Rebecca’s Well: Child Evangelism – Evangelizing the Heart Brain©

Dr. Juanita Bynum has written a wonderful book for children, titled A Heart For Jesus (Charisma Kids). It is the story of a little girl whose mother said “she gave her heart to Jesus.” The little girl remarked, “I’m not sure what that means. But I heard her heart beating when she gave me a hug then… I could hear her heart beating when she poured me some juice … when she read me a story … when she kissed me. I could hear thumpa thump when she rocked me to sleep.” The little girl was confused and said, “Mom, you still have a heart. Did you really give it to Jesus?”

The mother replied that she did not give the heart that beats in her chest to Jesus. She said, “You give Jesus your feelings … He feels with you. You give Jesus your thoughts… He thinks with you. You give Jesus your plans and dreams … He helps you make those dreams come true. Just talk to Jesus in prayer. He cares for you and wants to be a part of your life.”
The little girl liked the mother’s explanation and gave her heart to Jesus also. This is how the little girl prayed: “Jesus I believe you love me. The Bible says you love me so much that you died to take away my sins. Please forgive me for wrong things that I have done. Make my heart clean and new. Fill me with your love and joy and courage. Be with me every day. Help me live and love others the way you do. I ask in your name. Amen.”

As for me, Rebecca, every time I read or write the account of this mother’s ministry to her little child, dark chambers of my own soul are opened. Not dark because of sin, necessarily, as we think of sin; but because parts of my being have either been lost to my awareness or kept closed and never opened. It is then that I become the “child within” or as some say “the inner child” and the Holy Spirit from deep channels within my being flows into me, (1) removing debris, (2) consuming blockages, (3) repairing damage, (4) straighten the course, and (5) most assuredly directing me into the flow of divine life. (John 7:38-39)

In the past, I had used Dr. Bynum’s book with my two great-granddaughters when they were toddlers. One Spring their father, Eddie, led them to Jesus Christ and they received Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour. The oldest was Sania age 8, who walked down the long aisle to the altar by herself, to join the mega, First Baptist Church of Glenarden, MD. Sania said she wanted to be a pastor. The next Sunday, Karine her 7-year old sister, walked down the same aisle to join church holding her father’s hand. Pastor Jenkins asked Karine why she wanted to be baptized? She replied, “Because I want God to be my Saviour.” Karine had also asked me, “Why did Jesus marry a building?” Karine revealed her deep spirituality. (For the answer is in the question.) Her question reflected the deep knowing that the church is the Body and Bride of Christ symbolized by the physical building. I informed Karine that the Believer is the True Church and Bride of Christ and not the physical structure. She asked “ Why do we go to church then?” Karine answered her own question – “I know, to see eachother.” Then I smiled. The little saintly girls were baptized August 19, 2014.

Finally, I report the wonders of a little boy, who at approximately age four, would regularly climb the stairs at “Big Momma” Annie Lewis’ house to “preach” his weekly Sunday sermon, “Are Your Ready?” Could it be the little boy had supernaturally comprehended the evangelistic message on the church bulleting which read, “Jesus is Coming, Are You Ready?” for a long time, the child would wail and preach on the stairs, stopping often to wipe his forehead with a handkerchief as he preached “Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready?” I believe this, the child being four years out of Heaven; he knew Jesus there as his Saviour and friend, and was prophesying as declared by the Prophet Joel in Chapter 2: 28-29:

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy (meaning to speak forth), your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit.”

You see, little Romel Allbritton had given his heart to Jesus long before his family had totally realized his Christology, that Romel is one chosen from many to speak forth the message of salvation. This little saint joined The New Saint John AME Church, VA Beach, VA, at age nine, led hand in hand by his beloved “Grandma Beverly Allbritton.” Jesus says “Suffer (let) little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the Kingdome of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.” (Mark 10:13-16 KJV) Children are never too young to come to Jesus and be saved.
Note: Dear Readers, this child verse translates that adults must also shed themselves of outward personality appearances (false, ego-selves) and come to Jesus with the same childlike faith of love, innocence, trust and purity as little children. For the Lord seeketh such to come unto Him. Amen.

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The Reverend Dr. Rebecca R. Rivka, LPC, is former School Psychologist, Portsmouth and Norfolk Public Schools; (ret.) Professor of Psychology, Norfolk State University; (ret.) Licensed Professional Counselor, Commonwealth of Virginia; Senior Local Elder, The Virginia Annual Conference, The African Methodist Episcopal Church and The Historic Saint John’s AME Church, Norfolk, VA. The Reverend John D. Burton, Senior Pastor. Saint John’s AMEC is the Mother Church of African Methodism in Virginia.