Gospel Kids Group Guide (11/5)
Introduction:
This past week, we learned about the good kings of Judah and how they led the people of God to follow him and to turn away from sin. We are tying this to the spiritual discipline of evangelism.
Evangelism is a vital part of following Jesus. We know that we are commanded to share the good news of grace found in Jesus Christ with those around us and to call them to respond in repentance and faith.
Some kids may not know what evangelism means, so we want to explain it to them in ways they can understand. To keep it simple, emphasize that evangelism is telling others about Jesus, just like you might tell others about something else that excites you.
We also want to emphasize that evangelism is about how you live in addition to what you say. Living a life of obedience and integrity helps to show others what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Evangelism is an act of love—both for God and for others. As we obey Jesus’ command to share the gospel, we grow in our walk with Him, and others have the opportunity to hear the good news of salvation.
Discussion Guide:
The first question is designed to review past material and orient the kids towards the current lesson.
What is a spiritual discipline?
The following questions are designed to help kids understand what evangelism is and why it is important.
Have you ever shared something really exciting with a friend? What was it?
Why is it important to share about Jesus with others?
Why is it important for everyone to hear about Jesus?
Can you think of someone who might not know Jesus?
Who is someone you can share God’s love with this week?
I understand these questions can be a lot for young kids. If they cannot grasp the questions, simply talk through the answers and give examples from your own life of people that you are actively working to share the gospel with. Showing this example to young children will help them to learn these principles even before they can understand and articulate them.
Close with some time in prayer, thanking God for the good news of the gospel and asking Him for guidance in sharing with other people.
Activity Ideas:
GROUP GAME:
OPTION 1: THAT’S EXCITING!
Have the kids form a circle. Give one kid a ball and ask them to share something exciting that has happened in her week. She will share and then toss the ball to another kid, who will share something exciting from his week. Continue until everyone has had a chance to share.
OPTION 2: EXTRA! EXTRA!
Lay out a large piece of paper. Give kids markers, crayons, and pencils. Encourage them to cover the paper with lots of pictures of stories. These could be Bible stories or events from their own lives. Use the activity to teach them that it is fun to share stories, but the most important thing that we can share is the story of God’s love for us displayed through Jesus on the cross.
GROUP DEMONSTRATION: THE RIPPLE EFFECT
Gather the kids around the bowl of water. Ask the kids to imagine that the bowl of water represents the world, and the small stone represents someone sharing the good news of Jesus. Drop the stone into the water and have everyone watch the ripples spread out from where the stone was dropped. Explain how one small stone can cause ripples that move across the entire bowl of water, just like how one person sharing the gospel can impact many people. If time allows, let each kid drop a stone into the water.
SAY Did you see how the ripples spread out far beyond where the stone dropped into the water? In the same way, when we share the good news of Jesus with even one person, it can have a big impact. That person might share Jesus with someone else, and then that person could share with even more people. Just like the ripples, the message of Jesus spreads from one person to many. Evangelism is powerful because God uses even small conversations and acts of kindness to reach many people with His love. When we share the gospel, we are part of God’s big plan to spread His love to the whole world. Just like the stone caused the water to ripple out, your words and actions can make a difference in someone’s life—and it can continue to spread far beyond what you can see.
