THE GOSPEL
The Gospel. This word, along with its associations, creates such a wide array of opinions and thoughts—from followers of Jesus claiming it is the power of God for salvation to those who have little experience in the church and wonder how this term has any bearing at all on life in the 21st century. Regardless of the opinion, the Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of the Gospel and how it reveals who God is and what His relationship with us is about. If we are to uncover its true meaning for our lives, we must pursue what the Bible is really trying to communicate when it uses this word. This 6-session study will guide us through a biblical definition and perspective of the Gospel and help us discover how it challenges, shapes, and revolutionizes the way we do life.
SESSION 1: WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?
What is the Gospel? This intro session begins by talking briefly of the different audiences who interact with the Gospel, different presentations of that good news and the tension that it brings.
Step 1: Download the discussion questions that accompany this session.
Step 2: Watch the Session 1 video with the person or group you are meeting with.
Step 3: Talk through the discussion questions.
Step 4: HOMEWORK (Optional) – Purchase “The Explicit Gospel” by Matt Chandler. Read through the Introduction. Start reading one of the Gospels.
SESSION 2: GOSPEL “IN THE AIR”
The Gospel is the good news that God is fulfilling His promises to fix His broken creation and that the decisive point in this project has come about in Jesus Christ.
Step 1: Download the discussion questions that accompany this session.
Step 2: Watch the Session 2 video with the person or group you are meeting with.
Step 3: Talk through the discussion questions.
Step 4: HOMEWORK (Optional) – From “The Explicit Gospel” read, Part 2: “The Gospel in the Air”
SESSION 3: GOSPEL “ON THE GROUND”
After observing the “30,000 foot” view of the Gospel last session, we will take a look at how the Gospel impacts individuals more personally.
Step 1: Download the discussion questions that accompany this session.
Step 2: Watch the Session 3 video with the person or group you are meeting with.
Step 3: Talk through the discussion questions.
Step 4: HOMEWORK (Optional) – From “The Explicit Gospel” read, Part 1: “The Gospel on the Ground”
SESSION 4: THE GOSPEL & YOU
Alright, so you decided to follow Jesus. Awesome, you probably feel really great and excited to follow Jesus and give your life to Him all the time, every day, every minute. Then life happens. Things get hard, and so you try harder. What is your transformational walk with Jesus supposed to look like any ways?
Step 1: Download the discussion questions that accompany this session.
Step 2: Watch the Session 4 video with the person or group you are meeting with.
Step 3: Talk through the discussion questions.
Step 4: HOMEWORK (Optional) – From “The Explicit Gospel” read, Part 3: Implications and Applications
SESSION 5: THE GOSPEL & THE WORLD
Undoubtedly, the Gospel affects each of our individual lives. However, when we are transformed by the Gospel, then we have the call to proclaim that good news to the world for the transformation of others. Are we here to just receive the Gospel or is there a broader vision?
Step 1: Download the discussion questions that accompany this session.
Step 2: Watch the Session 5 video with the person or group you are meeting with.
Step 3: Talk through the discussion questions.
Step 4: HOMEWORK (Optional) – Start going through the E4 Study on Missions
SESSION 6: THE GOSPEL IN EVERYDAY LIFE
How do we go from not looking like Jesus at all to living out His way in everyday life? After all, this is a message that needs constant attention in our life, reminding ourselves of the power of the Gospel and how Jesus works in and through our lives.
Step 1: Download the discussion questions that accompany this session.
Step 2: Watch the Session 6 video with the person or group you are meeting with.
Step 3: Talk through the discussion questions.
Step 4: HOMEWORK (Optional) – Finish reading one of the Gospels.
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