Gospel Renewal
What is Gospel-Centered Ministry?
It is life and ministry that is fueled by and driven toward the gospel.
The gospel is God’s power for salvation in a way that can touch every part of each believer’s life. The gospel isn’t simply the door to a new relationship with God and the promise of eternal life. It is also the power that transforms us to be more like Christ as he increasingly draws us into his own mission to redeem and restore a lost and broken world.
Therefore, this fundamental commitment grounds us in gospel-centered ministry:
We need the gospel everyday just as much as those we are trying to reach.
Always renewal. Always mission.
As a new missionary, but experienced church planter, my family and I moved to Ireland. In a short time, I was struggling to believe the gospel of grace that I had moved to Ireland to share. As a result, I came to an inescapable conclusion: We can't take the gospel to others unless we know it for ourselves first.
In a crucible of brokenness, strife, and conflict, I became convinced that “the gospel is the power of God for salvation” and that meant that the gospel was powerful enough even to change Christians! And pastors! And teammates who couldn’t get along with each other. I came to believe in the power of the gospel not just to save but also to transform and send us on mission. This informs my teaching today - it also shapes the work of Serge where I work as Senior Advisor.
As we struggle with our own unbelief, in our conflict with our family and coworkers, and as we forget just how much God loves us - we are always pushed back to the gospel for new forgiveness and strength to renew our calling.
Today more than ever, I see ongoing, daily renewal united to the call for sacrificial mission inseparably: two parts of one whole response. As we learn to live by the same gospel grace that we are making known to others, we are being equipped for good works to bless those around us with a taste of who God is in every part of our lives and - as the Church - in every part of the world.
In our continuing pursuit of renewing mission, God renews us by His grace to reach out with love in his mission. This isn’t just for the “professional” missionary. Every believer can find the power of the gospel at work renewing mission for whatever God calls them.