Explaining the Gospel to a Child:
8 Tips to Help You Communicate
the Good News Simply and Effectively
The Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the message of His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension. The Gospel is also the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16).
When we explain the Gospel to a child, we tell them the good news about Jesus. We are sharing the message of His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension with them. And we are telling them that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation.
“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16-18, MSG
The Gospel is a message of hope, love, forgiveness, and new life. When we share the Gospel with a child, we share the hope of Jesus Christ. We are sharing the love of God with them. We are sharing the forgiveness of sins with them. We are sharing the new life available in Jesus Christ with them.
The Gospel is the message of salvation. It is the message of eternal life. It is the message of hope. It is the message of love. It is the message of forgiveness. When we explain the Gospel to a child, we are telling them about the salvation available in Jesus Christ. We are telling them about the eternal life offered through Jesus Christ. We are telling them about the hope that is available in Jesus Christ. We are telling them about the love of God that is available in Jesus Christ. We are telling them about the forgiveness of sins open in Jesus Christ.
The Gospel is the power of God for salvation. It is the message of hope. It is the message of love. It is the message of forgiveness. When we explain the Gospel to a child, we are telling them about the power of God that is available for salvation. We are telling them about the hope that is available in Jesus Christ. We are telling them about the love of God that is available in Jesus Christ. We are telling them about the forgiveness of sins open in Jesus Christ.
The Gospel is the message of Jesus Christ. It is the message of His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension. The Gospel is also the power of God for salvation. When we explain the Gospel to a child, we share the good news about Jesus. We are telling them about His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension. And we are telling them that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation.
These are all great reasons we should ensure we communicate the Gospel to a child! Always! As much as possible!
But ... how?
How do we go about explaining the Gospel to a Child? Here are some helpful tips:
I pray to God—my life a prayer— and wait for what he’ll say and do. Psalm 130:5-6, MSG
1. PRAY
Prayer may seem like an obvious first step, but it is crucial. Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit to best share the Gospel with the child you have in mind. Ask God to give you the words and wisdom to know when to say them. Also consider that it is even more powerful to have OTHERS praying for you as you share the Gospel with children!
2. KEEP IT SIMPLE
It is essential to keep your explanation simple when sharing the Gospel with a child. Use language that the child will understand. Avoid theological terms that may be confusing. Please focus on the essential truths of the Gospel: that Jesus died for our sins and rose again, defeating death.
"Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing." Ephesians 2:7-10, MSG
3. USE ILLUSTRATIONS
Children often learn best through stories and illustrations. Share a Bible story with the child that communicates the gospel message. Or use an object lesson to explain the concept of sin and forgiveness. There are many creative ways to share the Gospel using illustrations. Use your amazing, God-given imagination. Here is a free download of a visual we offer through The Supercharged Sunday School under The Scripture Scout Christian Resources: Making the Connection! I think you'll find it very helpful!
4. EMPHASIZE GOD'S LOVE
Above all, the Gospel is a message of God's love. Emphasize this truth when sharing the Gospel with a child. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins. This is good news! A child can understand this concept, the foundation upon which the gospel message rests: Make the Connection
Genesis 3:15 was fulfilled at Calvary’s cross! The future seed of the Eve, Jesus, won over Satan’s evil plans through His tragic death on the cross. With visuals, let's take a look at some other verses (Romans 16:20 & Colossians 2:14-15, for example) that solidify and explain this promise! And THEN see how they ... MAKE A HUGE CONNECTION!
5. INVITE QUESTIONS
Children are naturally curious. Invite questions as you share the Gospel with a child. Answered questions will help them to understand the message better and also allow you to gauge how much they are comprehending. Be prepared to answer questions in a way that is both age-appropriate and respectful.
6. POINT TO JESUS
The Gospel is ultimately about Jesus Christ. As you share the Gospel with a child, point them to Jesus as the source of salvation. His death and resurrection provide the way for us to be forgiven and have eternal life. Help the child understand that the message is not about you or anything you can do but what Jesus has already done for us.
Now that you've read through these short ideas, please enjoy watching this wonderful video of explaining the gospel to a child. It is challenging to explain the trinity, but even though in it there may not be a perfect explanation of the trinity, this artist does a great job of translating art into helping a child get an idea! You can do the rest...!
Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer captive to sin’s demands! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did." -Romans 6:6-11, MSG
7. BE PREPARED FOR A DECISION
You may be sharing the Gospel with a child ready to decide to follow Christ. Be prepared for this possibility and have resources (such as a Bible, a prayer journal, or contact information for your church) to help the child take their next steps to discover the beauty of God's great gift. Pray with him or her and encourage them as they begin their faith journey.
8. FOLLOW UP
After you have shared the Gospel with a child, make sure to follow up with them. Check-in periodically to see how they are doing in their faith journey. Pray for them and their family. And be available to answer any questions they may have along the way.
Sharing the Gospel with a child can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be. Whether you follow these simple tips step-by-step OR you just needed a little inspiration here, you can effectively communicate the good news of salvation to a child. And you can be confident that, as you do so, God will work in the child's life to bring about His saving power.
The journey to follow Christ can be a daunting one, and I'm here for you. Whether it's answering questions or walking alongside as your child embarks on this important step in life - please feel free contact me!
Remember to pray for guidance and patience as you share this important message with your child, and be prepared to answer any questions they may have. We are behind you!