What Is the Gospel?
Let me start by stating the simplified answer to the question, “What is the gospel?” The “gospel” is an expression in Scripture that simply means “good news.” It is best to think of the gospel in three related parts. The Gospel – Jesus is the Messiah, the promised saving King described in Scripture. He came […]
Encountering God’s Amazing Grace
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, ESV) Literary editors claim that the phrase “free gift” is redundant. They say the idea of free is implicit in the definition of “gift” and so is unnecessary to mention. However, Paul […]
‘Why the Gospel’ by Matthew Bates Book Review
As disciples of Jesus, we believe, obey, and share the gospel. But what is the point of the gospel? Author, theologian, and educator Matthew Bates’s newest book is Why the Gospel?: Living the Good News of King Jesus with Purpose. It has been awarded as the Christianity Today 2024 Book Award in Popular Theology, and […]
Miracles, Tragedy, and Hope: The Testimony of Faith in the Midst of Suffering
I remember as a young missionary kid reading a gripping book called For This Cross I’ll Kill You, by Bruce Olson, which left me absolutely devastated. It tells the story of a young man who felt called by God to a dangerous Columbian tribe, called the Motilone. He went without a missionary agency or resources, […]
What Is the Gospel? A Q&A with Matthew Bates about the Gospel’s What & Why
What is the gospel, and why does it matter? In this interview, Matthew Bates, author of multiple books on the gospel, takes us on a tour into the center of the Christian faith: the gospel of Jesus. Q. Gospel Allegiance. The Gospel Precisely. Why the Gospel?. I’m sensing a theme in your latest book titles. […]
Is Christianity Political? How the Gospel Frames Our Politics
Meet Brandon, who self-identifies as an agnostic. He describes his current experience with Christians: “Today whenever I experience the activities of American Christians as an organized group . . . it is almost always in terms of them trying to use political force to entice people to behave in a certain way.”[1] It is striking […]
Inviting Church Leaders into a Transformative Vision
December 11, 2023 This past summer, after a time of prayer, a meeting was initiated by the leadership of RENEW.org. The vision was to bring together 40 senior ministers/pastors who were around 40 years of age based upon a renewed vision of the Restoration Movement. RENEW.org is broader than the Restoration Movement, including Baptists, Community […]
Who Is Your Target Audience? Opening Your Eyes to Where God Has You
Business experts agree that for any endeavor to find lasting success it must have a compelling mission, effective strategy, and a specific target audience. Doing something for everyone often means you end up doing it for no one well. The Kingdom of Jesus has a compelling mission and effective strategy. But what about the target […]
