The Gospel & Personal Evangelism - Mark Dever

I recently read this book about sharing the gospel with those around you.

I found the book to be well written and practical...but also a little basic.

I would highly recommend this book for a new believer. It outlines the importance of knowing what the gospel is (differentiating between the true gospel and false gospels) as well as the importance of sharing the gospel and how to do it in a way that is not judgmental or idiotic (that is my word, not his).

One think that Dever hits on is the fact that we are sharing the gospel of Jesus, not recruiting church members. This distinction is so important. I think far too often people believe that if they tell people about church programs that their church offers then they are sharing the gospel with them, this is a tragic mistake. It is not that church events are bad, in fact they can be used to share the gospel of Jesus, but those events are a means to the end, not the end itself.

I would highly recommend this book to new belivers who are unsre of how to share their faith, or church leaders who are wanting to get some ideas on how to teach their new believers to share the gospel of Jesus.

Just a quick sidenote from me on the true gospel...

The true gospel is that we are seperated by sin from God and that Jesus died as a substitute for that sin to be cleansed. Jesus then rose form the dead and we offered to re-enter a right relationship with God apart from sin.

The true gospel is not...

Be good and moral (although it is good to be moral)

God will bless me if I behave (this is stupid, stupid, stupid....in case you messed that...stupid)

Fighting injustice (sorry po-mos, there is more to the gospel than living green and building a well...although both are good they are not the gospel of Jesus)

Wearing a Chirstian Shirt...I don't care how cleaverly they changed a corporate logo to something spiritual...it is just a shirt.

The gospel, I believe, is best shared in the context of relationship not through standing on street corners yelling at sinners or leaving a tract in a public bathroom. So, if you are a Christian then get our there and make some friends who are not...and love them.