Seek Their Conversion

Introduction

Many things are mentioned as being helpful when seeking the conversion of our children. Listed are some of the ideas. The list is incomplete and will be added to over time.

If you are doing a Boolean search, paste this string into the advance query section. You can also do the string without using the word parents at the end to find more choices.

(save OR recommend OR "bring them to christ" Or conversion OR salvation OR convert OR converted) (children OR child OR son OR daughter) parents 

Love Them To Win Them!

"A special work must be done for the children. Do not neglect the lambs of the flock. Christ said to Peter, “Feed my sheep,” and again he said, “Feed my lambs.” The best results would follow proper labor for the youth. Souls have gone to ruin that might have been saved if they had been labored for with perseverance and love. There must be a constant effort put forth both by precept and example, to save our children. Do not think that scolding will bring them to the fold of Christ. The youth are to be won by love. Be interested in them, speak with them, pray with and for them. Do not be found speaking light and trifling words, jesting and joking, but let all your conversation give a holy evidence that you possess genuine piety. Those in whose hearts Christ abides by faith, know how to speak a word in season, they know how to pray with the sinner, they know how to present the truth as it is in Jesus. The lessons must be given in such a manner that Christ may receive all the praise. All that we have, all that we are, all that we can do, is God’s; it belongs to him; therefore when we give the best, and all there is of us, it is only that which belongs to God." {RH September 2, 1890, par. 5}

Seek Their Conversion Through Surrender and a Consistent Example

Surrender and example are key to obtaining the conversion of our children. What children observe in their parents and others will have a stronger influence than even what they hear or read. Somewhat paraphrasing what she says, "Example is more potent than precept."—Dan

"Guard well your words and actions, that by example as well as by precept you may give the lessons God has instructed you to give. Respond to the striving of the Holy Spirit. Thus you prepare the way for the Spirit to strive with your children." {Ms195-1901.17}

Be Christlike in home life. Let no scolding be heard. There is a better way than this to correct children. Never punish a child when you are angry; for you will punish in a way that will make him angry and stubborn. ... In your children you meet yourselves. When correcting them, remember that you are correcting your own habits and practices. First take heed to yourselves, and then take up your God-given work, the neglect of which has made your children what they are. {Ms195-1901.19}

Set your own hearts in order, and work earnestly for the conversion of your children. An unreserved surrender to God will remove many of the obstacles in your way, sweeping aside the barriers which have long defied the approaches of heavenly grace. {Ms195-1901.20}—

Acknowledge What Hinders Their Conversion

This is an exceedingly important page on raising spiritual children. You MUST read this page!!! Items mentioned in this partial list include, failing to start teaching children early in their lives, compulsion in spiritual matters, sinful neglect, ungodly indulgence, excusing bad behavior, disciplinary passion, breaking the will instead of bending it, scolding, fault-finding the church and others in the presence of the children, distracting and unsanctioned amusements, detrimental associations and exciting stories that diminish interest in spiritual things. In reading, remember that even good things taken to extreme can become problematic.

Pray For Your Children

Lamentations 2:19 (NKJV) 19 “Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him For the life of your young children, Who faint from hunger at the head of every street.”

"Many of the children of believing parents, children who have been trained in the Sabbath school, and are familiar with the Scriptures, have yet no interest in religion. Under the most powerful appeals of the Holy Spirit, they seem as unmoved as if chiseled out of stone. What can be done to break the spell which Satan has cast upon these souls? I can see no help, except as parents shall present their children at the throne of grace, in humble, earnest, believing prayer, entreating the Lord to work with their efforts and the efforts of their ministers, until conviction and conversion shall be the result.--ST March 16, 1882. {PaM 279.2}

God has promised to give wisdom to those who ask in faith, and he will do just as he said he would. He is pleased with the faith that takes him at his word. Today he is just as ready to listen to the petitions of his people as he ever was. “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it can not save; neither his ear heavy, that it can not hear.” And if Christian parents seek him earnestly, he will fill their mouths with arguments, and for his name’s sake, will work mightily in their behalf in the conversion of their children." {AUGleaner September 6, 1905, par. 10 }

"We need burden-bearers in every church—fathers and mothers who have a burden of prayer for their children, who will not cease their importunate entreaties until help and grace and salvation come to their children. God lives and reigns. He will hear the humble prayers coming from contrite hearts. What we need in every church is more praying, more believing, less talking doubts, less grumbling, less murmuring, and a great deal more hope, courage, and perseverance. May God give us these things for we are helpless without them." {Lt44-1875.2}

Seek The Help Of The Church And Pastor

Items mentioned include, encouraging church members to appropriately love the younger members of the congregation, solicit prayers for the children and their parents, encourage short child-friendly sermons and meaningful child-friendly prayer meetings. There will be more items added.

Confess Past Neglect; Start Anew

I beseech the parents in our churches to make a solemn covenant with God by repentance and confession. Confess your past neglect, and in the fear of God take up the work of educating your children in righteousness. A spiritual revival and reformation must take place. Then God’s people can claim the blessings he has promised. When parents take up the cross and follow Christ, when they bring their lives into conformity to the will of God, their children will be converted. The world will take knowledge of them that they have been with Jesus and have learned of him. By their deeds of true religion they will bear witness to the power of Christ’s grace. {Ms195-1901.16}

Grasp the Divinity Of Christ For Your Children

This short excerpt from a sermon on Acts 2 contains important and instructive words on the role of grasping the divinity of Christ for our children.

Grasp Divinity To Convert Your Children

This is an excerpt from a sermon preached in 1909 on Deuteronomy 4 that was never formally published.

"He gave His life for humanity. And from the humanity in you, fathers, and the humanity in you, mothers, let us just grasp the divinity that is in Jesus Christ, so that you can express Him in your family in words, in tender words, in affectionate words. Thus you can have a power so that you can educate and train your children for the future life. How long? One that measures with the life of God."

Measuring Ourselves With The Needs Of The Youth In The Last Days - Hare

The author points out how to tempt our children to do good in this article published in 1940.