Buzzwords: Gospel-Centered.

I have to admit. When I first heard the idea of being "Gospel-centered" mentioned every fourth word at my church it annoyed me a little. Don't worry, it annoyed me that it annoyed me, so I'm safe. I think it annoyed me for two reasons. 1) After almost ten years in academic training in Greek, Hebrew, and Biblical Theology, I had no clue what it really meant and, 2) I felt like in a small way it deflected praise from Jesus. Shouldn't we talk about being Jesus-centered? Or maybe cross-centered? I mean, I get it. We are basically talking about the same thing, but how many people even know the word gospel? Anyway, those were my big beefs.

I prayed a lot about this one. I studied. I chatted with more spiritual people than myself. Struggled some more. What does it mean to be gospel-centered?

Here's what I think it means:

1) Focused on proclaiming the message of the Gospel to world. That one is simple, right? We all get that. Tell everyone what Jesus has accomplished for them and will accomplish for them though His death.

2) Focus on the power of the Gospel in our lives as Christians. The gospel is simply a message, a story, an announcement about what Jesus has accomplished, but that doesn't mean that we are past its relevance once we believe the gospel at our new birth. (or after if you are reformed) The accomplishments of the cross are how everything else in our lives find us. We pray through the cross. We approach God through the cross. We are accepted with God because of the cross. We have hope only because of the cross. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't teach Biblical wisdom. It means that we shouldn't teach it without going through the cross. The cross is the power for the living the wisdom. Otherwise we are impotent because we are without God. Because of the cross we are connected to God. Only because the cross. Only because of the gospel. Forgetting to live in that faith daily leaves us dangerously close to moralism. We have faith in the gospel (accomplishments of Jesus on the cross) to receive justification. We live in faith in the gospel every moment every day for hope of closeness to God and the power of God in our lives.

3) Because of number 2, We preach the gospel to believers repeatedly. We think of everything as a logic and wisdom flowing out of this simple message.

4) We display the gospel. We no longer seek to just do good or live moral lives, we seek to display the gospel in everything we do. This becomes a sort of new ethic for us. Instead of simply asking what is right or wrong we ask how we can best display the gospel. Then our marriages, lives, service, worship, relationships, etc.  become a presentation of the gospel message to our communities.

5) We believe in the power of the gospel. The gospel is simply a message about what Jesus did in His death and resurrection. We believe in the power of declaring that message in life and word. We believe that even if we fail at creative strategies, brilliant leadership, or lack superb talent, the gospel is enough.  Personally, I believe that when this message is shared the Spirit allows the hearer to understand it and then enlivens their heart for the potential of faith. Giving them a pre-fall type opportunity to choose Christ. That is power. The persuasive presence of God always accompanies a clear presentation of the promise of the Gospel.

If you haven't figured it out by now, on the whole Gospel-cented thing.... I'm in. Not that the gospel needs me.

Aren't all evangelicals in, though? Unfortunately not. Many churches fail on one of these points in one or the other. Whether it's by simply proclaiming a self-help message or some other from of moralism or whether its fouling so much on the extras that the gospel focus is lost, many churches are "gospel-plus" organizations or "almost-gospel" organizations.

One note to connect with a doubt I mentioned at the beginning. Does our nomenclature matter? Should we announce over and over that we are gospel centered? My thought is no. We shouldn't have to. And, if we do maybe it reveals we are not. Kind of like the quote from Margaret Thatcher about leadership which I will attempt to quote from my poor memory, "Being a leader is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are one then you are not." Personally, I think this applies to the idea of being gospel centered. Don't talk about it so much. Just be it. I am sure the leaders need to talk about the idea and its implications and how you'll apply it. It is great to educate your people on what you are and what it means, but just be careful that's all. The word "gospel" is not magic. Saying over and over every Sunday doesn't make it so. If people aren't believing in the gospel in our church regularly then, well, I hate to break it to you. You are not gospel-centered. Instead, talk about Jesus. Talk about what He has done and is doing because of the gospel. That's my rant on that.

That's for listening, you imaginary minions.