Word of mouth
Children's sermon
Object:
a magazine ad
" 'Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.' So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him." (v. 39)
Good morning, boys and girls! Today we're going to talk about advertising. How many of you have seen an ad before? (allow answers) Where have you seen an ad? (allow answers) We see ads all over the place: on TV, in magazines, on billboards, in the newspaper. Businesses put up advertisements so people will know about the business or the product they sell. Can you tell me some businesses or products you have seen ads for? (allow answers)
There are different kinds of advertising a business can do. A business can make TV or radio commercials. A business can make flyers to hang up around town. A business can make a website or put up a sign on a billboard. Can you think of other ways a business can advertise? (allow answers)
There is one special kind of advertising, though, that businesses can't control. It's called word-of-mouth advertising. Word-of-mouth means that one of the business' customers told his or her friends about the business. Businesses like to get good word-of-mouth publicity. Think about it: If you are going to buy something, are you more likely to trust what your friend tells you or what a billboard tells you? (allow answers) Probably what your friend tells you!
In Jesus' day, there were no commercials or billboards. Many people couldn't read, so you couldn't advertise your business with flyers or magazine ads. There was no internet, so you couldn't advertise online. Everything was done by word of mouth, from sharing information about a business to sharing the latest news.
Today we are talking about Jesus using word of mouth to spread God's word. After Jesus heals a man, he tells the man to "return home and declare how much God has done for you." It's almost like Jesus is advertising God's love! He can't do it on a billboard, so he is encouraging people who have been affected by God's love to tell all their friends, relatives, and neighbors.
Even though today we have advertising on TV, magazines, and newspapers, we can still use word of mouth to do God's work. How can you spread the word about God's love? (allow answers) Good answers! You can invite your friends to church. You can tell people about the good things God has done in your life. You can share Bible stories. You can show God's love by acting with love and kindness toward everyone, even strangers.
Like the man in the gospel, we can use our voices to spread God's love. We can share God's love in little ways and show the world that his love is something worth looking at again. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! Today we're going to talk about advertising. How many of you have seen an ad before? (allow answers) Where have you seen an ad? (allow answers) We see ads all over the place: on TV, in magazines, on billboards, in the newspaper. Businesses put up advertisements so people will know about the business or the product they sell. Can you tell me some businesses or products you have seen ads for? (allow answers)
There are different kinds of advertising a business can do. A business can make TV or radio commercials. A business can make flyers to hang up around town. A business can make a website or put up a sign on a billboard. Can you think of other ways a business can advertise? (allow answers)
There is one special kind of advertising, though, that businesses can't control. It's called word-of-mouth advertising. Word-of-mouth means that one of the business' customers told his or her friends about the business. Businesses like to get good word-of-mouth publicity. Think about it: If you are going to buy something, are you more likely to trust what your friend tells you or what a billboard tells you? (allow answers) Probably what your friend tells you!
In Jesus' day, there were no commercials or billboards. Many people couldn't read, so you couldn't advertise your business with flyers or magazine ads. There was no internet, so you couldn't advertise online. Everything was done by word of mouth, from sharing information about a business to sharing the latest news.
Today we are talking about Jesus using word of mouth to spread God's word. After Jesus heals a man, he tells the man to "return home and declare how much God has done for you." It's almost like Jesus is advertising God's love! He can't do it on a billboard, so he is encouraging people who have been affected by God's love to tell all their friends, relatives, and neighbors.
Even though today we have advertising on TV, magazines, and newspapers, we can still use word of mouth to do God's work. How can you spread the word about God's love? (allow answers) Good answers! You can invite your friends to church. You can tell people about the good things God has done in your life. You can share Bible stories. You can show God's love by acting with love and kindness toward everyone, even strangers.
Like the man in the gospel, we can use our voices to spread God's love. We can share God's love in little ways and show the world that his love is something worth looking at again. Amen.
