There’s this crazy thing that most of us Christians live with (I know I did…) where we have a hard time sharing our faith or even speaking to other Christians about their sin without feeling like a jerk or fearing their rejection.
A relational killer!
Have you ever wished you could share your Christian faith with others… in a more natural way, without feeling awkward or preachy?
Have you ever longed for a faith that touched down more than just Sunday to Sunday leading up to one long afterlife? A faith that actually brought true transformation to you, and to others now?
I can relate.
When I first “got saved”, became a Christian, my understanding of the gospel was pretty much focused on getting out of hell and where I would spend my afterlife. And it’s true; when I put my faith in Jesus as my Lord and Savior I inherited eternal life with God. But I thought (and was taught) very little about how this good news might actually affect this life. Here and now.
Is the Good News really good news?
How does the gospel speak into my marriage and parenting, my finances and identity? Is there good news about my job and time management in there too?
Well there is, and we can grow in our ability to naturally and confidently speak, live and enjoy the Gospel in every area of life. I call this Gospel Fluency.
So What is Gospel Fluency?
While visiting the Czech Republic many times over the past ten years or so, I have learned little bits of their language slowly over time. But when I tried to speak I end up sounding more like a caveman uttering mispronounced words, ideas and comments in short, stunted bursts of uncertainty. The looks on their kind Czech faces confirmed my fears: they had very little idea what I was talking about! Not good.
I wonder if that is how we often sound to each other, and those who are not-yet believers, when we speak about Jesus and his Kingdom?
How fluent in the gospel are you?
Becoming Gospel Fluent
In order to be effectively equipped or teach others to be “fluent” in the gospel, we will need to create a culture where it is normal to speak the gospel to each other regularly–naturally.
Every sin and issue that stands in the way of our faithfulness to God’s design and Jesus’ commands is ultimately a gospel issue. Since all sin is the outcome of some unbelief in what is true about God, we can learn to apply the truth about him and the Good News to every area of our lives.
See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ~ Hebrews 3:12
We must allow the truth about who God is, what he has done, and our new identity in Christ to inform all of life.
Put another way, we need to move from unbelief to belief, in light of the gospel, in every area of life. And we can help others do this too. And it will be very good news.
In the Bigger Gospel: A Master Class in Gospel Fluency we do this is by asking these four questions:
- Who is God, what is true of him and what is he like?
- What has He done in history to prove this is true?
- What is now true of me–my identity–because of this?
- How now do I get to live in light of these truths?
You see…There is good news for us, and the gospel is that good news.
When you finish this course you will have the confidence and grace to speak the truth in love–first to your self–and then with others in a way that is truly good news. Evangelism will no longer be a weird or stressful sales pitch and your discipleship with others will be supercharged with good news.
Inside of the Gospel Fluency Master Class You Get:
Module 1: Discipleship or Evangelism
I’ll show you the difference between these two very distinct, and important, yet often confused functions. Jesus’ teaching on this will free you up in ways that release the good news into all of life.
Module 2: Is Apologetics a Dirty Word?
I’ll dig out the history of apologetics in the New Testament and show you how this activity is often misused to hurt people and win arguments. You’ll learn how to stop trying to argue people into the Kingdom.
Module 3: What is the Gospel?
I’ll show you how the gospel is much bigger than you may have previously been taught. You’ll have a new framework for understanding and and experiencing the good news throughout your life.
Module 4: What You Do Does Not Equal Who You Are
I’ll teach you how your actions do not define who you are. God defines you, your value and identity. This teaching will set you free from a performance based Christianity.
Module 5: Birthright: Your True Identity in Christ
I’ll show you how it is out of the fuller Story of God that we understand why we were created, understand God’s plans for this world, and come to know our original—and now restored—identity.
Module 6: Four Life-Changing Truths About God
I will give you a life-changing way to see sin by uncovering your hidden unbelief about the true nature of God. This will forever change your understanding of sin and give you a path to freedom.
Module 7: How the Gospel Speaks Into All of Life
This is where you’ll learn how to apply the good news of the gospel to any area of life. I will show you how to use the same 4 Questions that I have used, and taught thousands to apply the gospel to your marriage, parenting, finances etc.
Module 8: This Works In Reverse Too
Understanding how to experience the gospel in place of sinful actions, emotions or responses is powerful! I’ll teach you how these same 4 Questions applied in reverse order lead to forgiveness, repentance and new life.
Module 9: Let Your Redemption Show (Lose the Fear of Rejection)
I’ll show you how when we can be honest about where we’re at in our own lives, and our own spiritual need, it also gives others the permission to do the same. If we stop pretending that we have all the answers and that our lives are perfect, we can also drop the need to win the argument, fix everyone or close the deal on their salvation. The pressure is off!
Module 10: Next Steps in Gospel Fluency
I’ll share my best resources, tools and next steps for continuing to grow in gospel fluency and lead others in this journey.
6 Gospel Fluency Case Studies
You will also receive six step-by-step case studies that outline the exact process, words and conversations that I would use to apply the Gospel to these issues:
- Marriage Strife
- Parenting Conflicts
- Self-doubt
- Blessings in Life
- Stress
- Strife & Fear
These case studies will really illuminate how you can bring every issue in life under the power of the gospel–truly Good News!
Jesus Was the Living Gospel
Jesus’ life and teaching always attracted a crowd; he was loved by the irreligious and outcast and hated by the moralistic, legalistic religious types. If our lives and proclamation of the gospel are not having a similar effect in our culture, then it is probably a different message we proclaim.
Problems with evangelism and discipleship (and life in community, for that matter) all stem from having a gospel that is too small. It’s either that, or we don’t know how to communicate it in “real time” in a way that is truly good news.
What we need is a bigger gospel. Let’s get to work changing that.
