Author: Jonathan Dodson

What the Gospel Isn’t

Posted on November 4, 2010

I’m so grateful for pastors and church leaders that remind me not only what the Gospel is, but also what it isn’t. Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, and Tim Chester have done this in a variety of ways. Here is my latest contribution to helping us understand and apply the gospel by understanding what it isn’t. Nothing particularly new here but perhaps some fresh ways of saying old truths.

The Gospel Isn’t Religious Performance

The Gospel isn’t about religious performance to prove yourself to God, others, or yourself.

  • We don’t have to impress [God] because Jesus impressed him for us.
  • We don’t’ have to seek approval from [Others] because are approved by faith in Christ.
  • We don’t have to perfect [Ourselves] because we are imperfect people clinging to a perfect Christ.

The Gospel Isn’t Spiritual License

The Gospel also isn’t spiritual license to flaunt your “freedom” in Christ.

  • The Gospel calls us to respond to Jesus in every situation—social, cultural, personal. We are his people not our own. We drive under his license.
  • The Gospel isn’t an obstacle to our happiness but the path to true happiness. Christ offers deeper joy than anything else can offer.
  • The Gospel calls us to holiness not legalism, to flaunt Christ not false freedom. Jesus calls us to be distinct not relevant as we orbit around him, not rules or liberties.

Why Cities Need the Gospel

Posted on November 4, 2010

The Resurgence is running a series of posts on the need for the Gospel in cities. Is all the “city talk” floating around evangelicalism a silly trend or are there substantial reasons for this urban-focused gospel talk?

Tools for Missional Communities

Posted on October 31, 2010

We had a great breakout on Starting and Multiplying Missional Communities on Saturday at the GCM EveryDay Training. Several inquired about where to find the various documents and resources we mentioned.

Tools for Missional Church – this is a topical archive of missional tools I have created over the past few years in planting our church and forming missional communities.

GCM Resources – this is an “open source” collection of resources created by all of us in the www.gcmcollective.com. Feel free to take these resources and tweak them for personal use. I will list the ones that Nate and I referred to:

  • 3 Marks of Gospel Community Formation
  • 3 Steps for Gospel Community Multiplication
  • Missional Community Leader Checklist

GCM EveryDay in Austin!

Posted on October 30, 2010

The inaugural GCM EveryDay training is off to a great start with Steve Timmis addressing us on Church in the Margins.

Church on the Margins

He’s delivering a sobering message about the decline of the church in America. We are moving towards 60% unchurched. Christianity is increasingly marginalized culturally, politically, spiritually.

This is a prophetic wake-up call to the American Church, a prescient message from the post-Christian UK to the US.

Steve Timmis Quotes

  • I don’t like the term postmodernity but prefer hypermodernity. We don’t live in a secular society but in a pluralist society- an increasingly plurality of different beliefs and convictions in America, of people who will not come into our buildings!
  • Don’t mistake religion for biblical faith. We need to show people biblical faith.
  • We can no longer assume people want to find God and will go to a church.
  • The church isn’t incidental to the purposes of God but central to the purposes of God.
  • Jesus did not just die for me; he died for a people.