A focal point of our ministries must be sharing the Gospel with kids. The good news of Jesus should be central to everything we do at church. Yet sometimes we focus on so many other things—the environment, safety, recruiting volunteers, teaching methodology, and more. Yes, all these are good and necessary. But unless we’re regularly sharing the Gospel with kids, we fail in our children’s ministry.
Sometimes we, or the people in our ministry, simply don’t know the best approach for sharing the Gospel with kids. Other times, people feel overwhelmed or intimidated. Evangelism takes practice, but these three tips make it easier.
3 Tips for Sharing the Gospel With Kids
1. Keep it simple.
The Gospel really is simple. So avoid the tendency to make it complicated.
2. Stay focused.
It’s really easy to run down rabbit trails. Plus, the kids themselves often provide opportunities to digress. But the Gospel is too important for us to get distracted.
3. Learn and practice a technique you feel comfortable with.
You can share the Gospel with kids in numerous ways. Use tracts, the Wordless book, the Romans Road, Evangicube for kids, or other resources. They’re all effective. So just learn one and use it!
A 10-Word Approach to Child Evangelism
(Okay, you’ll use more than 10 words. But only 10 are important to remember.)
God Loves (Hold hands together outstretched in front of you.)
- God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us.
- Great news: God wants us to be part of His family and live with Him forever in heaven!
We Sin (Move left hand outstretched to side. Right hand remains outstretched in front of you.)
- But we sin (“doing anything God doesn’t want us to do”).
- The punishment for sin is death (separation from God…broken relationship).
Jesus Died (Stretch out both hands to the sides.)
- Jesus took our punishment for us by dying on the cross.
- It’s like your brother or sister taking a timeout or consequence for you.
God Forgives (Move right hand back to be outstretched in front. Left hand remains outstretched to side.)
- Because Jesus died for us, our sins can be forgiven.
- The Bible calls this a gift (forgiveness and the opportunity to have a relationship with God).
We Accept (Bring both hands together outstretched in front, as at the beginning.)
- Before a gift is ours, we must accept it.
- The Bible says we accept God’s gift by believing in our hearts that Jesus died for us and accepting His forgiveness for our sins.
- You can do this by praying and telling God you believe and you want His forgiveness.
As you’re doing the motions that go with the 10 words, have the child(ren) join you. This approach is memorable and easy. And at the very least, it will plant the seeds of understanding in young minds.
When it comes to sharing the Gospel with kids, it all starts with willingness and understanding. The 10-word method is easy and kid-friendly. Try it with your children today!
This article originally appeared here.
