RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY: #Gospel for kids

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5 Gen Z Trends You Need to Know About

10:48 AM Dale Hudson

Gen Z are people who were born between 1997 and 2012. This means they are between the ages of 8 and 23.

They are are growing up in challenging times. A world-wide pandemic, demonstrations against injustice, and an upcoming election that is polarizing. There is uncertainty, fear and challenges. This is the tumultuous world they are growing up in.

Ministry as "normal" may or may not return. It is definitely a time when we should be looking at our ministries and asking the hard questions about the best route to take for ministry in the days, months and years ahead.

Let's look at 5 important trends that you need to know about as you have these discussions and make your plans for the future.

These trends are from the Barna company and represent in-depth research and strategies that can help you navigate what's ahead for us.

1. Gen Z Navigating More Screen Time. The average Gen Z'er uses media for entertainment an average of 8 hours per week. And this was amplified once the pandemic came. Millennial parents and their Gen Z kids have increased their screen time significantly.

Barna's research shows that the majority of pastors (85%) are concerned about this increase of screen time but do not yet have a plan to help families have wise tech usage.

Much of this increase is from Millennial parents trying to keep their Gen Z kids occupied during the day at home. Media has become a handy babysitter for Gen Z kids.

Is this going to be the "norm" moving forward?

Will churches step up and help families decide how much screen time is the best for their family situation?

Once "normal" returns, will the viewing patterns from the pandemic continue?

2. Responding to Injustice.

Gen Z wants to hear the stories of injustice and wants the church to respond and answer the important questions regarding this.

Gen Z is more ethnically diverse and more politically progressive than their elders. Recent data shows that 38% of Gen Z believes we have a race problem and 68% want to address racial injustice in our country.

3. Loneliness and Anxiety.

Even though Gen Z is the most digitally connected generation of all time, they have feelings of loneliness, anxiety and stress. Mental health issues have grown since the pandemic disrupted their lives.

They are searching for connections and are looking to the church for help with this. The church must step up and give Gen Z lots of opportunities to make meaningful connections.

4. Continued Faith Growth.

Research shows that Gen Z is likely to not see church as important. 59% say that church is not relevant to their life. 48% say they find God elsewhere. 28% say they can teach themselves what they need to know.

While 22% have left the faith, 38% are faithful churchgoers.

We must help Gen Z see how important it is to be a consistent church-goer. This will help their faith continue to grow.

5. New forms of outreach and sharing their faith.

Gen Z kids are often hesitant to share their faith. Alarmingly, a poll revealed that 47% say evangelism is wrong.

What they may or may not realize is that sharing their faith is vital. If they will look around, they will see that unbelievers are curious about spiritual matters and are open to having discussions about it.

These 5 trends give us a glimpse into the ever-evolving myriad of ministry opportunities. A great starting point is to sit down with Gen Z kids and listen to understand what they are facing and talk with them about the best says to engage and disciple young people in this day.

Your turn.

Do you see these trends happening in your ministry?

What can we do to effectively minister in the context of these trends?

Share your thoughts with everyone in the comment section below.

Building Kids Faith in the Bible

9:00 AM Dale Hudson

The B-I-B-L-E...yes that's the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God...the B-I-B-L-E.

If you grew up in church, you remember that song. It was an attempt to instill the Word of God into the hearts of children.

We are living in a day when the Bible is under attack. Just this past week, protestors in Portland, Oregon made a spectacle out of burning a pile of Bibles. While that was a physical attack, it doesn't end there. All across the country and the world, the Word of God is under attack.

People who say it's just like any other book.

The removal of Bible verses from public monuments.

Professors who stand in their classroom and belittle the Bible.

Television shows and movies where the Bible and those who follow it are portrayed as nutcases.

Go ahead. Say the Bible isn't the Word of God. You have the right to be wrong.

I believe the Bible is the Word of God.

I believe it is true from cover to cover.

I believe it is historically accurate.

I believe it is error free.

Burning a few copies of God's Word won't stop it.

Have you ever read the story of the French philosopher Voltaire (1694-1778)? Voltaire, in his writings against Christianity and the Bible, predicted in 1776, “One hundred years from my day, there will not be a Bible on earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity-seeker.”

But within fifty years after his death, in an ironic twist of fate, the very house in which Voltaire once lived and wrote was used by the Evangelical Society of Geneva as a storehouse for Bibles and Gospel tracts and the printing presses he used to print his irreverent works was used to print Bibles.

You can't stop the Word of God and you can trust it.

It is crucial that we transfer this belief into the hearts of the next generation that is following us. Let's look at a few ways you can do this.

Tell the next generation the Bible is the Word of God over and over and over and over...

I know a well known pastor who took a strong stand on the Bible being God's Word. He traced his strong stand on the Bible all the way back to when he was a child. Every night before going to bed, his mom would come and tuck him in. She prayed with him and read a few Bible verses with him. And then she held up the Bible and had him say this phrase over and over and over...the Bible is the Word of God!

Show the next generation the proof that the Bible is God's Word.

Hundreds of prophecies fulfilled.

Endurance for thousands of years.

The Bible is self-authenticating.

People who gave up their life for saying the Bible is true. People don't give their life for something they know is not true.

Take a look at some of the verses that agnostics say are errors. Have kids work through those verses and come to the conclusion that the Bible is true. We did this with the Pranksters Series. We actually had kids look at verses and passages that atheists say are errors and find out for themselves why the verses are not errors. You can get this teaching series here - Pranksters.

You can also reinforce that the Bible is God's Word with music. When kids hear a song that emphasizes that the Bible is God's Word, then it helps impress this truth. Check out this song that teaches kids that the Bible is true and you can trust it through and through.

Teach kids to memorize key verses/passages that will help them defend their faith. The Bible tells us that we must be ready to give an answer when someone attacks the Word.

Get tools and resources into the hands of parents, so they can disciple their children with the Bible.

Our faith hinges on the fact that the Bible is God's Word and you can trust it. It must be a top priority to teach kids that they can trust it in all areas of life.

Focus on What Matters

9:17 AM Dale Hudson

It's crucial that ministries have a common purpose and mission.

It's easy to get distracted and sidetracked from your mission, isn't it?

What should your mission be?

Here it is...

Helping people find Jesus and His life-giving love and mercy.

However you word it, the bottom line is this - we must be focused on helping people know Jesus.

Every part of your ministry should be tied to this and live in a "reach the lost at any cost" culture.

You can do a lot of things in a church. But whatever you do should be done with the end result of bringing people to Jesus.

People want to be a part of something that is bigger than they are. There is nothing that is more important than leading people to Jesus.

It's important, as leaders, that we slow down at times to focus on what does and doesn't matter in our ministry. Being intentional with this will allow you to take a look at everything you are doing and focus in on a few big things that will deliver tangible results.

If you are not intentional with focusing on what matters, it's easy to get sidetracked and get bogged down with doing "stuff" that doesn't affect people's life for eternity.

Here are some big questions to ask you and your team. Talk these through. The answers may lead you to a more fruitful ministry.

How can we provide our team members with the "why" which will give them a greater and more reasonable reason for serving on our team?

Is there anything we are currently doing that is not aligned with our why?

Are there any areas where we have gotten sidetracked? How can we get back on course?

What are the 2-3 things we are doing that help us stay focused on what really matters?

What do we highly value in our ministry? What matters a lot to us?

One day, someone will stand by your body as it lies in a coffin. They will be asked to say a few words of comfort and good remembrances. What will they say? How will they remember you? What will they mention was important to you? What did you focus on?

Remember this...

"What you leave for the people in your life is your will.

What you leave in the people in your life is your legacy."

That is being determined now as you are reading this and as you go through your day.

Focus...focus...focus...on What Matters.

How COVID-19 Is Changing Family Time

9:11 AM Dale Hudson

COVID-19 has been disastrous on so many levels. Family members have been lost. Grandmothers and grandads have had to say good-bye to their grand kids prematurely. Families are having to scale back or even shut down their family business. Family finances have been crushed. Jobs have been lost. We could go on and on listing the damage the virus has caused and will continue to cause for an uncertain amount of time.

That being said, when it comes to families, there have been a few positive things that have emerged. A big one is this - in many cases, families have been able to spend more time together. And that is a big win.

In the toy industry, game and puzzle sales are up 228%!!! Building set sales are up 76%!!! Arts and crafts sales are up 70%!!! And sports toy sales are up 20%!!! Board games have doubled in popularity among kids ages 5 to 18 in the last few months.

Can anyone say "Family Game Night?" Yes, these sales are strong indicators that families are spending more meaningful time together. Sales of products that families can do together is on the rise.

As you interact with families and provide parents with resources to lead their children spiritually, be thinking of ways you can use this time to help them grow relationally and spiritually.

Here are few ideas...

Create some simple family games that they can play. Tie the game into key Bible truths that you want them to grasp.

Provide questions where families have to use their Bible to find the answers.

Create some fun Bible memory games that can help kids memorize Scripture.

Provide families some fun, family devotions they can do together.

Bake some cookies together and enjoy eating them...fresh out of the oven with a glass of milk. Talk about some key spiritual ingredients that it takes to help you grow spiritually. Prayer. Bible study. Serving. Going to church. Sharing your faith.

These are just a few of the hundreds of ideas that families can use to grow together. If you want more ideas, a simple Google search for "family Bible activties, games, etc. will give you hundreds of options.

Encourage parents to take advantage of every moment and be intentional about spending extra time with their family while they are hibernating from the virus.

I know...the days are long. But remember the years are short. Families may never have an opportunity like this to spend lots of extra time with their kids.

I'd love to hear what you are doing at home with your kids during this time. In the comment section, share any games, crafts, activities and intentional play that you are using with your kids to help them grow in their faith.

Kids' Characteristics by Age

9:02 AM Dale Hudson

God makes every child special and unique. Our role is to find the abilities God has placed within them and then call them up to walk in His ways and fulfill their special destiny.

We are to help children discover who they are in Christ and how He can work through them to further God's kingdom.

This is very clear in Psalm 139:14-16. Look what it says.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be."

While every child is unique, there are some general attributes that all kids experience as they grow up. Let's look at a few of these. These are from a research company called Cengage learning.

Ages 3-5 (3 through kindergarten)

extremely active
need frequent rest periods
large muscles are more developed than those that control fingers and hands
eye-hand coordination is still developing
bodies are flexible and resilient
most have one or two friends, but those friendships change quickly
play activities contributes to their social, emotional and cognitive development
show preferences for gender of play peers
awareness of gender roles is evidence
tend to express their emotions freely and openly with frequent anger bursts
jealousy among peers is common
tend to have much affection for their teacher and actively seek approval
begin to develop a theory of mind
becoming skillful with language
competence is encouraged by interaction, interests, opportunities and more

Grades 1-3

extremely active so need breaks like recess
may have difficulty focusing on small print or objects
tend to be extreme in their physical activities
bone growth not complete
more selective in their choice of friends
likely to have a best friend
like organized games
sensitive to criticism
begin to understand that there are different ways to know things and that some ways are better than others
being to understand that learning and recall are caused by cognitive processes that they can control

Grades 4-5

boys and girls become leaner and stronger
obesity can become a problem for some kids at this age
gender differences in motor skill performance are apparent
relative calm and predictability in physical development
peer groups become powerful and begin to replace adults as the major source of behavior
friendships are more selective and gender based
organized play continues to contribute to social, emotional and cognitive development
develop a more global, integrated and complex self-image
self-image composed of self-description, self-esteem and self-concept
disruptive family relationships, social rejection and school failure may lead to delinquent behavior
can think logically, although such thinking is constrained and inconsistent
simple memory tasks - children can perform as well as adults
performance is limited with complex memory tasks

These insights can be very helpful as you minister to children. Remember these when you are preparing lessons, activities, games, etc. Every stage of a child's life is an opportunity to share with them how much Jesus loves them and how they were created for a special mission from God.

Are You Consistently Sharing the Gospel?

10:44 AM Dale Hudson

The most important thing we do in children's ministry is sharing the Gospel.

Children are the greatest mission field in the world. Their hearts are open and receptive to the Gospel. We must get the Gospel to them and the Holy Spirit will draw them.

If sharing the Gospel is the most important thing we do, then we should consistently share it with the kids.

Consistently meaning a bare minimum of once a month with every week being the best scenario. You can take any lesson and tie it into the Gospel if you are intentional.

Romans 1:16 says, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes."

This verse makes it very clear that the Gospel is the key in seeing kids and parents come to Christ. If the curriculum you are using or writing doesn't consistently share the Gospel, then it's time to make a change or adjustment.

How many children came to Christ last year in your ministry? I can promise you the number of kids who came to Christ last year is in direct correlation with how often you shared the Gospel.

I see many churches today that spend more time teaching kids to be good over teaching kids to accept the Gospel and become a follower of Jesus. We don't just need "good" kids, we need "Gospel" kids.

We only have a short window of time to share the Gospel with kids. Stats show that the vast majority of people who come to Christ, do so when they are children.

So what is a good strategy for sharing the Gospel with kids? I am going to share with you a few resources that can help you reach kids with the Gospel. And it's not based on just theory, but on proof. We saw 460 kids accept Jesus and follow Him in baptism in one year by using these tools.

These are great resources that you can also use to see more kids and parents enter a relationship with Jesus through your ministry. Check them out below.

Teaching series that focuses on the Gospel for 4 weeks.

Click here for more info.

Teaching series that shows kids how to share the
Gospel using creative tools.

Click here for more info.

Salvation class for kids and their parents.

Click here for more info.

Video that shares the Gospel.

Click here for more info.

You can do this. God is with you. Together we can fulfill the last command of our Savior.

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

Mark 16:15

Helping Kids Feel Safe and Secure During Crazy Times

9:16 AM Dale Hudson

So far 2020 has been a very stressful year. Pandemic. People out of work. The death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter. Stock market ups and downs. Racism struggles. Police brutality and the murder of George Floyd and others. Unemployment. Riots.

Many would say 2020 has been the most stressful year in their entire life.

When parents are going through tough times, kids pick up on it and can become stressed out as well.

Fear can come from catching a small glimpse of the news, overhearing conversations between teens or adults and seeing what their parents post and read in social media.

It is common for kids to pick up on these things and become fearful during these crazy times.

So how can we help our children feel safe and secure during all of this? Here are some steps.

Monitor how much exposure kids have to the news. While most protests and riots have been peaceful, many have not. Media is showing images of fires, looting and violence.

Children do not have the emotional security to understand what they are seeing and it can lead to fear, insecurity and sadness.

Talk with kids. It's important to talk with children about what they are seeing and hearing in an age appropriate way. Help them understand what is happening. If you don't, they will try to fill in the blanks themselves and may come to scary and frightening conclusions in their mind. They may even think someone is coming to get them.

As parents and leaders, we are called to walk through these times with our children and have the wisdom to help guide them through it. And during these crazy times, we must check our children's emotional temperature and help them adjust it as needed.

Be a safe place where kids can ask questions. Find out what they are thinking and reassure them that you will keep them safe. Let them know there is a great group of people that are working hard to keep everyone safe.

Stay positive. Use positive words. Built up others rather than tearing them down. Empower your child through your actions and displayed emotions.

Model the behavior you want to see in your children. Kids will pick up on how you are responding. Make sure you model what you want their response to be as well.

Encourage kids to be proactive. They can encourage other kids who are experiencing fear by talking with them about it. Equip them to be the leaders who can bring about the change that is so desperately needed in these days.

How to Raise a Child Who is Generous

10:50 AM Dale Hudson

I believe if we can teach children to be generous, then they can experience God's blessings as they obey Him.

I'll never forget...it was right after an earthquake hit Haiti. We found out there was a need for children's shoes for the children in Haiti.

We put out a collection box where people could donate shoes for the kids there.

One Sunday, I watched as a girl walked up and saw the sign. She stood there and pondered for a minute or so. Then I saw her look at her mother. Her mother nodded with approval.

The girl reached down and took off her shoes. They were expensive "Sunday church shoes." She placed her shoes in the container and left barefooted.

I remember another time when I saw an example of a child being generous. We were in the middle of raising money to build a new children's building. One of the 3rd grade boys in our ministry saw the need and decided he wanted to be generous. He and his family had been saving up money for months for a birthday trip for him to Orlando.

He asked his parents if they, instead of going on the trip, could donate the money ($1,500) to the new children's building. He gave the money and God used it to inspire the entire church to be generous. The money was raised and the building became a reality.

Explain to kids that generosity can be a way of life. Help kids understand that generosity is not always about money. You can be generous with your time. You can be generous with your talents. And sometimes generosity is shown in the little things like opening the door for a senior adult. Helping your brother finish up his chores. Helping mom put the dishes away when you could be playing video games.

Set the example. The best way to show kids what generosity means is leading by example. Be a tither. Give to special offerings. Support missionaries. Help others who are in need with food. Take time to invest in other people. Your kids will never forget seeing you being generous.

Teach lessons about generosity. Teach a series about giving. Give kids a Biblical basis for generosity. Here are a couple of series that I developed that teach kids to be generous.

Money Talks is a 4-week series that gives kids a foundation for a lifetime of generosity. This series is also great if your church is doing an adult series on stewardship such as Financial Peace University. Kids learn...

Week 1 - Money Talks About Owning
Week 2 - Money Talks About Tithing
Week 3 - Money Talks About Sharing
Week 4 - Money Talks About Planning

The Money Talks lesson can be purchased at this link.

Here is a video sample.

The other series is called "Kid Bank President." In this 4 week series, the Kid Bank President teaches kids how to manage their money with God's wisdom and plans. This is a great series to use when your church is doing a giving series. Lessons include...

Week 1 - Tithing Account

Week 2 - Saving Account

Week 3 - Spending Account

Week 4 - Investing Account

The lessons can be purchased at this link .

Here is a video sample.

The Power of a Common Vision

9:09 AM Dale Hudson

ESPN recently produced a 10 part documentary about the career of Michael Jordan. It was very interesting to watch.

One thing was very clear about Micheal and the Bulls. They were laser focused on winning an NBA championship. This resulted in the team winning 6 titles.

I am reminded of this quote from Michael Jordan.

"Great players win games, great teams win championships."

When you get your team aligned and focused on a common vision, you can dominate. Let's look at a few tips on how to do that.

Make sure everyone knows what the vision is. It's hard to align behind a common vision when you don't even know what the vision is.

So, the starting point is creating a common vision. Keep the vision short (one or two sentences at the most). Make the vision laser-focused. Say it every time you meet. Put it in writing on all your communication pieces. Repeat it. Repeat it. Repeat it. Repeat it. Repeat it. Repeat it. Repeat it.

Want to know if your team knows what your vision statement is? It's easy, just ask them. Fulfilling the vision should be part of their DNA.

Everything you do should be a step toward fulfilling the vision.

Your ministry calendar should reflect this.

Your event schedule should reflect this.

You budget should reflect this.

Your team should reflect this.

Your programs should reflect this.

When team members get to the point where they have memorized the vision statement, are committed to it and are living it out, you will be positioned to make a big impact.

I'd love to see your vision statement. Share it with us in the comment section below.

Unlikely Friends (Great Curriculum Series Shows Kids How to Grow in Their Faith)

9:51 AM Dale Hudson

This curriculum series follows the story of a kid named Dave who has just moved into the neighborhood.

He's tries to fit in with the other kids but they want nothing to do with him.

Until a kid named Johnny steps in and offers his friendship.

The narrative leads kids into the story of David and Jonathon in the Bible and teaches them how to have a growing friendship with Jesus.

The series includes videos that feature the art work of a world-renowned artist who also draws for Sports Illustrated for Kids. Lessons are...

Week 1 - I Promise to Love and Follow My Friend
Week 2 - I Put My Friend First
Week 3 - I Share My Heart With My Friend
Week 4 - I Stand Up For My Friend

Delivered Electronically - Instant Download

Includes...

graphics for posters, social media, promotions
graphics for slides for Power Point, Pro Presenter, Media Shout, Keynote
4 weeks of lesson videos
5-minute video countdown
4 weeks of lessons that can be used in large group format, small group format, traditional classroom format, mid-week format
lessons are editable and flexible to fit your specific ministry context
small group leader guide that's easy-to-use and requires little prep
hands-on, experiential, interactive learning
connects with all learning styles
games that bring fun and learning together
take home pages for each week

and much more

You can order the curriculum at this link.

Click here to see a lesson sample.

Click here to see a small group leader sample.

Below is a video sample from a lesson (click arrows to expand & watch full screen).

Why Kids Are Saying Your Ministry is Boring

11:59 AM Dale Hudson

Recently, I was talking with a children's ministry leader and she told me the kids were saying the lessons are boring.

Let me let you in on a little secret. When a kid says a lesson is boring...it probably is.

If you want to know if your lessons are boring...ask the kids.

You can do this by having a round table discussion with a group of 6-8 kids. Ask them about the parts of your service and which ones they are bored with. Make it anonymous, so the kids won't feel pressure to answer a certain way because they want to please you. You need to hear the truth, whether it's positive or negative.

Here are some proven ways you can make sure you won't hear kids saying the lessons are boring...

Stop talking so much. When it comes to boring lessons, this is the #1 culprit. If you are trying to use talking to keep kids' engaged for 15-20 minutes, you are setting yourself up for failure. Talking should not last more than 5 minutes at a time.

Involve kids in the lesson. When kids have to sit still, they get bored and easily distracted. Get them up and moving during the lesson. Have them be the Bible characters. Have the rest of the kids be sound effects. Get every one involved.

Honor kids' attention spans. So here is the biggie. Honor kids' attention spans which is 5 minutes max. For preschoolers it can be even less, like 2-3 minutes. Look at your entire classroom time not as 60 minutes. Rather look at your classroom time as being 12 x 5 minute sessions.

Play games that have a purpose. A quick way to wake a child up from boredom, is to play a fun and engaging game. Play several games each week. Make sure to involve as many kids as possible and have the game tie into the lesson.

Sing worship songs that are age-appropriate and fun to sing. I'm not sure why...but from what I have observed in my travels...we are trying to make kids sing adult worship songs. Watch the kids during your worship time. How many are actually singing? How many are distracted because there are too many motions to try to copy? How many are being asked to sing words that are over their head?

In my opinion, we need to bring back some of the old school songs that kids sang 10 years or so ago.

These are songs that are written for kids and that engage kids and gets them singing. Songs like...

Come and Go With Me to My Father's House
I Get Down and He Lifts Me Up
Every Move I Make
Jesus, Be the Center of My Life

Use video...but not too much. It's okay to have a 5 to 8 minute at a time video segment but I recommend not going over that. Kids have video messaging and ads coming at them non-stop now. A full lesson on video can be too much of a good thing and kids get bored with it . Especially when the video is of someone just talking.

Watch the kids' reactions. When kids get bored, they look away. Watch and make a note of when kids start looking away. Go back and tweak that part(s) of the service.

We have the most exciting, engaging lesson ever presented to mankind - Jesus and His plan of salvation.

The best lesson deserves the best presentation.

I have often heard people say, "I'm not going to church, because I was made to go as a child." Think about this - you don't have to make someone go where they want to be. Their memory of church is that it was not relevant, not fun and boring.

I've never heard anyone say, "I'm not going to Disney World because I was made to go as a child." Why not? Because it was an exciting, fun place to go.

My prayer is that we will give our very best to creating environments where kids will walk out with a smile on their face and God's Word placed in their thoughts.

Your turn. What do you think causes kids to say a ministry is boring? What insight or advice can you give to someone to make the experience at their church one that causes kids to drag their parents to services? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

We Must Continue to Teach Kids That Jesus is the One and Only Way to Eternal Life

11:55 AM Dale Hudson

Today, we remember the day Jesus died on the cross for us. He paid the price for our sins and shed His blood that we might be reconciled with God.

There is nothing more important that we can share with kids than the Gospel. The good news that even though we have sinned, there is a way we can be forgiven.

We live in a society that has been sliding downward for years. A pluralistic society that says there are many ways to eternal life.

Postmodernism, which we are surrounded by, says that we must be tolerant. That we should not make claims of the supremacy of Jesus. Everyone should do what works best for them. Everyone should follow a path that is to their liking. Don't "judge" other people by saying that without Jesus they have no hope of eternal life. To do so is to be a bigot, intolerant and judgemental person.

In-spite of the pressure we may feel to water down the Gospel and cave in to postmodernism, we must stand strong and continue to teach kids that Jesus is still the one and only way to eternal life.

Jesus made it crystal clear when He said this in John 14:6...

I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Another example in 1 John 5:12.

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

We must help kids understand the Gospel and believe what the Bible says is true. Only Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. Only Jesus was buried and rose again. Only Jesus made a road to heaven.

We are in a race to reach the heart of the next generation. We know the vast majority of people who come to Christ do so when they are children.

This means you and I are ministering to children at the most critical time in their life. When they are the most open and receptive to the Gospel.

You can teach kids a lot of things, but the Gospel is the most important thing you can ever teach a child. I want to encourage you to consistently share the Gospel with kids. Be passionate about seeing kids come to Christ.

Here is a simple but effective way to help kids see Jesus is the only way to heaven.

If we were to go to the gates of heaven today and an angel came out to greet us and asked us this question.

"Why should I let you come in?"

What would you tell the angel?

That you've been good? That you went to church? That you gave money in the offering? That you tried to obey your parents and be a good son or daughter? That you did well in school?

No. The only answer that would get you inside would be this.

"I believed in Jesus and asked Him to be my forgiver, my leader and my friend."

As you finish up final preparations for your Easter services, I pray you will have the Gospel as the main truth you are going to communicate. Only through Jesus will the kids in your ministry have eternal life.

If you need some follow-up materials or want resources that will help you clearly share the Gospel, here are a couple that have been used by hundreds of churches across the country to lead kids (and their parents) to Jesus.

Starting Point is a one-session class designed for kids who are interested in starting a relationship with Jesus. The class is designed for kids and their parents to attend together and provides tools that parents can use to follow up with their children at home. You can get more information at this link.

Another great resource to share the Gospel with kids is a 4-week teaching series called Road Trip. Kids learn through this series that our road may, the Bible, says there is only one road to eternal life...and the road is Jesus. You can get more info. about this series at this link.

Here is one last tool that can help you. The Blab Lab teaching series helps kids not only understand the Gospel, but also gives them tools they can use to share their faith with others.

The Blab Lab gets kids excited about blabbing about (sharing) their faith with others. Each week kids create an invention they can use to tell other people about Jesus. The Blab Lab is directed by Professor Blabalot and his sidekick, Crum. There's plenty of mishaps and fun along the way, as the Professor and Crum, test out their "blab about your faith" inventions with the kids. You can get more info. at this link.

I pray God will bless you, empower you and work through your life and ministry to reach kids and families with the Gospel. It is the hope of the world.