whether it be for dinner, a night with friends, or a simple fun night in with the family, these types of gatherings are powerful reminders that we are in this together. More, meeting in the church is an essential demonstration of faith as it is a place where God’s people gather to learn his word and grow in community with others. This is a necessary piece of your child’s experience with the Lord!

Take time to teach your child the Bible.

Guess what?! You don’t have to be a pastor to teach the Bible. You can do it, too! You can teach it at bed-time, during dinner, in the car, or even in a more organized, Bible-study setting. No matter the case, regular rhythms of study will help to shape the worldview of your child to match that of the worldview of God.

What follows is a brief list of items that can aid in leading your child to Christ and salvation in the kingdom of God.

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Pray for your child.

This kind of goes without saying – but it should be said regardless. Pray for your child. Pray that your child will know Jesus. Pray that your child will be bold and courageous for the advancement of the kingdom of God. Pray for your child’s friendships. Pray for your children’s future. And, in line with this guide, pray that your child would know Christ and declare loyalty to their eternal king.

Present the gospel often.

This seems funny, but it is a critical demonstration to keep in mind. Whenever the oppor-tunity presents itself, tell your child the gospel. That said, what is the gospel, exactly? In short, the gospel is the story of Jesus. It is the story of Jesus’ life and work on the earth that eternally reconciled God’s people back to the Father. He is the perfect sacrifice for sin, he defeated the grave, and he ushered in the kingdom of God to be experienced both now and in eternity for all those allegiant to Christ. Telling the story of Jesus includes telling your child the whole story of the Bible; God wanted a family, he made them, they put their own ways in front of his ways, he came and rescued them anyway, and through the saving work of Jesus, God restored his original desire – an eternal family! Salvation is stepping back into this story.

Be patient.

The decision to put faith in Jesus Christ is not necessarily going to happen overnight. Give your child time to come to this decision on their own. A decision led by their own understanding and spiritual prompting will be much more lasting than a hard push.

A salvation prayer.

Here is a prayer that can help guide you as you lead your child(ren) to salvation. Parents, you can say: Do you want to take a moment to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior so that you can put him first in your life? We can all pray together right now so that you can ask Jesus to come into your heart and be your Lord and Savior forever. Pray after me:

Dear Jesus, I love you, and I declare that you are the one true and holy King! I invite you to come into my heart and be my Lord forever. From this moment on, I commit to putting you first, just like you put me first. I believe that you died on the cross, rose again, and beat down sin forever! I will spend eternity with you; thank you for being my Savior!

Amen!

Once they have made a decision, celebrate!

Once your child has decided to put their faith and loyalty in Christ, it’s time to celebrate! Remember, heaven, too, is celebrating! There are endless ways to celebrate this occasion, get creative, and reinforce the incredible decision that has been made by your child.

BaptismThe next step after salvation is baptism, which will be addressed in the next section of this guide.

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An Introduction to Baptism

If your child has accepted Jesus as his/her Savior, congratulations! It is the best decision he/she will ever make! As your church, we want to come alongside you to equip you to pastor your child so they may grow in their spiritual maturity and develop a strong relationship with Jesus that will last throughout their life. As soon as your child accepts Jesus, their immediate next best step is water baptism. As their parents and the priest of your home, God has equipped you to baptize your child!

God gave your child(ren) to you so that you can teach, lead and steward them well. It is your job as parents to, “train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). Baptizing your child(ren) is one way in which you can do this very thing! Even though baptizing your child(ren) at home may seem like a new and different concept, know that you do not have to be a pastor to do this. You must simply have professed that Jesus is your Lord and Savior and demonstrated that decision through baptism yourself. As the priest of your home, you are choosing to lead yourself and your family according to God’s plan and design and what better way to do that then by baptizing your own children!

Below is a guide that will help you get going. This is just meant to give you a starting point. We encourage you to pray before getting started and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and your family through this moment. Baptizing your child(ren) is a very special occasion and we can’t wait to hear about it and celebrate with you!

baptism

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BAPTISM TO YOUR CHILD(REN):

HOW TO EXPLAIN

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Following Jesus means that we can join the best team ever - God’s team! After we have decided to follow and obey Jesus, we then take the next step to be baptized – or put on a new jersey and report to a new coach, Jesus!

At his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus provided a way to be forgiven, turn away from our sin, and step into a new kind of living that models God’s amazing kingdom on earth. By stepping into the water, you can be immersed in it, wash away the sins of life, and come up as a new creation. Baptism is like taking off our old jersey, joining Jesus’ team, and changing to be like Jesus from the inside out. Romans 6:4 says, “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.” Through baptism, we step into a new type of life and declare loyalty to team Jesus alone!

And do you know what makes team Jesus so great? When we are baptized, we all join the exact same team! 1 Corinthians 12:13 says, “Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.” We aren’t alone in this – we have each other.

In Jesus’ final moments before he went to be with the Father, he said to his disciples (Matthew 28:19-20), “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus wants his people to be baptized, join his team, and invite others to do the same – just like (insert your child(ren)’s name here)!

How to know if my child is ready to be baptized?

If you don’t feel your child understands what salvation means or what it means to be water baptized, it’s alright to wait. During this time, talk to them about what it means on a regular basis until you feel they demonstrate an understanding. Allow them to ask as many questions as they may have. Don’t get frustrated if they don’t understand at first. Simply pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal himself to them and make yourself available to answer any questions that they may have along the way.

If your child understands what salvation and baptism mean, and can tell you, then they

are ready to move forward! Thank God for their decision to accept him and be baptized.

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how should i baptize?

1. Prepare a pool or bathtub by filling with water. Have your child(ren) change into water-friendly clothes and have a towel nearby. And of course, have someone ready to take pictures.

2. Ask your child(ren) to step into the water, but don’t have them go under just yet.

3. Say this (or something like this) with your child(ren): You have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and we are so proud of you – and God is so proud of you, too! You are on Jesus’ team for the rest of your life and it is so exciting. By getting baptized today you are committing to live for Jesus for the rest of your life, and also telling the world that Jesus is your king!

4. Ask your child(ren) these questions:

- Do you (insert child’s name here) declare that Jesus is your Lord and Savior? (They should answer yes.)

- Do you promise to be on Jesus’ team forever which means you are choosing Jesus’ ways only and choosing never to be on the devil’s team? (They should answer yes.)

- Do you promise to live for Jesus all of the days of your life and put him first? (They should answer yes.) 5. Once your child(ren)

has answered yes to all of the questions, you can say something like this:

- (Child’s name), by the power given to me through the blood of Jesus, I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – in the name of Jesus Christ.

- Immerse your child beneath the water.

- When they emerge, clap and celebrate! Your child is on Jesus’ team forever!

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What do I do next?

As your church family- we want to know that this monumental milestone has happened! Let us know so we can celebrate alongside you and be in prayer for your child as they start this new life on team Jesus! Email ckids@celebration.org and tell us your kids’ name(s), ages and where you live.

As their parent, set a daily time of prayer and bible reading with your child each day. It can be as simple as following The Whole Story: Daily Prayer Guide or taking one or two verses from The Whole Story: Daily Reading Plan and reading/ praying together!

Continue to encourage your child(ren) in their relationship with Jesus and model what being on team Jesus looks like each day as you also follow after him.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your chil-dren and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deut. 6:4-9)