Do You Give Altar Calls For Salvation In Kids Church?

This month, my wife, Debra, started a new Kids Pastor position at a church in Edina, MN. On Sunday, Deb asked me to give an altar call at the end of the message. In my mind, I felt all the kids had a relationship with Jesus, but I followed Deb’s lead.

I was blessed when eight kids responded to the altar call and gave their lives to Christ. It made my day. It got me thinking that many of us may not give altar calls in Kids Church because we assume all the kids are born again.

Some Kid’s Pastors will say that we should not give altar calls in Kids Church because it is the parents’ job to lead them to Christ. Others say that kids are too young to receive Christ because they don’t understand it all. These people say, “Wait until the kids grow up.”

Let’s look at what Jesus said to His disciples.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter into it.”

I love what Charles Haddon Spurgeon says about this verse:

“Say not, the child may not come till he is like a man but know that you cannot come until you are like him. Instead of the child needing to wait until he grows up to become a man, it is the man who must grow down and become a child.”

Here is the bottom line: God created children with soft hearts so they will believe the Gospel. Yes, children are easily influenced. The truth is, kids will be influenced by somebody, so why not influence them with the Gospel?

Personally, I’m convinced that we should give an altar call in the Kids Ministry and do it regularly. It’s surprising how many Kids Pastors have never given an altar call or don’t know how to, so I thought I would share how I give an altar call in Kids Ministry.

First, I am always prepared with a short Salvation message regardless of what the message is that day. Typically, it’s A five-minute story or object lesson.

I ask the kids to bow their heads and close their eyes. Then I ask them to raise their hand if they have a relationship with Jesus.

“Do you remember a time in your life where you prayed a prayer and gave your life to Jesus Christ?”

(I do this to build their faith in their own salvation experience. If they have already given their life to Christ, they don’t need to do it again.)

Next, I say something like this, “If you couldn’t raise your hand, if you have never given your life to Christ, but you want to give your life to Christ today, please raise your hand. If you have your hand raised, please stand up and come to the front. I want to pray with you.”

I will thank the kids for coming forward, pray for them, and then have two volunteers take them to a separate room to lead them in the prayer for Salvation based on Romans 10:9.

“If you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved.”

Before praying with the kids, I ask my volunteers to screen them individually by quietly asking, “Can you tell me why you came forward?” If they can’t answer this question with some understanding, then we don’t pray with that child. I do this because sometimes kids come to the front simply because that’s what they think you want them to do, or because they’re following a friend.

One last thing, some kids will respond to the altar call every week. If this happens, I don’t pray with them a second time. I say something like this, “You gave your life to Christ last week. Jesus said He will never leave you or forsake you. You don’t need to say this prayer a second time.“ I do this to reinforce their experience of salvation.

Do you know what you are teaching for Easter? Many churches have many visitors on Easter Sunday. It’s a great time to present the Gospel. I have written a four- week curriculum called “Kids Need the Gospel.” It’s the perfect curriculum for Easter.