What’s So Good About The Gospel?
By Rev. Mark E. Tidsworth, Founder and Team Leader
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ― Howard Thurman
Do you know anyone who is living in fear of going to hell? Know anyone else who is driven by a desire to get to heaven?
Sure, there are exceptions, like perhaps those on their deathbeds, unsure about their post-death destinations. Otherwise, I don’t know anyone in my sphere who’s much concerned with either of the two questions above. I can remember the preachers of my childhood regularly warning about the dangers associated with one’s ultimate destination, inferring this was on everyone’s mind. Now, how many people do you and I know who are anxious about this?
I have to say that my training in evangelism, which is definitely old school now, started with bad news (you are a sinner and destined for hell unless you repent… now!) and then moved to good news (and God has opened the doors to heaven after you die when you trust Jesus). This approach to evangelism was built on the assumption that people are inherently concerned about hell and heaven, preferring the latter over the former of course.
But, with reflection, Jesus spent so little time talking about either one. Search the gospels, our one written witness of Jesus’ ministry, noting the frequency of these topics. Rare indeed, they are. Instead, Jesus was laser focused on how we are and can be in this world, caught up in a way of being far greater than ourselves. Given these two shifts…
Few people in our current situation are running from hell or yearning for heaven.
Jesus’ message is focused on how to live in this current environment.
Many of us are noticing our proclamation of the gospel is shifting, perhaps moving toward a more faithful and relevant way of sharing our faith. So, just what is the good news of the gospel? Where do we observe the gospel is good news to we human beings?
Good news is human beings enlivened through the Way of Jesus.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”― Howard Thurman
Though Howard Thurman’s quote is not primarily about evangelism, it does describe what draws us and our attention… human beings fully alive. Remember Jesus’ statement about abundant life in John 10:10? “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Repentance is a part of how this happens. Forgiveness of sin is also involved. But what’s compelling about the Way of Jesus is how it transforms ordinary human beings into greater expressions of ourselves; human beings fully alive. That’s better evangelism than many other things masquerading as good news.
Good news is an enlivened body of Christ.
“What matters is not the size of the church or the slickness of the programming. What matters is that those who come find a ministry and relationships worthy of spontaneous word-of-mouth recommendations.”
--Larry Osborne, Sticky Church, p.28
We know it when we experience it… church alive.
Not in the metrics, not in the facilities, not in the programming… but in the lifeblood of the church. I was in connection with a church some years ago who found its groove, who was aligned with God’s mission and calling, moving forward with good energy. I remember talking with one couple one Sunday, remarking that I thought they were on vacation, surprised to see them in worship. Their response…”Yes, we were on vacation this week, but we cut it short because we didn’t want to miss what’s happening here.”
When a church is enlivened by God’s Spirit, we are drawn into engagement like moths drawn to the front porch light on a summer’s eve.
Being caught up in God’s mission to transform this world is good news.
This being March, right around the 17th, I thought again about St. Patrick. At age 16 he was captured by Irish raiders, forced to become a herdsman for six years on foreign soil before escaping back to England. Later Patrick heard the call to return to Ireland, sharing the good news of the gospel. But his approach was not to start with bad news (you are sinners). Instead Patrick gathered people outside of villages, inviting them to pray the hours, engage in Christian worship, and serve their communities. Through this participation with Christian community and caring for neighbors, many people became Jesus followers, establishing many churches in the Celtic world.
As we go about coaching church leaders and consulting with churches, we are hearing this story repeated more and more often. It seems that post-modern people are not drawn in so much through belief, through assenting to perspectives on God. Instead, more are drawn to the transformational work of congregations in their communities, partnering with others who are working for the common good. Regardless of their belief or disbelief in God, more people are being drawn to this kind of transformation work. Over time, some of them engage these churches in other ways, too, eventually becoming Jesus followers. Being caught up in God’s mission to transform this world turns out to be transformational on many levels; very good news indeed.
So what about you? What about your church? How good is the good news among you? Perhaps it’s timely to identify the gospel you and your church are living into. May God guide our every step as we embody and proclaim good news for us ordinary human beings in this post-modern world.