The Fidget Gospel
By Brooks Gibbs | SermonShare| Spring Hill, Tennessee
Every once-in-a-while someone invents a toy that captures the obsessions of children all over the world, sending their parents into a mass consumer hysteria. The Rubik’s Cube, Pet Rocks, and Slap-Wrist Bracelets once had their shining moment in toy history and today we have a new fun widget… The Fidget.
By now, you’ve seen this toy spinner. They are everywhere! I personally visited 5 Walgreens at the weeping request of my 7 year old who (using the creepy crackly low-end of his voice box) said my reputation as “the most awesomest dad on the planet” was at-risk. Somehow, I came through and snagged the last fidget on the shelf. Days later, his entrepreneurial grandma drop-shipped a box of them from china and now my kids are the neighborhood dealers. This fidget fever is out of control.
At first, I hated this trend. But after some prayerful observation, I discovered that there is huge evangelistic opportunity right in front of us, and wise is the youth pastor that takes advantage of it.
Consider what is happening right now. Kids are comparing fidgets, pointing out various differences, and discussing the virtues of the designs and colors. With a little help from us, we can empower our Christian kids to share the Gospel as they discuss their new favorite toy.
Evangelism Made Easy
I asked my boys to figure out a way to tell the simple story of the Gospel using their spinning Fidget as an evangelistic tool. Immediately my 7 year-old suggested the “Trinity.”
“Dad”, he said. “Each point on the fidget represents part of the Trinity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If you spin it real fast, it looks like they are all ONE!”
Of course a churched kid would see the Trinity in a three part spinning toy. I’m not so sure an unchurched kid would understand what my son was talking about. The Trinity is a commonly misunderstood concept among people, and a true grasp of its reality escapes even the most educated theologians.
I encouraged my son to think again. Think deeper. HOW does God, in His triune form, work to bring someone to Christ. Explain that, and you might be able to explain the Gospel. Here is what we concluded after a little bit of discussion:
- The Father: Loves us so much that he gave us His son to live a perfect life that we could never live.
- The Son: Died on the cross for our sins so that we could have a relationship with God.
- The Spirit: Speaks to our hearts and leads us into a closer relationship with God through Christ.
That more practical explanation of the work of the Trinity is what my 7 year old chose to use on his neighborhood friends. My 10 year-old, however suggested another approach. He preferred the classic A-B-C Gospel.
- A- Admit that you are a sinner, that you mess up and your sin separates you from God.
- B- Believe that Jesus died for your sins so that you can live with God forever.
- C- Commit to follow Jesus for the rest of your life, and you will be saved.
Another approach to sharing the Gospel is as easy as 1-2-3:
#1. My Life before Christ: Don’t glorify your past, but mention how you were before Christ:
- “I had a void in my life nothing could fill” (see Ecclesiastes 3:11).
- “I felt separated from God” (see Isaiah 59:2).
- “My life was dominated by sin and with pleasing myself” (see Luke 15:11–24).
- Share how you never felt you could become the person you ought to be.
#2. My Life Changed by Christ: Now summarize how you came into a relationship with Christ. Be sure to mention the key elements of the gospel:
- “I realized that I’m a sinner and that I fall short of God’s glory” (see Romans 3:23).
- “I recognized that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins” (see Romans 5:8)
- “I repented or turned away from my sins” (see Acts 3:19).
- “I received Jesus Christ as Lord of my life” (see Revelation 3:20).
#3. My New Life in Christ: Talk about how your life is noticeably different now that you are in Christ. Put into your own words the following benefits of being in Christ:
- “I now have peace in my life” (see Romans 5:1).
- “Now that I’m a Christian, I know I have a purpose for living” (see Jeremiah 29:11).
- “I now have the assurance that I’m going to Heaven” (see John 3:36).
Let’s nurture a heart for evangelism in our kids. The way we do that is helping them learn to share their faith with their friends, in a language that can be easily understood. Just imagine the joy that your kids will have when they see one of their friends come to Christ!
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1:4
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