What is the biblical way to lead a child to Christ?

TL;DR:

Leading a child to Christ involves teaching them God’s Word, modeling a faithful life, and encouraging them to trust Jesus. Prayer, example, and age-appropriate instruction help children understand sin, salvation, and the ongoing journey of following Christ.

what does the bible say?

Leading a child to Christ is a purposeful, faith-filled process that blends teaching, example, and prayer, grounded in biblical instruction from both the Old and New Testaments. Practically, adults lead children through persistent prayer while seeking to teach children the gospel at their level and in a way that they can relate (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Colossians 4:2-3). Children also learn profoundly through observation, so modeling a life of prayer, Bible study, obedience, confession, and repentance provides a living example of faith (Proverbs 22:6; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17). Age-appropriate instruction helps children understand sin, forgiveness, and salvation, guiding them to personal decisions to follow Christ and reinforcing that sanctification is an ongoing, lifelong journey (2 Timothy 3:15; Philippians 1:6). In this way, adults can equip children to embrace Christ with childlike faith and grow in a lasting, mature relationship with Him (Matthew 18:3; Hebrews 5:12-14).

from the old testament

Proverbs 22:6 provides a general principle about raising a child to love God: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Such training can include regular Bible reading, Sunday school, but also teaching by example.
In Deuteronomy 6:6–7, parents are commanded to teach God’s commandments diligently to their children, talking about them at home, on the road, and in daily life.
We are to tell children about God’s works and commandments so they can trust Him and obey Him, passing faith to the next generation (Psalm 78:4–7).

from the new testament

Helping children come to know Christ is part of the work of the body of believers, the “members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19–21).
In Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Children are capable of receiving Christ, and we must encourage them to approach Him freely. Jesus affirmed that children can enter God’s kingdom and calls us to have childlike faith—trusting, humble, and dependent on God (Luke 18:16–17).
Parents are instructed to bring up children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,” combining teaching with loving guidance (Ephesians 6:4).
Paul noted that Timothy had been “from childhood . . . acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

implications for today

All of us—parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, teachers, youth leaders—play an important role in leading children to Christ. We are responsible for providing children with a solid foundation upon which they can come to know Jesus as their Savior and continue to be sanctified through the maturing of their faith.

One way we can help lead children to Christ is through prayer. It is ultimately God who draws children to Himself; it is also God who will help us know how to best love our children and share His truth with them. Even before a child is born, we can begin praying for him or her. As children grow we should pray first and foremost for their salvation, that they would come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and choose to follow Him. We also can pray for their physical and mental health, their goals and desires, their friendships, their future friendships and spouses, and blessing upon their lives. In addition to praying for our children, we can pray for God to give us wisdom for how to guide and mentor children (James 1:5).

Children are like sponges taking in everything around them, so teaching by example is often the best way. We must give them a positive example of what it looks like to follow Christ. If we want our children to spend time each day in prayer and Bible reading, we must model that behavior. Daily obeying God, confessing and repenting of sin—our actions instruct our children.

Another key part of leading children to Christ is formal instruction. Many age-appropriate resources are available so that children can begin worshiping God and engaging with Scripture and prayer from a young age. Many churches have Sunday School and Vacation Bible School programs for children to participate in. Even if those aren’t available, many resources available online offer parents materials to make biblical principles accessible to young children.

Sometimes church culture puts a lot of focus on the moment of salvation, which certainly is a wonderful moment, but we must continually encourage our children because sanctification is a life-long process.

understand

Leading a child to Christ begins with prayer and a heart for them to know Christ.
Teaching children God’s Word and guiding them in understanding sin, salvation, and faith helps them to know Christ.
Even more than formal instruction, modeling a faithful life of prayer, obedience, and repentance can lead a child to Christ.

reflect

How consistently do you pray for the children in your life to know Christ and grow in their faith?
What fears do you have about leading children to faith?
How effectively can you explain God’s Word and the gospel to children in ways they can understand and relate to?

engage

Why is it important to teach the gospel to children?
What is the importance of guiding children to Christ with both formal teaching and by example?
How do we balance encouraging a childlike faith in children without wrongly pressuring them?