by cmcentral

When I read the Book of Acts in the New Testament, I notice a striking contrast between the gospel that the Apostles preached and the gospel preached in many American churches today. America is a trend-driven country. It seems that for every cultural trend, there is a gospel to match it. How does the church respond to a materialistic society? No problem! We have the “prosperity gospel.” And the postmodern trend? No problem! There are gospels that emphasize “deconstruction” and “negative theology.” Sometimes I wonder what Peter, James, John, and Paul would think if they took a look at the books on today’s Christian bestseller lists. Or what would they think of the “find meaning and fulfillment in your life by coming to Jesus” altar calls? Will the authentic gospel please stand up?

Here’s my proposition. What if, instead of trying to adapt the gospel to make it relevant to the culture, we proclaim the gospel as it is and let the culture adapt to the gospel? What would that look like? What are the essential elements that Jesus and the Apostles believed were necessary for a genuine gospel presentation? Why not just preach what the Apostles preached?

After carefully studying the Book of Acts and Paul’s letters, I’ve come up with a concise statement that I believe captures the essence of the gospel. Since the word “preach” essentially means “to herald” or “to announce,” consider this Aaron D. Taylor’s official gospel proclamation.

Here goes. The Apostolic gospel is as follows: “Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. He was buried and rose again on the third day. He ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father.

On a day that God has appointed, Jesus Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. Anyone who repents and believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life.”

I wonder what would happen if the average American preacher used this kind of language when preaching the gospel? Some might argue that the average listener would struggle to emotionally connect with such direct Bible language. Perhaps, perhaps not. I don’t know for certain, but I believe that even if that were true, God likely knew that when He inspired Inspired by nature - Artist Robert Tucker talks about himself and his artist experience in this exclusive article. Inspired by nature The glorious portal of a new year is again upon me. My mind has wondered since the start of 2008 as to which direction my creative self will take. For me a torrent of feelings were released in… the New Testament. Maybe gospel language isn’t meant to be reduced to what we perceive our emotional needs to be. Either way, I’ll choose the authentic gospel over the bestseller version any day.

Manuel Marino

Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME