ADVANCING

THE GOSPEL
AMONG THE LOST

To advance the Gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom into the nations, through
spiritual generations of laborers living and discipling among the lost.

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What is the Gospel? (Please use only one sentence for your answer)

Again using only one sentence, what is not the gospel?

When you consider the people God used to bring you to Christ, are there words or actions that
are memorable to you? How have you followed their example in your own evangelism?

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 STUDY 1: THE GOSPEL

What is the Gospel

The Greek word translated “Gospel” (euangelion), appears 77 times in the New Testament. For
each of the references given below, record your observations as they relate to the Gospel. Then
use your observations to answer the following questions.

a. What is the Gospel?

b. What certainties are connected with the Gospel?
c. What other characteristics does the Gospel have?
d. How does it affect me? Mankind? Believers?
e. What am I to do with the Gospel?

Mark 1:1,14,15; 13:10; 16:15

Romans 1:14-16 & 2:16

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Philippians 1:5,7,12,27; 2:22; 4:3,15

1 Thessalonians 1:5 & 2:2,4

2 Thessalonians 1:8

2 Timothy 1:8, 10 & 2:8

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The Gospel Communicated - Examples from Scripture
Fill in the chart using the passages of Scripture given.

John 3:1-21 John 4:1-42 Mark 7:24-30

Who was the

messenger?
Who was the
audience?

What is known about

the audience?
• Culture
• Religion
• View of God
How was the Gospel
communicated?

What kind of posture

did the messenger have
towards the audience?
What was
communicated in the
Gospel?
How did the audience
view themselves?

How was sin

addressed?

Was the Gospel

addressing shame or
guilt?
What kind of
knowledge/ view of the
Scriptures did the
audience possess?
Which aspects of
God’s character were
emphasized? Why?
What barriers were
there to the Gospel?

How did the messenger

use the Scriptures?
What was the response
to the message?

Acts 2:14-36 Acts 17:16-34 Acts 25:23-26:32

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Who was the
messenger?
Who was the
audience?

What is known about

the audience?
• Culture
• Religion
• View of God
How was the Gospel
communicated?

What kind of posture

did the messenger have
towards the audience?
What was
communicated in the
Gospel?
How did the audience
view themselves?

How was sin

addressed?

Was the Gospel

addressing shame or
guilt?
What kind of
knowledge/ view of the
Scriptures did the
audience possess?
Which aspects of
God’s character were
emphasized? Why?
What barriers were
there to the Gospel?

How did the messenger

use the Scriptures?

What was the response

to the message?

Pulling it Together

Look over your discoveries from the examples in Scriptures

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 What patterns emerged?

What were some of the similarities in the way the Gospel was presented?

Why were there so many ways the Gospel was shared?

Does this reveal anything about God’s nature and character?

Talk about how some of these examples relate to the people we are reaching?

The Gospel Communicated – Today

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 Think about some of the people you rub shoulders with regularly. How would you tailor the
presentation of the Gospel to them? Think about the example you studied from the Bible. How
well do you know your audience? What are the known or perceived barriers to the Gospel? How
would you use the Bible in sharing the Gospel of Jesus with them? What images from today’s
culture can you tap into to help communicate the Gospel? Use the following list to get you
started in thinking about how to bring Christ to a variety of people.

• A student who is of a Hindu background

• Someone who is from a broken home and distrusts those who want to “love
them”
• A student / professional whose aim is to be the top of whatever they do
• A woman who has been sexually abused
• A Muslim who is trying to follow his beliefs in a society that is suspicious of
Islam
• Someone who is gay / lesbian.
• A student / professional who is highly involved in social environment, political
causes
• Someone who has grown up in the church

Rebuilding bridges

Look at the different method you are using to share the Gospel. Take the time to analyze its
components and thoughts. Could you come up with another way to explain the Gospel to
someone? Could you as a team develop a tool which is effective and speaks to the hearers of the
particular culture you are in?

Some thoughts as you work on this :

We live in a culture which is becoming more

non-literate. That is, we rely on visual media
more so than the written word. How could you
share the Gospel using IMAGES?

In our hi-tech, hi-touch world, can sharing the

love of Christ be done INTERACTIVELY?

Can the Gospel be shared NONLINEARLY or

NONSENSICALLY?

Conviction Capsule on the Gospel

A belief is something you hold, a conviction is something that holds you.

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a. My Definition
In your own words define the Gospel (20 words or less)

b. I Believe
Write at least five statements communicating what you believe and why (include Scripture).

c. If-Then
Write at least five “if-then” statements that show how your walk with God and your life as a
believer will reflect what you believe about the Gospel. (i.e: if I believe that God loves and
forgives me, then I will love and forgive others.)

d. My Life Examples
(Give two real life examples)
My life has been consistent with this truth about the Gospel in that…

(Give two real life examples)

My life has been inconsistent with this truth about the Gospel in that…

e. Application

f. Passing It On
“I would communicate this truth to another by…”

STUDY 2 : THE PURITY OF THE GOSPEL

Introduction
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 Paul and Barnabas set out on their first missionary journey in AD 46 or 47. Their journey lasted
about 18 months and took them into regional cities of Galatia. In each city they preached the
Gospel that God had revealed to Paul. There was no difference between Jew and Gentile. For
both justification was by faith in Christ apart from the law.

Through Galatians
Not everyone agreed with Paul’s understanding of the Gospel. Some men, probably from
Jerusalem, retraced Paul and Barnabas’ route for the purpose of correcting Paul’s gospel by
“completing it”. The letter to the Galatians is Paul’s reasoned, but also emotional response to
their mission

What is Paul’s emotional response to the Galatians? What does he have to say about those who
were preaching after him?

Galatians 1:6-9

What were they adding to Paul’s message?

Galatians 2:14

Galatians 3:1-3

Galatians 4:10-11

Galatians 5:2-4

Those retracing Paul’s footsteps didn’t appear to reduce the deity of Christ, His death or
resurrection. Why then do you think Paul was so stirred up?

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What would have been the effects on the Gentiles believers if they had continued to follow this
other teaching?

Galatians 4:3-10
Note: Paul uses the same Greek word
in Galatians 4:3 & 9. It is the word
“stoicheia” meaning the basic principles
of this world. The same Greek word is
used in Colossians 2:8,20

Galatians 5:1-6

What motivated these visiting teachers to do what they did?

Galatians 4:17

Galatians 5:12-13

Summary

The purity of the Gospel is under constant threat by those who seek to mix it with human rules
and traditions. The Gentile world couldn’t understand the Gospel as long as it came wrapped up
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in Jewish tradition. It’s the same today. Whenever we add to the Gospel, we subtract from its
purity. When this happens it ceases to be a Gospel for all the nations.

Thinking it Through… for Yourself

1. What similarities do you see between the Galatians example and what you face today
as you bring the Gospel to the people around you?

2. Do you see any similarities between the Galatians and yourself in terms of how you
view, understand and apply the Gospel to your life?

3. What traditional forms, practices and rules do Christians tend to impose on unbelievers
or new believers today? Which of these have you experienced most in your own life
and ministry?

4. How should we balance grace and truth in communicating the Gospel?

5. What were the first century responses to the threat to the purity of the Gospel? Which
of these could be applied today?

6. What are some 21st century threats to the purity of the Gospel? How might they be
countered from the pages of Scriptures?

Thinking it Through … for your ministry

1. What are unbelievers seeing and feeling as they listen to the Gospel where you live
and work? What are the positive and negative aspects to the “tone” of evangelism in

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 your ministry

2. What are some ways your ministry might be contaminating the purity of the Gospel in
words or actions?

3. What are the entry points for the Gospel among the people groups to whom you
minister?

4. What are the great truths of the Gospel? What must you be careful to communicate?
Which of these truths do you tend to underemphasize or even ignore?

5. How are you currently presenting the Gospel? Are you neglecting or adding anything?
If so why? How can you address that?

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