Apparently there is a new movement afoot in the evangelical world. The movement is on the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Good News is clearly returning to the center stage, and so it should. Phrases like “living out the gospel,” “gospel-centered ministry,” “gospel living” and the like are spreading.
I have recently read several blogs discussing this gospel surge. One blogger asked if we can overemphasize the gospel. Another inquired if it is possible to talk too much about the cross. Thankfully, both affirmed the need for more gospel/cross-centered ministries and messages. A third blogger informed his readers that no one needed the gospel more than he did.
What intrigues me about the new trend is that I realize I am not alone in the quest to preach more about Jesus. This renewed passion for the gospel is something I share with many others. Perhaps it is due to my reading regiment. Maybe it has something to do with my peer relationships. Or, it could be a movement of the Holy Spirit. Whichever it is, I am glad I am a part of the gospel resurgence.
Can we preach and teach too much about the cross? Do we overemphasize the gospel?
Joshua Harris says,
“We’ve got our eyes fixed on the fact that the gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be central—it needs to drive everything that we do in ministry and in life.”
Steve Curtis Chapman writes,
“In the gospel we discover we are far worse off than we thought and far more loved than we ever dreamed.”
The Gospel Coalition Confessional Statement declares,
“The gospel is not proclaimed if Christ is not proclaimed.”
According to Tim Keller,
“The gospel is not just a body of doctrinal content. It’s a power—it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. It’s not just about God’s power—it is God’s power.”
Christian businessman and writer, Chris Tomlinson says why the cross matters:
“It is at the cross that we see God most clearly. If history were the vastness of space, the cross would be its brightest star. We see the fullness of God’s being most clearly at the cross. We see the fullness of His active purposes most clearly at the cross.”
John Piper affirms,
“I am gripped by any gathering of people who will give themselves to the preservation and the exaltation of the fullness of the gospel, because in the end, my soul gets satisfied with the greatness of God, and God gets all the glory that He should get by being the end for which [all things] exist.”
The evidence is clear: we need the gospel. And we need men who fearlessly proclaim the gospel.
This is why I wear a wristband with Philippians 1:27 on it (NIV), “Whatever happens, conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Excellent post and thankful you are faithful to the deposit… guaranteeing the next generation will receive what was given centuries ago.
Blessings!