Sharing the gospel with kids can be challenging. Yet it’s the most important thing we get to do. So we must get it right! I want to share some insights about ministering to children effectively.
Lately I’ve read more books on the gospel than any other topic. I passionately care about getting this right with kids. When teenagers and young adults can’t clearly articulate their faith, I take that personally.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is beautifully simple yet rich with depth. It never gets old or dusty. As we grow in faith, we must continue diving deeper in Scripture. The gospel is the basis of what we believe about God. It provides a foundation on how we are to live.
But pastors, volunteers, Sunday school teachers, and parents often struggle with teaching the most important story. So how do we share the gospel with kids? I hope my story encourages you.
Kids don’t get it
First of all, I had a few problems sharing the gospel with kids. You can probably relate.
- It’s tough to teach lessons that aren’t so child-friendly (Noah’s ark, David and Goliath, Jesus on the cross)
- Morality gets tricks too. (Be good, don’t lie, be kind.) Although moral behavior is evidence of a changed life, it does not equal life change. Some very moral people are separated from God.
While teaching children, especially younger children, I struggle with teaching the “full counsel” of God’s Word. At the Orange Conference, I heard talks about sharing the gospel with kids. One thing I walked away with is this thought: Jesus prodded adults to become like children to enter the kingdom of heaven, not the other way around.
These frustrations 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.
