Methods for Sharing Plan of Salvation

Special care must always be taken to insure that younger children are not prematurely pushed to make a decision.
Symbolic methods should only be used with age groups capable of grasping their significance. Sensitivity and love
should be exhibited in all cases.

WORDLESS BOOK

Staple together 5 small rectangles (2” x 3”) of colored paper in this order:

BLACK = Our sin

RED = Jesus’ blood

WHITE = White as snow

GREEN = Growth

GOLD = Crown in heaven

• Be very careful about emphasizing the color of black as ugly, dark, etc.

SALVATION BRACELET

Leather strip and beads in same colors as wordless book.

LEATHER = lambskin
KNOTS = beginning and end, Alpha and Omega
 ABCs of SALVATION

GOD’S WORD IS “A”

ADMIT you are a sinner. Romans 3:23

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

GOD’S WORD IS “B”

BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house.

GOD’S WORD IS “C”

CONFESS Him to others. Romans 10:9-10

Confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine
heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved.

Provide for each child the small version of the ABC letters found below. Provide a “key ring” (some type
of loop) on which all three letters may be attached. Yarn, corn, ribbon, or metal rings may be
appropriate. Scissors to cut out letters and a paper punch will be needed.

Present each letter by reading the phrase and verse and asking children to repeat it with you. Drill by
asking each to give you the ABCs with chapter and verse over and over until they can say them by
memory. You might pretend to meet each child in a different situation, i.e., on the street, in the park, on
the bus, hanging by a branch over a cliff, having a hamburger, on the playground, etc. Ask the question
in different forms:

How can I be saved? How can I have Jesus as my Savior? What do I need to do to get to heaven when
I die? How can I get to know Jesus Christ?

Ask each to answer with the phrase, “It’s as easy as ABC.” And then continue by explaining each ABC
as you have taught it.
When children can exhibit that they have a good grasp on this, ask them to consider seriously the
difference between just knowing how to do something and really doing it. It’s like listening to someone
tell you just exactly how to jump overboard, inflate a life vest or raft and swim to shore if the boat caught
on fire. You might be able and know how to do all of it exactly right and believe that it will save your life,
but if you are on a boat and it begins to burn and you don’t really do all you have learned, all the knowing
and know-how won’t help you one bit!

When a plan is to do something you can see and touch and you try it – you can actually see if it works.
If you inflate the life vest, attach it properly, jump into the water and it holds you up until you reach shore,
you know it works – NO QUESTION!
But you can’t SEE, you can’t TOUCH, perhaps you can’t even FEEL inside any difference after you have
tired God’s plan for salvation. So HOW DO YOU KNOW IT WORKS?

In Revelation 3:20, Jesus is talking about man’s heart as if it were a door and He says: “Behold I stand
at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and will open the door, I will come in.” He tell us here:
“All you have to do is ASK – invite me in.” And He promises, “I WILL COME IN.” God does not lie. He
will do what He says.

If you believe in God, then you can believe His Word. So you can know for sure if you:

a. Admit you are a sinner.

b. Believe on the Lord Jesus.
c. Confess (tell about) you faith to others,

You will be saved and have eternal life.

Once you have followed the plan in God’s Word for salvation and eternal life, you can use His Word as
your plan for all the other important things you need in life.

Be sure each child leave with his set of ABC keys. Review these from time to time in later
learning sessions.

AADMIT
B BELIEVE
CCONFESS
OTHERS

ROMANS 3:23 ACTS 16:31 ROMANS 10:9-10

That if thou shalt
confess with thy
For all have Believe on the mouth the Lord
sinned, and come Lord Jesus Jesus, and shalt
short of the Christ, and thou believe in thine
glory of God shalt be saved, heart that God hath
and thy house. raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be
saved
YOUTH LEARN BEST

ý When teachers recognize that every person is a unique individual created by God with different
needs, skills, interest, and abilities.

ý When learning is approached as a life-long process directly related to the learner’s level of
spiritual, physical, intellectual, social and emotional readiness.

ý In response to Bible study that relates to felt needs and interest.

ý When active and involved rather than passive and uninvolved.

ý When the three levels of learning, knowledge, feeling and doing are included in the learning
process.

ý When they are attracted to a learning environment where they sense genuine care, support and a
sense of belonging.

ý In smaller groupings where they have the opportunity to build trusting relationships, to share their
spiritual journeys, to gain support for their faith and to bring the Bible into their daily lives.

ý When they use more than one of the senses in the learning experience.

ý When they are motivated by the Holy Spirit to become responsible for their own learning and
Christian growth by actively participating in Bible study.

ý When they experience Bible study that produces changes, through God’s power, in how they think,
feel and act in real life situations.

REMEMBER

ª That every youth is a unique creation of God.

ª That the act of learning is a gift from God through which the Holy Spirit enables the believer to
grow in Christ likeness.

ª That learning is a lifelong process.

ª That God works through your life to help kids understand the Bible.
 Learning the Beliefs of Others
You should have a pretty clear understanding of the basic beliefs of the people you will be meeting. If you do, you
will have:

PERSPECTIVE Know the framework, the context, the glasses through which they see the world;

CRITERIA Know whether the person you are talking with is “down the middle” or “far right” in his
beliefs as compared with others in his group;

APPROACH Know words to avoid, and words and ideas to emphasize as you tailor your witness to his
receiving set of values. For example, you will stress assurance of salvation with a
Jehovah’s Witness and the resurrection power with a Buddhist.

We’ll suggest additional material help you go more deeply into the beliefs of varying
groups, but the brief sketches that follow will assist you in the overall view of the religious
patchwork quilt you will encounter.

First, place the group you are considering in relation to the other religious groupings in the
world. A chart might look like this:

THE CHRISTIAN WORLD

CATHOLIC PROTESTANT CULTS AND SECTARIAN GROUPS (CHRISTIAN DEVIATIONS)

Roman Mainline: Millennial Sects:

Episcopal Jehovah’s Witnesses
Lutheran Latter Day Saints (Mormans)
Methodist Worldwide Church of God (Armstrongism)
Presbyterian Unification Church (Moonies)
7th Day Adventist

Orthodox Conservative Evangelicals Mind Sects:

(13 kinds) Baptist Unitarian – Universalists
Missouri Synod Lutheran Christian Scientist
Church of God Unity School of Christianity
Nazarene Church of Religious Science
Church of Christ

Independents Independents Independents

 THE NON-CHRISTIAN WORLD
JUDAISM ISLAM HINDUISM BUDDHISM PRIMITIVE RELIGION

Orthodox Black Muslims Transcendental Northern Occult

(USA) Meditation

Conservative Southern Witchcraft

Baal Maharaj-ji
Zen Church of Satan

Krishna-
Consciousness Soak Gekas
 Preparation for Telling a Bible Story
Study the Bible material.

Use your Bible – other materials may help but the Bible is a must. Watch for its
message as you plan to teach.

Pray that God will help you feel the story in your heart so that you can sincerely
share it with children.

Know the facts.

Get the facts accurately in mind and learn to pronounce correctly the names and
places used in the story.

Think about how the people involved in the Bible situation must have thought, felt
and spoken.

Know the sequence of events – what happened first, second, third, etc. Keep the
story short.

Decide on your opening and closing sentences.

Locate the climax of the story (the part the children are waiting to hear).

Bring the story to a quick close after the climax.

Read the story over until you understand, react to and feel the events. Don’t
memorize it.

Tell the story in simple language so the boys and girls will understand.

Avoid using church terms that will be unfamiliar to the children.

Practice telling the story several times.

(You may want to use a tape recorder to improve your skills or practice in front of
a mirror.) Tell the story again to yourself shortly before you tell it to the children.

Be willing to give the time required to tell the story well.

For some children, the story may be their first introduction to an important Bible
truth.
 PRESENTATION OF THE BIBLE STORY
Sit facing the children on their level (on the ground, floor or chairs.)

Have your Bible open on your lap to the place where the story is found.

Tell the story from the Bible,

But do not read it.

Show where the story is found.

Look directly at the children as you tell the story.

Speak distinctly and only loudly enough to be understood. Use a natural voice conversational tone and
show excitement and anticipation. This will help the child feel the story.

Do not be overdramatic…You may detract from the story.

Use visual aids if possible. If you have teaching pictures available, use them. If you do not have
pictures, then make simple drawings to illustrate the story. According to educators – children retain 50%
of what they see, 10% of what they hear and 90% of what they do.

Show your teaching picture after the Bible story has been told. Pause for a moment for any comments
or reactions the children might have.