The Gospel As The Foundation

Written by Sammie Gallo, Creator of Abundant Life: You Were Made for More

This month, we are celebrating 100 episodes of the You Were Made for More Podcast! How special – can you believe it?! What an honor it has been for me to walk through several years of episodes regarding how faith, relationships, identity, and the Gospel are intertwined. I have grown as a writer and a content creator and am so thankful for the readers of my blog and the listeners to the podcast – we would not be here without you guys. 

To celebrate Abundant Life: You Were Made for More this month, I wanted to focus on where it all begins – with the Gospel. The Gospel, Jesus, that’s what this is all about. 

I recently had somebody ask me how I would share the Gospel to a 10 year old child 3 minutes before they fell asleep. Then, they asked me what I would say to portray it to a complete stranger on the subway who was getting off at the next stop.

I’m going to be honest – these questions even made me a little bit uncomfortable. I prefer to form a relationship first. Warm up a little bit. Most of us prefer to warm up to such things. Most of us would rather share the Gospel gradually, in snips and bits, over an extended period, within a safe and stable relational context.

But sometimes, opportunities like the above are presented. I want to challenge you as you read this to think about what your answers would be. Pray, and ask God to show you how you would answer.

My five year old has asked me some of the deepest questions at bedtime, as her sound machine is blaring next to us, her night light is shining, and her little sister is trying to fall asleep in the crib on the other side of the room. It’s in these moments that I realize I have to be prepared. I have to be ready to share who God is, what He has done, and why He has changed my life – that’s all He asks of me. To share of Him and His love in a way that glorifies the Good News of the Gospel. We have to be prepared.

I’ve found great benefit in memorizing a very short statement that captures the essence of the Christian Gospel:

The Gospel is the Good News of what God has done in Christ to secure our salvation.

That statement has 17 words in it and takes about 6 seconds to say. If I’m asked by a person at the grocery store or by a patron in line behind me at Starbucks what a Christian believes or what Christianity is all about I will start with that line and then build up from there based on the amount of time that I have. With children, we can go into depth about what big words like “salvation” mean. We can dig deep and find the beauty in what Scripture holds. 

Then, remember this: teaching the Gospel happens repeatedly over time. Rather than viewing this as a one-time event, realize that teaching our children about Jesus is a journey, not a sprint. My first piece of advice is not to pressure or push, but to commit to sharing the truths of the Gospel often so that the Holy Spirit would open your child’s heart. Your role as their parent is to share the truths of the gospel often and allow the Holy Spirit to open your child’s heart.

Here are some questions you may want to consider, too:

• If you were taught the Bible as a child, what was that experience like? Who shared the gospel with you? How was the gospel explained to you? What did you understand about the gospel as a child? During this time, do you feel like you grasped or understood the teachings shared with you?
• If you learned the Bible as an adult, is there anything you wish you had known or understood as a child?
• What Biblical teachings are important to you as an adult? Based on your experiences, what teachings are important to you to share with your children? 
• Consider the individual personalities of your children. Are there ways you can communicate the gospel that will resonate with them individually?
• What do your children already know about the Bible and the gospel message based on what they have learned in your home and other settings? 
• What do your daily rhythms communicate with your children about the gospel?

The answers to these questions may bring about some healing as you consider how to teach your own kids that Gospel as a story – a very true, life-changing, life-saving story. The good news of the Gospel changes everything. May we never forget that. May we always pursue that. 1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.