Following Jesus is the most important choice any kid can make—and Konnect teaches kids how to do it every single week! The tips below will help kids dial into the salvation message of the ABCs video, and they’ll help you know what to do when a kid says they want to give their life to Jesus.

Watch This:
This video will help you know what to do when a kid wants to follow Jesus:

Check Out These Tips:
Focus the Kids

• Wrap up worship. When the last worship song is over, no announcement is needed over the microphone from the emcee. Instead, small group leaders can gather their group and remind them to sit down for the next part.
• Keep your kids close. Small group leaders, your kids should already be close from worshiping near you, but if they’re looking spread out beyond your reach, pull them in closer as you watch the ABCs video together.
• Ask for help—and give it. If a kid is way off from their group, the small group leader does not always need to leave the rest of their group to go get them. The emcee, tech, or coach can help retrieve stragglers and bring them back where they need to be.
• Leverage the funny parts. The first part of the ABCs video is always something funny that connects to the weekly episode. Small group leaders can point to the screen and talk about how silly it is, or ask kids if they just saw the ridiculousness to help draw them in. Over time, your kids will realize there is a fun treat for them if they focus more quickly, and they will get better at doing it on their own.
• Encourage participation. Emcees and small group leaders can model showing the A, B, and C of the salvation video in sign language, and shouting out the words Admit, Believe, and Choose along with the video. Those small participation tricks help kids stay tuned into the information being presented.

Talk About the ABCs

• Recap the ABCs
  • Emcees: Use your 30-second Life Konnection to briefly recap the ABCs. Don’t go over time by praying a salvation prayer with the whole group or continuing to lecture on salvation or baptism. They are both very, very important subjects, but leading small is all about saving the salvation prayer for parents and pointing kids to their small group leader for their questions.
  • Small Group Leaders: Let the kids in your small group share any thoughts or questions they have about the ABCs before you jump into any of the discussion questions on your small group leader guide. If a kid says they want to choose to follow Jesus, celebrate in your group and make a note to talk to their parents about it when they get picked up.

Dos and Don’ts When a Kid Wants to Follow Jesus

• Don’t pray a salvation prayer without parents present. Most parents want to be present when their child decides to follow Jesus. Don’t take that precious moment away from them!
• Do tell parents when their kid asks about following Jesus. Let parents take the lead and allow them to experience the moment together as a family.
• Don’t assume parents know what to do to help their kid accept Jesus. The parents may or may not be followers of Jesus; they may not be sure how to tell if their kid is ready; or they may not know what to do to lead their kid through what it really means to choose to follow Jesus.
• Do give parents a LifeKids Salvation and Baptism card and connect them with a LifeKids staff member. Answer as many of their questions as you can, look over the card together, and have your coach or tech contact a staff member to follow up.
• Don’t forget to tell parents if their kid’s asking about following Jesus—and if you do, follow up with a LifeKids staff member so they can contact the family during the week.
• Do celebrate every kid who wants to follow Jesus! Send them a postcard to celebrate, and, if they decide to get baptized, attend if you can!

Talk It Over:
Now that you’ve watched a video and read a few tips, help the info stick! Talk over these questions with your experience coach or a LifeKids staff member. Share what you’ve learned with other leaders in Konnect!

1. What challenges do you face, or do you think you might face, in focusing kids on the ABCs video after the energetic worship time?
2. Ask advice from an experienced leader or a staff member for ideas on how to address your challenges. Which ideas do you think are most helpful?
3. What additional tips and tricks can you share about leading small groups to listen to the ABCs and discuss them?
4. What do you think is most important about letting parents lead their kids through the choice to follow Jesus?

A special thank you to Orange and the reThink Group for their ideas and research on their “lead small” philosophy referenced in this article.