What Makes or Breaks a Gospel Presentation?

There are so many ways to share the gospel of Jesus because there are so many unique people in the world.

You may have learned some great models to share the good news like, for example, the wordless bracelet, the Romans road, or the four spiritual laws. These are great examples! Of course, these three models are not the only ways to proclaim the gospel, and none are necessarily better or worse than the others. Ultimately, it comes down to what works best for you. But what exactly makes or breaks a gospel presentation? Firstly, the model’s content needs to be in line with what scripture says. All of the three models above share the same four core ideas.

1. God created humanity to worship him and represent his glory to all of creation.
2. Humanity rebelled against God bringing condemnation on everyone.
3. But, God provided salvation through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.
4. Anyone can either receive this gift by faith or reject it.

Every gospel presentation should include these core truths. Here’s a good way to remember them—plus some added elements to see how the Bible is one interconnected narrative telling the gospel story. God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2) Our sins separate us from God. (Genesis 3) Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. (Genesis–Malachi) Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew–Luke) Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John) Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever. (Acts–Revelation) Secondly, a gospel presentation should be internalized. Many models like the Roman road or the four spiritual laws have built-in mnemonics to help with memory. But, you should be able to present the gospel from the heart, not just from memory. It’s hard to explain the differences between the two. But, you can definitely hear the difference. One sounds like a parrot, the other sounds emotionally authentic. Parrots are cool, but I’d be more inclined to listen to the greatest news ever told coming from someone who actually feels that way over a robotic info dump. That said, keep in mind that any gospel presentation with good content—regardless of how it is communicated (internalized or memorized)—is better than not sharing at all. The best way to internalize the gospel is to speak it over and over again. There's no doubt we all start out as parrots haha. Lastly, you should also consider personalizing your gospel presentation. Everyone is different and unique. All of us have strengths and weaknesses, especially when it comes to communication. Once you’ve got the content down and internalize the reality of the gospel, learn to speak it in a way that suits you. Make it your own. If you stop and think about it, this is an amazing thing. On the other side of eternity, wouldn’t you love to sit down and hear every brother and sister in Christ demonstrate how they shared the good news? What an amazing show that would be!

Consider This

When presenting the gospel, memorize the content, internalize the realities of the gospel, and share them in your own way. At the end of the day, the most effective model is the one that answers the prayer of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 4:4, "...that I might proclaim it (the word of God) clearly, as I should."