One of the things that I have struggled with since beginning in ministry is how to share the gospel with kids. It’s the most important thing that we get to do. It’s something that you must get right. I hope to share some of my struggles and failures and point out a resource that will help you to share the gospel effectively in your ministry to children.
I read more books on the Gospel lately than any other topic. I really care about getting this right with kids. I’ve seen the research, and teenagers and young adults not clearly being able to articulate their faith is something that I take personally. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is beautifully simple and yet rich with depth. It’s a story that never gets old or dusty. You must continue to dive deeper the longer you are connected to the Gospel. The Gospel is the basis of what we believe about God and us and should give us a foundation on how we live our lives.
But oftentimes, pastors, volunteers, and Sunday school teachers struggle with teaching the most important story ever told to 5-, 6-, & 7-year-olds and beyond. So how do we teach kids the Gospel?
Today I’d like to share my story and hope that it provides encouragement to you.
Kids don’t get it
First of all, I had a few problems teaching the Bible to kids. Probably two big ones. Things that you probably have felt as well.
- Teaching stories that aren’t so child friendly (Noah’s ark, Jesus on the cross, David and Goliath, etc.)
- Morality (be good, don’t lie, be kind, etc.)
Moral behavior is evidence of a changed life, but it does not equal life change. There are very moral people who are separated from God.
But when I am teaching children, specifically younger children, there is a struggle inside to teach the “full counsel” of God’s word. I struggled with this beginning in my ministry role. I went to the Orange Conference and heard communicators talk about sharing Christ with kids, and one thing that I walked away with during that conference was this thought.
Jesus prodded adults to become like children to enter the kingdom of heaven, not the other way around. These frustrations that I had with not being able to give what I thought was “the whole story” was completely upside-down. I needed to dive deeper into the simplicity of the Gospel.
