At my son’s school the other day, I spotted some artwork that lined his classroom walls. Each child created a flower and wrote five descriptive words about another classmate on each petal. One girl said my son was “handsome, smart, friendly, trustworthy, special.” When he came home, I affirmed all of those traits within him. I asked him how he felt about how his classmate described him. He said it made him feel good that someone saw him that way. When I heard my child’s reaction, I had to stop and wonder: If he feels this way about encouragement from a friend, how much more would He feel if he knew God saw Him this way too? Frequently sharing the gospel message to kids helps keep their mind focused on how God sees them.
Here are 10 ways parents can help spread the Gospel message to their kids:
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1. Role play.
Kids learn best by doing. Break out the costumes, let the kids create an elaborate set and put on a play for you as their audience. Have them make up presentations based on Bible stories. The more details they insert into the story the better it becomes. They will feel like they are a part of the story and they will be able to practically apply what they are learning about at church.
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2. Participate in dramatic puppet presentation.
Puppetry is a great way to apply the truths of Scripture. You can use simple puppets, like ones you make with socks, or more complicated puppets with mouths that move by pulling a string or manipulating your hand. Kids love characters with funny voices and elaborate costumes and helps keep them engaged with the lesson. It also makes it more memorable as well.
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3. Listen to consistent teaching.
Not all traditions are bad ones. Sunday school is a great, traditional opportunity for your kid to learn God’s Word with a classroom of kids their own age. Send your kids to your church’s Sunday school class if they have one. Kids can’t hide the Word in their hearts if they don’t know what it is, right? Often kids sing songs, make crafts, and interact with the morning’s lesson. Those kid-friendly activities, centered around God’s Word, will help Bible verses and stories stick with them for years to come.
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4. Memorize scripture.
Memorizing verses doesn’t have to be boring. Pick verses you want to impress upon your children and place them in prominent places in your home. The bathroom mirror, the breakfast table, and the kitchen counter are all places that you could place an index card with a verse. If your child isn’t the most observant or can’t read for themselves, you can teach them a song with Bible verse lyrics. Think of how many Bible verses you know by heart because of a song. Also, incentives are key. Give a prize to who can memorize the most in a week. Bonus points for singing!
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5. Set an example.
Paul invested in Timothy because he saw the potential in Him. Your kids need you to see the potential in them, too. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” How can someone from the younger generation set an example if they have never seen what the example looks like? You are your child’s best teacher. Live out what you believe in your life and soon your kids will too.
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6. Acknowledge your children’s value and worth.
Your children are special not because of what they do, but because of who they are. Mothers have the distinct privilege of acknowledging their child’s worth and value. Sometimes all it takes is a hug, spending quality time with them, or allowing them to share their stories with you. This is part of the discipleship process. By acknowledging their unique gifts and talents, you establish trust. Once trust is established, you can speak into their lives and assist them in their spiritual journey.
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7. Fan the flame of God within them.
Not only are parents instrumental in bringing about a child’s physical life through childbirth, but we are also instrumental in developing their spiritual life, too. The Holy Spirit dwells within your child when they receive Christ, but it must be fanned. Help your child follow the Spirit, not quench the Spirit. You can help fan the flame that, once ignited, is impossible to extinguish. The Holy Spirit has given unique gifts and talents to each of your children. Study the word of God together. Impart your wisdom and knowledge of the word onto them.
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8. Assist them in discovering their spiritual gifts.
Do you or your children know what their spiritual gifts are? Helping them find a place to serve within your church is a great way to help your child discover and grow in those gifts. Even young children can use their gifts to serve others. Allowing them to help in appropriate ways teaches them that church is not just about what they get, but also what they can give back. Invite them in the joy of serving others for God.
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9. Lend a hand in your child’s spiritual formation.
God could have spoken Adam and Eve into existence as He had done with the sun, moon and stars. Instead, he lowered himself to our level and used His hands. He touched every grain of dust and used it to shape man. His love for human beings was so great he chose to literally get into the dirt and dirty himself for the sake of our lives. Get down and dirty in your children’s lives and help them through the trials as well as the triumphs.
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10. Discover ways to participate in God’s work of redemption through the lives of our children.
That may mean talking with them about the ugly situations that jeopardize their spiritual growth (bullying, dangers of the Internet, etc.) Dive into God’s Word together and let them extrapolate their conclusion about friends and activities that may corrupt their character. Then encourage them to bring beauty and redemption to that situation. They need to be able to demonstrate the light of Christ to those around them. Show them what it means “to shine like stars in this crooked and perverse generation,” Philippians 2:15.
You have the power to share the gospel message in real and tangible ways with your kids. With honest, authentic living, imparting your wisdom and authority and consistently acknowledging your child’s value, you can fan the flame that once ignited, is impossible to extinguish.
Michelle S. Lazurek is an award-winning author, speaker, pastor's wife and mother. Winner of the Golden Scroll Children's Book of the Year and the Enduring Light Silver Medal, she is a member of the Christian Author's Network and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. Her first book with Leafwood Publishers, An Invitation to the Table, came out September 2016. She also teaches at various writers' workshops, such as the Montrose Christian Writers conference. She and her husband live in Coudersport, Pennsylvania, with their two children, Caleb and Leah. For more information, please visit her website at michellelazurek.com.
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Originally published Monday, 23 April 2018.
