Review: What Exactly is the Gospel?

What Exactly is the Gospel? book cover on blue background

I am grateful that I was able to be reminded afresh of what I believe and why I believe it through this book. What Exactly is the Gospel? by James Finke is an encouraging and motivating book for any Christian in affirming the core tenets of the Christian faith and in providing practical methods for sharing the Gospel.

Book Synopsis

My longtime barber was stunned and had tears in his eyes.

“James, keep going. The entire shop is listening.”

The chatter, laughing, and cracking of jokes that normally filled the packed barber shop was absent. Instead, the entire place was listening intently to the conversation he and I were having as he cut my hair.

It was the Gospel – the good news about the person and work of Jesus Christ – explained exactly as it is in this book.

I’d been in that barber chair countless times before and nothing like this had ever happened. That’s because it wasn’t something particular about me that had changed the atmosphere of the room. It was the Gospel - the single greatest offer in history and the most powerful message ever to be announced on the planet. It is the power of God.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ – we have a commission from Jesus Christ Himself to share His Gospel with all nations. It is my prayer that God will use this book to better equip you to do just that. You will:

Learn to methodically explain the essentials of the Gospel.
Be prepared to address some of the most frequently asked questions related to the faith.
Gain access to free printable Gospel tracts to aid your evangelism.

“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Are you ready? Let’s talk Gospel.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This is one of the most practical resources I've seen on evangelism and how believers can share the Gospel with others. Broken down into illustrations and concepts that are easy to grasp, I found that this book encouraged my faith and affirmed the reasons why I do believe in the Christian faith. I appreciate that the style of this book is invitational and approaching, making it a volume that simply begs to be shared.

At the end of the day, it's a faithful reminder of how God has worked throughout history to draw us to Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. Even if evangelism may not be our particular strong suit or gifting, we are called to always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us about the hope we possess (1 Peter 3:15). This book seeks to equip believers to be prepared and is a useful guide when we need to be reminded ourselves.

Book Summary

Format of book: 📱
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Stop the Slop

One of the reasons why I've been spending more and more time offline has been due to seeing so much generative AI infiltrate the creative space. I won't necessarily repeat my previous Thoughts on AI blog post where much of what I shared in 2023 still holds true today regarding ethics, discipline, and discernment. Little has changed for me as I continue to refrain from utilizing these tools and instead rely on my own visual and written abilities, flaws and all. However, the difference between its emergence a few years ago and now is astounding where over half of what we see online is generated by artificial intelligence (source: Over 50 Percent of the Internet Is Now AI Slop, New Data Finds ). I'm not one for fear-mongering or sensationalism; however, I am concerned for the effects this may have on my short-term enjoyment of the Internet and my long-term walk as a disciple of Christ and my cognitive skills. First, I have found it difficult to enjoy being online when a lot ...

Review: Movie-Made Romance: Christmas in Garland Collection #4

For anyone who has played bingo along with Christmas Romance movies, it's clear that there are definite (and repeated) themes. Movie-Made Romance by A.M. Heath plays on that idea, bringing a story within a story to life. Book Synopsis He wants a second chance. She wants him to get lost. Carleigh St. John is tired of watching everyone else get their happily-ever-after, and her little sister’s engagement is the last straw. Stewing down the overused plot lines from Christmas Romance movies, Carleigh creates a dating playbook. With a marathon of Christmas dates ranging from picking out a tree with her first crush to volunteering with her grumpy co-worker, she’s bound to find her perfect movie-made ending. … If only her ex will stay out of the way. Joshua Price has spent the last four years trying to outrun his past and the ex-fiancé he had hurt, but now he is back home. As he strives to help his grandfather, he keeps bumping into Carleigh. The pull between them is undeniable, and Jos...

Review: Blind Date with the Hero - Heroes of Freedom Ridge #18

It feels so bittersweet now that I'm finished the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series ! When I first started, I wasn't sure if I could make it through all 18 books, but what a pleasure and delight it has been to get to know the town and its stories so thoroughly. Reading Blind Date with the Hero was both exciting and wistful; however, I'm thankful I got to travel to Freedom, Colorado this past year and get to know so many great authors! Book Synopsis She’s on a series of blind dates, but all she can think about is her Secret Santa… Alexis would rather skinny dip in a snowbank than make good on the bet she lost. Ten blind dates? As though the holidays weren’t hard enough, now she has to sit at awkward Christmas parties with men who were more likely to be intimidated by her military experience than infatuated. At least her Secret Santa was keeping things interesting. K9 Specialist Jared Keen couldn’t believe his luck when he got his best friend’s name in the Secret Santa pool. Af...