Evangelism v. “Selling” the Gospel: What’s the Difference, Anyway?

SOME OPENING QUESTIONS FOR THIS SERIES

• What are typical “selling” approaches used in business?
• How are “selling” approaches and techniques often used by:
  • Churches
  • Individual Christians
• What is “the Gospel”?
  • 1 Corinthians 15: 1-7
  • Romans 5: 17-21
  • Ephesians 4: 17-24
  • Colossians 1:5-6
  • Romans 8:19-23 
  • Mark 1:14-15
  • Galatians 1:6-11
  • Acts 2:22-31
  • Acts 4:8-12
• What is NOT “the Gospel”? ⁽¹⁾
  • The therapeutic gospel redefines the nature of the fall of mankind.
  • The judgmentless gospel denies the final judgment.
  • The moralistic gospel depicts Christ’s work as merely good advice.
  • The quietist gospel identifies good news as a message of personal experience.
  • The activist gospel unites the church around many things that are not the cross.
  • The churchless gospel–neglects the role of the church in the gospel message.
• What is the Great Commission?
  • Matt. 28:18-20
  • Mark 16:15
  • Luke 24:48-49/Acts 1:8
  • John 20:21
• How are the Great Commission and the Gospel related to each other?
• What is the difference between “selling” and evangelism?
• What is the difference between evangelism and discipleship?
• Summary: What’s wrong with “selling” the Gospel?
• Upcoming Lessons in This Series:
  • Why did Jesus refuse to be a “Rock Star”?
  • Why did Jesus Tell People Not to Tell after Performing Miracles? (Parts 1 & 2)
  • Conversational Evangelism, Jesus-Style (Parts 1 & 2)
  • What is the Role of the Holy Spirit in Evangelism?
  • Conclusion: Toward Biblical Evangelism

1. Trevin Wax, Counterfeit Gospels: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope (Chicago: Moody, 2011), 14-15.