Page 32 - SoulWinning Crash Course

LEARN TO DISCERN THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY

There is a time when a child becomes accountable for his sins. (Genesis 3:4-

7, Numbers 14:29-32, Deuteronomy 1:39, 2 Samuel 12:22-23, Matthew
18:10, Luke 18:15-16, John 9:41, Romans 4:15, 5:13, 7:9) It's not the same
for every child. If a child doesn't know what sin is, and shows no sign of a
conscience, move on. (I recall one such child very vividly on a porch with
several other kids of different ages. She appeared to be 5 or 6 years old.
When I asked "Do you know what sin is?," a young teenage girl answered
"Yes" with a serious look on her face, while the little girl said "Noooooo"
while playfully spinning around and bobbing her head side to side as if to

music.)

Many kids are "inoculated" to the gospel at a young age because someone
had them say a prayer they didn't understand. When in doubt, give the child
a tract with instructions to give it to the parents. If you attempt to lead a
child to Christ, talk slower and be simple and concise with your
explanations.

LEARN TO "READ" PEOPLE

Pay attention to the lost person's words and body language. Don't assume
they believe or CARE just because they let you talk. Many will feign
listening to an entire gospel presentation just because they are too polite or
scared to say they're not interested.

For this reason you must use great caution when speaking to women and
children, especially when they are OUTSIDE, e.g. doing lawn work or
walking to or from their car. They feel "TRAPPED" with strange men, and
may be very agreeable and will say ANYTHING to make you happy and
avoid a tense situation. While you are thinking a woman is genuinely
interested, she is usually thinking, "If I offend these religious fanatics, I can't
outrun them, so I better tell them what they want to hear." So when you see

a woman or child outdoors on a quiet street, it's best to just give them a tract,
rather than insist on a lengthy conversation.