Finding The Gospel In Our
Culture
Have you seen a movie lately in which one character gives up his
or her very life for the sake of someone else? Do you know a story
of complete forgiveness for unforgivable sins? Those are fibers in
the tapestry of the gospel. The one doing the forgiving or "saving"
in your story might not be the perfect Savior, but the threads of
salvation and forgiveness can lead your kids into discussions of
what it feels like to be forgiven and what it means to experience
salvation. How can we do this?
- Look for the gospel everywhere. Movies, fairy
tales, cartoons, stories, and songs can contain traces of biblical
truth that you can use to introduce Bible themes and stories.
- Tell or show the story. Let kids feel the
emotions of the characters, understand the events of the story, and
experience the outcome of the actions.
- Extract the truth. Use discussion and
debriefing to help kids discover the core biblical truth in your
story.
- Emphasize the Bible. Jesus said, "The kingdom
of heaven is like a mustard seed," not the other way around. The
Bible's truth supersedes any fiction, and it's vital that kids
understand the difference. Emphasize the verse or passage that your
story reinforces. Ask God to use the story to bring kids to a
heightened level of spiritual understanding.
- Have kids look for God's truth in their lives.
Kids can identify forgiveness, faith, and kindness. Encourage them
to discover God's truth in their lives and share it with their
families. The kingdom of God is here, and if we watch for it
carefully, we can see God working in our lives and in the lives of
others.
Misty Anne Winzenried is a counselor and writing instructor
at Seattle Pacific University.
