Pointing Kids to Jesus Without Getting Preachy
When I sat down to write The BUG Boys: The Great Scavenger Hunt, I wanted kids to experience faith that felt alive. Not dry. Not a lecture. If a Christian book for kids reads like a sermon in disguise, they check out fast. So I wrote a Christian middle-grade adventure that points kids to Jesus through character, choice, and friendship.
Kids can tell what’s real. They know when something is forced or when a story is straining to teach a lesson. How do you write a faith-filled middle-grade adventure kids actually want to read? For me, the answer starts with the characters.
Zeke’s quiet struggles
Zeke uses a wheelchair, but he carries more than physical challenges. He wrestles with forgiveness, especially toward his dad. Instead of giving him neat answers, I let his journey unfold in small, real moments: a memory that stings, a time he feels left out, a clue that points back to Scripture. His faith isn’t a straight line; it’s a process. That makes it believable for kids who may be working through family hurt themselves.
Josiah’s questions
Josiah isn’t sure church is for him anymore. Constant comparisons to his older brother leave him feeling like he’ll never measure up. He voices doubts, gets frustrated, and wonders if all this “God stuff” is worth it. I let those questions breathe on the page. For readers, Josiah gives permission to admit, I’m not sure either. That honesty can be the first step toward a faith that feels personal instead of imposed.
David’s joy
Every group needs the funny one, and David fills that role. Under the laughter is something steady: loyalty and kindness. His faith doesn’t show up in speeches; it shows up in how he treats people, how he lifts his friends, and how he brings light into tense moments. For kids, that’s just as powerful as a Bible verse. It shows that following Jesus shapes actions as much as words.
Axton’s walls
Axton doesn’t want to talk about God at all. He’s guarded, hurt, and skeptical. He doesn’t suddenly change. He doesn’t deliver a monologue about why faith matters. His presence reminds readers that not everyone is ready right away, and that is real life. Every kid knows someone who resists, maybe even themselves.
Faith woven into the story
The boys race through a town-wide scavenger hunt, and the clues come straight from the Bible. Instead of me preaching at readers, they discover truth alongside the boys. They puzzle over verses, make connections, and sometimes miss the point.
Three ways I avoided preachiness while still pointing kids to Jesus:
Let the boys ask real questions and sit with them before answers show up.
Use Scripture as part of the plot, not as a speech.
Show change in choices and friendships, not just in dialogue.
They don’t always get it the first time. They argue, misread, and circle back. That back-and-forth is where faith feels real. It isn’t polished or perfect, but it is alive.
Why this matters
I’ve been in a variety of churches over the years, including traditional, contemporary, large, and small. Faith doesn’t become real because of the style; it becomes real when it reaches the heart. That’s what I wanted for kids who read The BUG Boys.
If faith feels like a rulebook or a chore, it won’t stick. If it feels alive—full of questions, laughter, mistakes, and discoveries—it has a chance to take root. I didn’t want the story to preach; I wanted it to point. Point to Jesus, to hope, to forgiveness, and to grace, in a way that makes kids lean in and think, I could see myself in this story. I could be on this journey.
Closing thought
Faith that feels real for kids isn’t about polished speeches or perfect characters. It’s about honesty, adventure, and the small ways Jesus shows up when we least expect it. If even one reader finishes this Christian middle-grade adventure thinking, Maybe faith can be real for me, too, the story has done its job.
