Gospel
conversation
Sometimes what a team member needs is a "gospel conversation." Many times we end up championing behavior modification when what is really needed is heart transformation.
Things to remember:
Fruit to root
Fruit to root exercise:
Examine the fruit
Matthew 7:
16 You can detect them (people displaying false gospel vs true gospel) by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. You need never confuse grapevines with thorn bushes or figs with thistles. 17 Different kinds of fruit trees can quickly be identified by examining their fruit. 18 A variety that produces delicious fruit never produces an inedible kind. And a tree producing an inedible kind can’t produce what is good. 19 So the trees having the inedible fruit are chopped down and thrown on the fire. 20 Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit produced. (LB)
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Download the worksheet
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Think through each section
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Practice not perfection is what's key.
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Remember we are all unbelievers:
“When I say we are all unbelievers, I mean we still have places in our lives where we don’t believe God....There are spaces where we don’t trust his word and don’t believe that what he accomplished in Jesus Christ is enough to deal with our past or what we are facing in this moment or the next. We don’t believe his word is true or his work is sufficient. We don’t believe it. We are unbelievers… It’s very possible that even though you are familiar with Jesus, you have yet to believe in Jesus for yourself, for your life. Or maybe you have come to faith in Jesus, but it hasn’t really changed what you do daily or how you engage in the everyday stuff of life....God also wants to rescue you from unbelief and sanctify you to become like Jesus. Sanctification is just a big word for becoming more and more like Jesus through faith in Jesus. You become like what you believe in. So becoming like Jesus requires believing in Jesus more and more in every part of your life. Sanctification is moving from unbelief in Jesus to belief in Jesus in the everyday stuff of life. You’re not there yet, are you? Neither am I. We’re still unbelievers who need Jesus more—in more ways and more places.” -Jeff Vanderselt
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Remember we want to give Jesus not just good advice:
Often we will give good advice like read your bible, pray, go to counseling, attend a small group, speak kind, the list goes on. But we never give Jesus. Instead we give more work which leaves the person carrying the burden of being the hero in their story, and good work will turn into dead works. Be sure to give them Jesus, he is better. The better parent, the better boss, the better spouse.
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Remember to listen to the story within the story:
When someone is sharing what they are going through they are telling a story within a story, and often it is a false gospel.
Creation (Identity)|| Fall (problem)||Redemption (solution)||New Creation (hope).
Listen for their false gospel within their story so you can apply the true gospel.
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Remember the gospel promises.
By remembering these promises, it helps us to understand and articulate the rich, robust and nuanced reality of the gospel. Here are several just to mention:
Seated with Christ • Eternal Life • Intercessor • No Condemnation in Christ • Jesus’ Second Coming • Consummation (All Things Made New) • Incarnation • Resurrection • Ascension • Our Advocate • Comforter • Jesus Faced Temptation • Penal Substitutionary Atonement • Redemption • Adoption • Reconciliation • Forgiveness • Never Forgotten • Sanctification • Christ’s Easy Yoke • Rich in Grace • Rich in Mercy • Charity • Righteousness • Created Us in His Image • Creation • Holiness • Wisdom • Understanding • Revealed Mystery • Inheritance • Made Us Alive • Chose Us • Raised Us Up • He Came to Us • Jesus’ Perfect Life • Justice • no death/disease • Endless in resources • Freedom in Christ • Approachable • Secure in Christ/Marked/Sealed.
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Remember you too need the gospel.
When having a gospel conversation do it from a place of humility, charity and grace because you too are a sinner saved by grace, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Here are some important aspects of holding a gospel conversation: