What is the place and function of the gospel in the life of the local church?
Functional Centrality
In our relationships,
functional centrality will mean that we are constantly looking for opportunities
to spread the grace and mercy of the gospel to others when they disappoint
or wrong us, whether they are Christians or not.
In our evangelism, functional centrality will mean that we do not trust in an appealing presentation of the temporal benefits of the gospel, or in methodological fads that pander to cultural preferences for image or entertainment. Rather, we must trust in the converting power of the gospel as repentance of sin and belief in Jesus' death and resurrection are presented forthrightly as essentials, without concern for whether people's cultural sensitivities might be offended by the fully articulated content of the gospel.
