CHPL 645 THEOLOGY OF GOSPEL CENTERED MINISTRY 6

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May 18, 2024

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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY THEOLOGY OF GOSPEL-CENTERED MINISTRY. Submitted to Dr. Paul Greer in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of CHPL 645-B01 CHAPLAIN RESILIENT LEADERS By February 04, 2024
ii CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1 DEFINING THE GOSPEL ...................................................................................................... 2 REMAINING GOSPEL-FOCUSED ....................................................................................... 2 PLURALISTIC/ECUMENICAL CHALLENGES TO THE GOSPEL .............................. 5 REWARD FOR GOSPEL FAITHFULNESS ......................................................................... 6 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 7 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 9
1 INTRODUCTION The dedication and even the sacrifice of Jesus Christ's disciples' lives throughout their gospel-centered ministry are demonstrated in both the Old and New Testaments by the prophets of old. They possessed a deep understanding of the significance of the gospel and experienced a strong feeling of duty in their ministries, to the extent that they were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice of their lives to ensure that the gospel could profoundly impact the innermost beings of the people. During times of persecution, Paul emphasized the imperative of spreading the gospel by stating, “I am under a compelling obligation, and it would be disastrous for me if I were to refrain from preaching the good news of Jesus.” 1 Furthermore, Jeremiah, a prophet from the Old Testament, endured physical assault and was confined in stocks for an entire night due to his ministry that focused on the teachings of the gospel. When asked about his intention to refrain from mentioning or speaking about Jesus, he stated, “There is a burning fire in my heart that I am tired of suppressing, and I cannot bear to let it out. The gospel is the very core of my ministry, regardless of the persecutions I face.” 2 Jesus declared that spreading the gospel was His mission, as is seen even in Luke's gospel. 3 We risk muddying or losing sight of the historical context of the message of the biblical gospel in our current ministry, which is a tragic reality. As a result, one can wonder: what exactly is the gospel? Despite all the obstacles that the gospel faces in the modern day, how can a minister keep his or her focus on the gospel? 1 1 Corinthians 9:16. Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in New King James Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008). 2 Jeremiah 20:9 3 Luke 4:43
2 Given the foregoing, this study defines the term "gospel" and then analyzes theological aspects of gospels-centered ministry. Determine how the minister will keep the gospel front and center in the face of pluralist and ecumenical challenges to the gospel and investigate the benefit of remaining loyal in the face of every difficulty. DEFINING THE GOSPEL In their book The Gospel as the Center, Carson and Keller state that the word “euangelion,” which is translated as gospel, means “Good News.” The promise of a Savior to save sinful people, glorify God's creations, and reign all with kindness and justice is used in the Bible to describe this message. 4 Donald Whitney provided an additional, more in-depth definition of the word "gospel" in his work as well. According to his definition, the gospel is “the good news of Jesus Christ preached to sinful people with the hope that they will believe in Him and be saved by the Holy Spirit, and then follow Him as King and serve Him in His kingdom.” 5 Considering these two perspectives, it's clear that the gospel has the capacity to change a person's life from a dead, sinful state to a living, glorious one, making it the greatest force known to mankind. According to what Jesus says in the Scriptures, He came to earth to preach the gospel and save people's lives. This message is central to his ministry. REMAINING GOSPEL-FOCUSED In today's environment, where the gospel truth is at risk of becoming diluted or lost, it is especially important for ministers to stay focused on the gospel, as mentioned in the beginning portion of this paper. Postmodernity, like the time of the Old and New Testaments, is plagued with 4 D. A Carson, and Timothy Keller, The Gospel as Center: Renewing Our Faith and Reforming Our Ministry Practices (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 82 5 Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, revised ed. (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2014), 120.
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