Garlinge Update...

What is the Gospel?

What words should we use when we tell people the gospel?
What is the good news?

In the New Testament book of Acts we have a record of
various gospel speeches. One thing you will notice is that
none of the speeches are the same. Some things mentioned
in one speech are missing from another.

We can learn from this that when we do evangelise we don't
have to tell people every detail of the gospel, only the bit that
is relevant to the person you are speaking to at that moment.
In future conversations you can fill in the bits you may have left out.

In my conversations with people I noticed my points are as follows:

1. God does not want us to be ignorant of Him.
2. We have distanced ourselves from Him by ignoring Him (sin).
3. Despite our sin, God loves us and sent Jesus to make reconciliation between us and God possible through His death on the cross.
4. Now God calls people everywhere to know Him.
5. We can be sure of all of this because God raised Jesus from the dead and appointed Him judge of all humans.

This is not the compete gospel, but it does raise a few of the main points taken from Paul's speeches in Lystra and Athens (Acts 14 and 17). When he spoke to these groups of people he only mentioned a few aspects of the gospel and we can learn from this. We don't have to say it all to be doing evangelism.

Why not try and include some of these points in your conversations in the weeks ahead? If you are like me you may find it hard to do the first few times, but it does become easier and more natural the more you do it.

© St. James' Church, Westgate & Garlinge