March 4, 2024
Reflection – Tell Me About the Gospel!
This week’s Reflection is a little different from the normal, “Tell me about the gospel.” It is a request for your help in understanding how to share the “gospel” that Jesus came to proclaim. How do you articulate the “gospel?”
Jesus told his disciples that he had come to proclaim the “good news” of the kingdom of God (Luke 4:43). In Mark 1:15, he exclaims, “The kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe the good news.” This good news is what we commonly call the “gospel.” Simply put, Jesus is saying that the “gospel” is “good news,” and his mission is to proclaim it.
Proclaiming that good news is also the mission of today’s Christians. Operationalize the message! Proclaim the gospel! But how do we proclaim it? How does our audience receive it? Who is our audience? Jesus focused his message on people like the poor, the prisoners, the blind, and the oppressed (Luke 4:18-19).
I have been wondering whether “Bible talk” means much to the poor, the prisoners, the blind, and otherwise marginalized people in today’s world. Can the man on the street even relate to terms such as “repent,” “kingdom of God,” and even “good news?” I sense that they generally do not. And I wonder if there is perhaps a way this good news can be more effectively explained to the common person. What words would serve to develop loving relationships? What words might be used to make sense in calling today’s people to accept the “gospel?” And is it even words that make the difference? Or is it our actions and relationships? Didn’t Jesus heal before he taught?
Would you like to join me this week in composing a very brief “proclamation” of the gospel that uses words that are more meaningful and effective in today’s world? I would love to see what the students and faculty of NationsUniversity come up with. Note that it must be deliverable as an “elevator speech,” i.e., in the amount of time it takes an elevator to travel from one floor to another, perhaps 90 seconds.
Send your “proclamation” to me at chaplain@nationsu.edu, and I’ll consolidate the contributions into something we might all use.
Blessings and peace,
Chaplain Allen
chaplain@nationsu.edu
chaplainscorner.org
Disclaimer statement: Please note that the opinions expressed herein are those of the Chaplain alone and are based on his personal understanding of scripture and how God works in our lives.
Read more Reflections: Chaplain’s Corner.