Consider all of the difficulties the young church had been through to this point in its history:

• Peter and John’s arrest (Acts 4)
• Ananias and Sapphira’s deception (Acts 5)
• The apostles on trial (Acts 5)
• The dispute between the Hebraic and Hellenistic Jews (Acts 6)
• Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 7)
• Severe persecution and scattering (Acts 8)

Yes, the church had also experienced great joys, but we cannot dismiss its adversity. Often, our times of struggle weigh far more heavily and stick with us much longer than even the most loft of joys.

Life Is Hard

We can only imagine how the early church felt midway through the Book of Acts. Perhaps they wanted to give up. Perhaps they wanted to retreat. Perhaps they just wanted to social distance until Jesus returned. But we don’t have to imagine what it is like to experience hardships. Life is hard. While our adversity may not be the same as the early church experienced, our pain, affliction, and suffering can be intense as well.

Kids are not exempt from many of life’s hardships. Some may be shielded to a degree; some may face hardships that even we have never faced. Sometimes we know; sometimes we have no clue.

Be Generous with Encouragement

The root of encourage is to “give courage.” Encouragement is not merely saying kind things, although that can be part of it. We encourage by speaking words of truth—the gospel—to others so that they might find hope in Christ, peace through Christ, and the way to live as Christ. In essence, we share the gospel and plead with unbelievers to trust in Christ as we share the gospel and pray with believers to live in Christ.

This is what the early church needed and what God provided, in part, through Barnabas. Whenever we see Barnabas, we see a believer who was encouraging the church—calling them to live faithfully. Just as God placed Barnabas in the center of the early church, He has placed you where you ar for the same purpose. How can you be a Barnabas to your kids? Your fellow leaders? Your church, your community, and your family? And who can you thank for being a Barnabas to you?

Therefore, since, thanks to our good Master, we are sharers of the greatest and the most divine and the first of names, those honored by the name of Christ being called Christians, it is necessary that there be seen in us also all of the connotations of this name, so that the title be not a misnomer in our case but that our life be a testimony of it.”  — Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-395)

Gregory of Nyssa, On Perfection, quoted in Acts, ed. Francis Martin, vol. V in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2001) [Wordsearch].

Every week, members of The Gospel Project for Kids team offer guidance to help you as you prepare to teach every session to preschoolers and kids.

Podcast (kidsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download

This training is available on Ministry Grid, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and other podcast platforms.