CL – Cabin Time: Part 3

Leading a friend to Christ

Be ready at all times to pray with one of your young friends to receive Christ. It doesn’t have to happen at the end of the week. Ask God to give you divine sensitivity to the spirit of each young person in your cabin. When you sense someone is ready, be ready to ask the question, “Would like to begin a personal relationship with Jesus?” When your friend says, “Yes,” then everything else is simply ceremony and celebration!

The ceremony: You are the most privileged person on earth. You have the incredible opportunity to lead your friend in his or her first conversation with the Heavenly Father. There are no magic words, as you know. Simply speak as the Spirit leads you and give your friend the opportunity to pray, too. Here is a sample prayer:

Father, there is someone here wanting to be introduced to you.                 , your lost child, is wanting to come home. She has decided that living life without you just isn’t the way it was meant to be. She has turned around in her tracks, away from her old way of thinking and living, and started walking toward you, her Heavenly Father. Thank you for forgiving her for walking away from You in the first place to live life on her own. Thank You for now running to greet her as she turns to come home. We know that you are excited to have her want to come into a relationship with you. Thank You that                   is your daughter and that you love her enough to send Jesus to die for her sin. Thank You that you have forgiven her completely of everything she has done wrong in her life. Father, please teach her what it means to be in a personal relationship with you. Amen.

Sometimes young people are eager to pray for themselves, which is great! If they are willing, have them add their own prayer to yours. You will usually need to pray first though, just to show them that it isn’t as hard as what they may think. The previous prayer may seem more like a sermon to you. Yours doesn’t need to be that long or involved. God promises to bring the words you need to speak when you need them (Luke 12:11). The above prayer simply follows the progression of the Prodigal Son story (Luke 15:11-24), using that story to summarise what has happened in the life of the new believer. Sometimes it is easier to remember a story than a list of theological points.

Be sure to take note of the Short Sheets that go with this section. One of them gives you a long list of Scripture references to use in helping a young person process the Gospel. Another gives you a list of additional possible ways to direct a camper to commitment in Christ.

What’s Next?

After leading a friend to Christ, then what? Here is the short list of what ought to happen in the hours and days following this important first step:

• Keep in close contact with the new believer. Even though you are probably sharing a cabin, close contact in this case means to ask periodically, “How are you doing? How are you feeling? What are you thinking about the decision you made?”
• Help the new believer articulate to someone else what has happened. Find a friend, another leader, the camp speaker – someone significant the new believer would feel comfortable sharing his or her decision with. There is something that happens inside a new believer when he or she is able to articulate faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9).
• Talk with the new believer about the possibility of standing up at the “Say So” at the end of camp. Often at camp, the last night the speaker provides a time when new believers can stand together to acknowledge their newfound faith. The speaker will explain the procedure to you ahead of time in the leaders’ meeting. Then you can explain it to your friend. Offer to stand with him or her if it helps (Psalm 107:2)
• Take the new believer to the “New Christians” seminar the last day of camp. The leader of this seminar will hand out copies of the New Testament and explain what the new believer needs to do to get started in his or her journey with Jesus.
• Give the new believer other follow-up materials. You will find more information about this.
• Make a plan for life back home. Inform the new believer about any planned group meetings for new Christians once you return home. Set up a personal time to meet with him or her the first week at home to encourage them (within the first three days is best). Assure him or her that you will be in close contact and very available as he or she faces the old world with new purpose and priorities (1 Thessalonians 2:5-12).