New England will only be reached with the gospel if we spread the gospel in the small towns as well as the cities. Since this is true, New England will only be reached with the gospel if we have a clear understanding of what the gospel is—and is not. LifeWay Research published the recent statistic that while a majority of churchgoers say they pray for opportunities to tell others about Jesus at least once a week, more than half (55%) say they have not shared with someone how to become a Christian in the past six months. [1] Why is that, do you think? One possible reason for this is relatively simple, as one 80-year old in our church recently disclosed to me: “No one ever taught me this.” We say the phrase “share the gospel” but rarely know what that means, not to mention how we should do it. We need to go back to the basics and ask the question, “What is the gospel and how do I share it?” Before we answer that question in Part II of this two-part series, let’s look at six things sharing the gospel is not.
#1. Sharing the gospel is not inviting someone to church.
Somewhere along the way, we stopped inviting people to Jesus and started inviting people to church. Don’t get me wrong – I’m glad you invite your neighbors and friends to church, especially if they do not know Christ. As a pastor I’m reminded every Sunday that we have people in the pews that need to hear the gospel, and everything from our songs to the scripture to the sermon should proclaim it. However, the church service was not commanded to go and preach the gospel. We were. Sitting in a pew on Sunday will not make them spiritually fit any more than sitting in the lobby of the YMCA will make me physically fit. Someone still needs to explain the good news, offer them the chance to respond, and be willing to continue to disciple them (or introduce them to others who will disciple them). That person is you.
#2. Sharing the gospel is not being present in your community or doing outreach.
Outreach is often confused for evangelism. We hold a summer outdoor sports event for youth on our church lawn, and that is outreach. We meet the needs of our community by providing a fun and safe place for students to be during the summer. This does not equate to sharing the gospel. The message of the good news still needs to be proclaimed and heard. I used to believe the axiom that says evangelism stands better on the shoulders of outreach. The gospel doesn’t need a vehicle to power it, but rather to present it. Paul knows that the gospel itself “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Peter does the biggest “cold call” ever at Pentecost. Outreach and genuine relationships may give us opportunities to share the gospel, but we need to remember that the gospel has power on its own.
#3. Sharing the gospel is not telling your story.
Sharing the gospel can involve your testimony of how you came to know Jesus Christ. We see Paul do this, at least twice, in the book of Acts, and in his letter to the Galatians (Acts 21:40-22:2, Acts 26:1-20, Galatians 1:11-2:10). However, the gospel is first and foremost the good news of Jesus, not us. Paul summarizes this most important aspect of the gospel: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3- 4). The good news stands on its own scarred feet. Your story can certainly be a catalyst for a conversation about Jesus, but don’t trust more in the power of your story – trust in the power of Christ’s.
#4. Sharing the gospel is not merely telling someone how to get to heaven.
Most people I meet aren’t thinking about how to make it to heaven. They’re thinking about how to make it through the day. The question, “If you died tonight, would you go to heaven?” used to be the poster child of evangelism. It’s not anymore. It’s time we stop giving answers to questions people aren’t asking. To be sure, the gospel message is not only about hope in the next life, but about Jesus “who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age” (Galatians 1:4). People want to know if believing this good news can free them from their present bondage to sin and change their present reality. We proclaim a resounding “Yes!” To be fair, the good news is primarily about what Christ has done to secure our future, not necessarily our present. Paul reminds us that we don’t have hope only for this life (1 Corinthians 15:19). However, that eternal life starts now, as everything about our life changes because of the gospel.
#5. Sharing the gospel is not closing the deal.
Their response is not our responsibility. When Paul preaches in Athens, some ridicule him, but others believe (Acts 17). It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict hearts, not us. We proclaim the good news with passion, with conviction, and with the best persuasive speech we can, with the hope that they too will turn from serving worthless gods to the true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Ask the question, expect an answer, and expect that some will walk away.
#6. Sharing the gospel is not only the job of the pastor or evangelists.
It’s the mission of all of us to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Author and theologian D.A. Carson notes that in the great commission, Jesus didn’t say “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, except for this commandment to make disciples. Keep their grubby hands off that one, since it belongs only to you, my dear apostles.” [2] This command is for everyone, or as the DJ announcer used to say at old youth group roller rink nights, “this is an all-skate.” Before Jesus ascended, he told his followers “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). John Stott argues, “We can no more restrict the command to witness than we can restrict the promise of the Spirit.” [3] We don’t get a pass on this one. No one is exempt from this command. It’s not the “expert’s” or paid professional’s sole responsibility to share the gospel. It’s yours and mine together.
In Part II, we will look at just what is the gospel, what it means, and how we share this good news!
[1] Lifeway Discipleship Pathway Assessment, Jan. 14–29, 2019.
[2] D.A. Carson, “Ongoing Imperative for World Mission,” in The Great Commission: Evangelicals and the History of World Missions, edited by Martin I. Klauber and Scott M. Manetsch (Broadman & Holman, 2008), 179.
[3] John R.W. Stott, Our Guilty Silence (InterVarsity Press, 1967), 58.
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Peter Bailey
Peter (M.Div., Bethel Seminary, MN) is the husband of high school sweetheart Jennifer, father of three beautiful daughters, and he belongs to Jesus Christ. Founder and director of Upstate Jail Ministries for a decade, he now enjoys his time as a singer-songwriter, skiing the marvelous New England mountains, and shepherding the Coila Church in rural Cambridge, NY.