You Won’t Believe It: Seven Children Accepted Christ, and I Saw the Whole Thing!
- Clint May
- Jul 8
- 3 min read
L.I.T. July 2026 Newsletter
I was sitting in the foyer of Immanuel Baptist Church in Norman, Oklahoma, when Mike came in the front door with tears in his eyes. He said, “Clint, seven children just gave their lives to Christ. The L.I.T.s taught and gave an invitation. I listened in as the kids sat down and counseled each child. I talked with all of them afterward, and all of the kids knew exactly what they had done.” Mike was filled with excitement as he shared what he had witnessed.
"Go and Make Disciples—Not Just Converts", Dr. Clint May
Throughout the past 35 years of doing kids’ ministry, I have concluded that we have flipped the Great Commission upside down. Our primary focus has been on conversions to the detriment of the thousands of kids who have had a transformational encounter with Christ. That was me some years ago when I started at Wedgwood Baptist Church. I wanted to reach every child I could. We had close to a thousand children meeting in after-school Bible clubs at eleven elementary schools—we took Vacation Bible School off campus. I led evangelistic camps, sharing the Gospel so that many would come to Christ. As I did so, the kids who were excited to walk with the Lord watched me leave them behind.
When I realized what I was doing, I decided that the kids' ministry needed to focus on discipling children who knew the Lord within the church. Yes, I wanted to reach kids with the Gospel, and I faithfully did so. Jesus taught the thousands, but He spent a lot more time with the twelve. He even spent more personal time with the three: Peter, James, and John. After three years with the disciples, Jesus told them to go and do the same…He sent them out to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20).
During the Norman, Oklahoma, mission trip, we saw the fruit of discipleship firsthand. Yes, the Gospel was being proclaimed; however, it was the L.I.T.s (preteens) doing it. They were living out their faith, making Christ Lord (Luke 9:23) and claiming the promises of God’s Word (Psalm 119:104) and seeing it come alive. They prayed and God answered (Jeremiah 33:3). They ministered, and we saw their gifts manifested before our eyes (1 Peter 4:10). They shared the Gospel with the Holy Spirit’s power and presence (Acts 1:8). The were bearing fruit for Jesus (John 15:5).
Throughout this mission trip, they were leading kids to Christ. Yes, the kids were leading kids to Christ. You see, that is discipleship. They learned to live out their faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.
We celebrated that 16 children came to know Christ, but we also celebrated even more that 16 preteens (L.I.T.s) led them to Him.
Broken Over the Millions Who Do Not Know Christ, Russ Zacek
Equally impactful and wonderful on the mission trip has been the effect that the trip had on the missionary kids. They were weeping at the altars on Tuesday night, feeling the power and presence of God as we worshipped long into the night. They were interceding for 60 nations in the 10-40 Window on Wednesday night. The children were so inspired to pray for the nations that they asked to take the posters down from the walls and take them home to pray for these countries.
Prayer Points
Praises
Praise the Lord for two incredible mission trips in Michigan and Oklahoma.
Praise the Lord for the 20 who gave their lives to Christ on the two trips.
Praise for the completion of the publication work on several L.I.T. devotional books and leader guides.
Prayer Requests
Pray for the Lord’s provision to publish the remaining L.I.T. discipleship books. The average cost is $1,000 per book. We currently need the funds ($3,000) to complete the work on all the fall books.
Pray for Russ Zacek, Amy McMullin, and Rachel Jackson as they finalize the revisions and updates to the Leaders In Training discipleship resources.
Pray for Dr. Clint May as he works to develop the training for The Cross Life Discipleship Handbook and the new Student Devotional.
Pray for L.I.T. churches as they turn their focus next month to kicking off a new year.
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