by Nicole Geiger
Can you explain the gospel in a quick and easy way? Often when sharing the gospel, we only have a few minutes to get through the message. Instead of explaining it well, we ramble and fumble for words. The ability to communicate the gospel simply is important. At ABH we simplify all of our content for easier understanding. The gospel is the most important message we share.
First, let’s answer the question “What is the gospel?” Simply put, “gospel” means “good news.” Sharing the gospel, then, indicates how we share the good news of Jesus. You can easily break it down into three sentences:
- Jesus died for our sin according to the Bible.
- Jesus rose from the dead according to the Bible.
- We need to trust/rely only on what Jesus did for us.
At the core, what defines Christianity is our belief that Jesus rose from the grave and granted us access to Heaven. In return, trust and devotion remain the only thing asked of us. We must understand the magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice in order to share this good news with others.
What a daunting task for Jesus to enter this world as a sacrifice! But he gave himself up to save us. No matter our background or laundry list of sins, Jesus took that cost upon himself to offer us forgiveness and eternal life. How incredible to be loved like that!
Many find the “Three Circles” method of sharing the gospel helpful. You can use this method with a pen and paper or with sticks and dirt. Draw three separate circles (see picture below). Each circle represents our human brokenness, God’s perfect design, and then Jesus. With arrows pointing to the next circle, you can use the following three points that correspond.
- Sin moves us from God’s perfect design to brokenness (now & forever).
- Trust Jesus moves us from brokenness to Jesus
- Follow Jesus moves us from Jesus back to God’s perfect design (now & forever).
This is a slightly more detailed, but effective method. While most often used in more rural areas on mission trips, it can be applied to sharing the gospel in any environment. You can also apply the following Bible verses:
- Genesis 1-3 (the perfect creation and the origin of sin)
- Romans 5-8 (the work of Jesus to remove our brokenness)
- Revelation 21-22 (the future restoration of those who trust Jesus and the entire creation)
Howard Joslin has created an outline for a book that goes deeper into the practice of sharing the good news. We will begin the writing process soon. With simplicity, precision, and more thorough examples, we are excited to add this book to ABH’s collection. We pray this not only helps rural pastors, but every-day people to feel more prepared when ministering to others.
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