Understanding & Communicating the Gospel
What is the Gospel?
Gospel is a term thrown around in Christian circles quite a lot, but what does it actually mean? The term is a stand-in for 'good news,' but what makes this message good news?
If you've experienced the grace of God through the saving death and resurrection of Jesus, you know what the Gospel is, but that knowledge might not fully integrate into your mind yet. Sometimes the heart knows things way before the mind. This module aims to help you understand the message of the Gospel, integrating it into the Bible's narrative and then to help you better communicate this life-saving truth with others.
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First, watch the following Bible Project videos and take notes on any questions you'd like to discuss with your mentor or small group. If you want to make the most of your time, take a look at the Reflect questions at the bottom of each video's page, as well.
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2. The Messiah
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Next, take a look at the two videos below--two visual methods to help explain the Gospel to others. For the record, we think that the Bridge method overemphasizes the individualistic and transactional aspects of the Gospel story, but it can still be helpful as we are usually speaking to individuals and God's Gospel does save us as individuals!
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After these videos, complete the Practice portion of this Module to complete it.
Practice
Discuss your questions about the Gospel with your mentor or small group. In that conversation, take a good look at Matthew 26:26-30, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 15, and Colossians 1.​
Make a plan (and follow through) to share the Gospel with at least two friends in the next week. Don't make these confrontational, but conversational. What questions and concerns do they have after hearing the Story from you?
If you are completing this module as a seeker (not yet sure about Jesus), make a plan to discuss the Gospel with two other Christians you know. How do they understand the Gospel? Share with them your ongoing questions and concerns.
Going Deeper
If you're interested in going deeper, here are some books to explore:
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On the Incarnation - St. Athanasius
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Simply Jesus - N.T. Wright
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What Christians Ought to Believe - Michael Bird
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And, if you haven't yet, check out our Foundations podcast resource.
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