What is the Gospel? A Short Summary

One of the most important things to know about the Christian faith is to answer the question, "What is the Gospel?" Unfortunately, it is also one of the most profound concepts in Christianity. Sometimes people like to summarize the gospel as "receiving Jesus" or as "grace" or some other term. While helpful in some ways, those summaries carry the danger of distorting the full gospel. The following is what I think is the absolute shortest version that is sufficiently comprehensive.

Gospel as Jesus' Story

This gospel is the “good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). It is the news that God the Father sent his son to the world (John 3:16), who was born through the virgin Mary (Luke 2:11-12), lived among us as one of us (Luke 2:41-52), performed many great miracles (Matthew 8:1-34), died on the cross “to take away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), resurrected from the dead proving he is Lord (Mark 16:6), gave us eternal life (John 3:36), and sent us into the world as his disciples (John 17:18), leaving with us the Holy Spirit as the helper (John 14:26).

Gospel as Redemption History

The above is a short summary of the story of Jesus entering into the world in the “fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4). Of course, the biblical narrative spans much longer than just those short thirty some years. If gospel really does mean “good news,” then gospel should encompass all good news of God at work in the world.^[1] This has happened all throughout history and has been told by the patriarchs, the prophets, the teachers of the law, and by parents to their children for the entire narrative of the Bible. The full gospel story is no less than the redemption story of God saving a people that has fallen to sin. This gospel is epitomized, though not summarized, by Jesus coming into the world around 2000 years ago.

Gospel as Human Response

More than just story, the gospel is also the truth that believing in the story of Jesus – including his life, death, and resurrection – leads to us humans becoming a member of God’s family (John 1:12). This is an eschatological truth (1 John 5:13) as well as a present reality (Matthew 4:17, Luke 17:21). Believing is more than just an intellectual acknowledgement of one's sin, but includes genuine repentance (Matthew 3:8) and action that matches (James 2:18-19), resulting in a life of πίστις (pistis, faith and faithfulness)^[2] that befits the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27). This πίστις, like grace and everything else, is a gift from God and not a result of works (Ephesians 2:8-9). The person who has πίστις is a new creation (Galatians 6:15), having the Holy Spirit who dwells in us (2 Timothy 1:14). All this is in sharp contrast to a life without πίστις, which is characterized by the normal state of every single person (Romans 3:23) being dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) and in desperate need of God (John 3:18), with no known way of being reconciled to God unless someone shares the gospel with them (Romans 10:14).

Questions

What do you think? Are there some concepts I am missing? Are there some that could be left out? Leave me a comment to let me know!

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How is Mission Related to Disciple-Making?

Discipleship (or the act of disciple-making) is a hot word among Christians now. Many books have already been written on the topic. The following is an excerpt from a paper I wrote recently on the topic. The specific focus is on missional disciple-making. I am putting it here with the hope that it will spur more Christians on to treat discipleship more seriously. Who are you discipling? And who are you being discipled by? I pray that if you do not have an answer for either one of those questions, this post will get you to rectify it immediately.

Relation of Mission to Disciple-Making

A popular text that has been used profusely in the past century relating to missions was Matthew 28:19-20, and in fact still is being used today. In this Great Commission text, the act of disciple-making (μαθητεύσατε) is the only imperative, rendering everything else as supportive of this one verb. A strong case could then be made that what God wants us to do above all else, at least in the realm of doing ministry, is to make disciples. Of course, there may be other things we do, but disciple-making is the central component in God’s commission to us.

Continuing the logic, if the act of making disciples is considered central when Jesus commissioned his disciples unto mission, it should be central for us as we do mission as well. Seen in this light, missional disciple-making is really the only way to make disciples. In order to understand missional disciple-making better, this is the first and most important point that one must make. As Alan Hirsch (2006, 120) puts it, “If disciple making lies at the heart of our commission, then we must organize it around mission, because mission is the catalyzing principle of discipleship. In Jesus they are inexorably linked.” In other words, making disciples in a non-missional context or with a non-missional agenda misses the point of disciple-making.

A second related point must be made that disciple-making is subjugated to mission. Disciple-making is not the ultimate purpose of Christians and the church, mission is. And both should be a form of worship from beginning to end. Just as going, baptizing, and teaching are methods of disciple-making, disciple-making itself is a method of doing mission. Moreover, it is the method given by Jesus as his last words in Matthew’s gospel, so disciple-making needs to be the priority in our thinking and doing.

Disciple-Making on the Go

Disciple-making can happen in many ways. It can happen in the classroom, where disciples are fed knowledge and depth of insight. It can also happen at a coffee shop where a disciple seeks guidance and is in turn counseled in many ways. Yet another way that disciple-making happens is in the field, doing hands-on ministry. It is this third type that best describes missional disciple-making. I would argue that it is this third type that is the most formative way of disciple-making.

When Jesus called his disciples, Scripture gave us no indication that Jesus trained them for many years before even allowing them to go out to do ministry. No, Jesus took them with him as he went from town to town, performing miracles and proclaiming the kingdom of God (cf. Mark 5:37-40). Jesus discipled them on the go, answering their questions and teaching them kingdom values while doing kingdom work. Jesus even sent out these disciples by themselves to do ministry without him (cf. Luke 9:1-9), possibly as a way to grow them more.

Disciple-making does require teaching and one-on-one time. But it must be done in the context of active ministry. Just as Jesus did disciple-making primarily on the go, I believe that disciple-making must primarily be done on the go for us too. Halter and Smay (2010, 94) says that we should be “becoming like Jesus instead of just knowing about Jesus.” It is being on the go that makes disciple-making missional and truly effective.

The Biggest Humanitarian Emergency of our Era

The Syrian refugee crisis began (officially anyway) in April 2011. Since then, so many people have been affected that António Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, called this the "biggest humanitarian emergency of our era."

A Syrian refugee center on the Turkish border

Estimates by Christian Century show that as many as 13.6 million people have been displaced by what's going on in Iraq and Syria. They say that over 3 million Syrian refugees are in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey alone. Lebanon is a country of 4 million and it has over 1 million registered refugees. That's a lot of people! That's also a lot of resources that is weighing these neighboring countries down.

According to United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 93% of Syrian refugees are living outside of camps and are below the poverty line. Makeshift shelters have been built, jobs have been given, but so much more still needs to be done. However, there is simply not enough resources to do it. In just the UNHCR, funding is only at 51%.

Furthermore, UNICEF reports that by 2014, more than half the refugees fleeing Syria were children. With the borders to some countries closing and other factors, some refugees were forced to cross the Aegean sea, causing many to die. One woman lost her sister, her two-year daughter, and her niece while passing through Galatsi. When asked what she needed, she said, "The only thing I need is a stone with my daughter's name on it for the graveyard."

I can share a lot more. But it should be apparent to everyone that there is a great need for more help. Before anyone worries about national security, Christianity Today (Weber 2016) notes that the refugees reaching western shores represent only 5% of the refugee crisis. This is very little compared to what many countries in the Middle East are facing. The same article quotes an Iraqi pastor saying, "Why are you Christian brothers in the West afraid? We are here on the front lines and are not afraid."

I am reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 25:37-40, "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,f you did it to me.’"

Please, my brothers and sisters. We must show the same compassion that Jesus showed to us. We must start praying fervently for the unprecedented opportunities for evangelism. We must not let indifference overtake us! Rather, let us do as much good as we possibly can.

A way to start getting more involved is through wewelcomerefugees.com.

There is No Such Thing as a Self-Made Man

I share my testimony a lot. I was told that it is an effective way to share the Gospel. Almost always, I share how I didn't grow up in a Christian family, how I was pretty much the first Christian in my family, and how coming to faith "by myself" stirred up a passion for evangelism within me. I used to "boast" that my faith is real because I had to even go against my own family (see here). I have even seen myself as a "self-made man" with regards to my faith. Well, nowadays, I share my story a bit differently.

Yes it's true that growing up, I was not a Christian and I practiced a mix of Buddhism and ancestral worship. It's also true that neither of my parents went to church, with my dad especially being strong on atheism. It's true as well that I went to a secular school while living in a Muslim country. It's especially true that when I first became a Christian, both my dad and my grandparents were upset with me.

However, my faith didn't just come from a vacuum. I am not a self-made man. God placed many things in my path that led me to where I am today.

My mom, even though she did not go to church, is the first Christian in the family. Her reasons for doing so is in large part due to family pressure. Since she knew how suffocating this pressure is, she bore it all for me so I wouldn't have to feel as much pressure either from her or from my extended family.

My mom, even though she didn't lead me to a saving faith in Christ, did teach me the importance of prayer. Ever since a young age, she's told my brother and me that prayer works, that we can ask God for anything.

My mom, even though she didn't read the Bible too much (again due to family pressures), did tell me a few Bible stories. At the time, I don't think I even knew they were Bible stories. But I'm sure seeds were planted.

My mom, even though we had many options, chose to put me in a Christian school after 9th grade in high school. This was my first systematic exposure to the doctrines of Christianity. It was also there (Dalat International School in Penang, Malaysia) that I someone shared the essentials of the Gospel with me.

My mom, even though I did not know it, prayed for me night and day. I know that it is due to her simple but persevering prayers that I am where I am today.

My mom (and dad), even though I did not ask for it, are our biggest financial supporters. Without them, we would not be able to do much ministry at all, let alone even sustain ourselves.

Last week, my mom and dad cam to visit us in Chicago. We planned a week-long birthday celebration for them.

The points is...

However crazy our testimonies may be, there is always someone behind the scenes who played a huge but often unacknowledged part. The "self-made man" idea is simply not true. We owe everything to others and everything owes its existence to God. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God."

So... Who is that person in your story? Who is the one who helped shape you into the person you are today? Write them a note of appreciation, and pray to God for them. Share your story with me too!

Going on an Unexpected Journey

Two weeks ago, we went on a road trip from Chicago to New York. My friend Kossi got married and I was one of the groomsmen, so naturally we had to go. Plus, this was a chance to see the city that my wife spent 15 years in.

Going there, we drove for 14 hours with food and gas stops. Including coming back, the whole trip took 30 hours. So what did we do all that time in the car? We asked each other many questions, talked about other things, listened to musicals... Oh, and we listened to an audiobook of The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, all 11 hours of the unabridged version. It was glorious.

The main character is this hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. He is an unassuming hobbit (like human beings except for being half the size, among other things) who was chosen (against his will at first) to go on this adventure. The other members of the journey (all dwarves except for Gandalf the wizard) doubted that he could bring anything useful to the team as well. All in all, it was not a good start.


Bilbo never thought that he would ever go on an adventure like this. In fact, all his friends and family in his town (the Shire) never thought that he would ever go on any adventures. But yet Bilbo set out, to the chagrin of those who know him, and proved that he was more than capable of doing great things.

As time passed and Bilbo got the dwarves out of trouble time and again, the dwarves started to respect Bilbo and even to see him as the leader in some occasions. Bilbo himself grew increasingly confident with each passing danger.

Near the end, Bilbo showed incredible courage and selflessness in his attempt to save everyone. This predictable, unadventurous hobbit from the Shire became a well-respected person liked by all, and more than capable of handling himself in a fight.

He was named Elf-friend, was respected by dwarves, liked by wizards, feared by giant spiders... the list could go on. Basically he was one of the most well-liked persons among races in middle-earth. Yet when he returned home, he lost credibility in the place where he spent most of his life.

His town didn't like him because he was no longer the simple neighbor they knew him to be. Out of all the places who should be proudest of him, this was the place that was ashamed of him most.

Listening to this incredible story was a great use of driving time during our trip to New York. As we went there and back again, I had more time to reflect. And I couldn't help but think that maybe this has more similarities to one's life than one may think.

Perhaps in our own lives, we should take on more unexpected journeys and adventures. Perhaps in doing so, we'd find out that we may not be as pathetic and useless as we think after all. Perhaps we could meet lifelong friends along the way, of all types of races. Perhaps there is greatness in all of us yet. Though perhaps, after all is said and done, you may gain the respect of many people but lose the respect of those dearest to you.

I know, for all that has happened to me.

This blog post is not "Christian" in the sense that I used Bible verses or the name of God. However, like Tolkien, perhaps, just perhaps, I've given you a reason to get out of your comfort zone to attempt something for God that you've never attempted.

PS. Tolkien is a devout follower of Christ but yet never mentioned God in his most popular works. Instead, his works are filled with Christian analogies and insights.

Qualifications for Ministry

Earlier this week, while visiting Taiwan, my grandpa said to me, "你沒有資格走神的道路" (which means "You do not have the qualification to be walking the path of God").

I was so shocked of this comment out of nowhere that I asked, "What do you mean?"

He explained his strong belief in moral relativism, namely that there is no such thing as right and wrong. He explained that no one has the qualification to tell others about right and wrong (which ironically is exactly what he is doing to me).

I was confused, hurt, and upset. I was confused that he, an atheist who has been strongly against Christianity since before I was born, would even mention God in a sentence. I was hurt that my own family, especially one who watched me grow up, would say this to me. And I was upset that he was condemning the very thing that I hold dearest.

The only consolation is that it seems he was more condemning a philosophy than he was condemning my character, though I'm sure there's a bit of both.

It is not the first time something like this happened.

Walking with my grandpa on the streets of Taipei.

But thinking about it now, it hurt me so much because I knew he was right. I don't have the qualification to be doing this. He watched me grow up, he has seen me at my worst (or close to it). I am not qualified to speak to thousands of people about God and life transformation.

Many excellent blogs (i.e. Acts 29 blog) talk about the qualifications for a pastor or minister. They are all correct. However, I am giving a different point. For every qualification one passes for ministry, there are two more one fails. A minister must be gentle and not quick-tempered (Titus 1:7), yet is there any among us who has not grown impatient at something or someone? A minister must be holy (Titus 1:8), but is there any who can claim to be holy like God is holy?

No one is qualified for ministry; instead we are transformed into the image of Christ one degree at a time (2 Corinthians 3:18) in the process of doing ministry.

Should we forget the qualifications then? No! Instead we look hard at them, strive for them. But when we realize we fail, we fall back on the grace of God. Not to stop trying to meet the qualifications, but to recuperate in order to be better in the future.

So if you ever feel discouraged or like you do not qualify for ministry, know that I feel it too. My grandpa's words will likely continue to sting me for many more years to come. But hear the words of God through the apostle Paul, "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27).

You are not qualified, of course not. For you represent not man, but God. But he chose you and he wants to use you. He chooses the weak to shame the strong. more than that, in your weakness he makes you strong. You do not need to be qualified, you just need to be called. And you need to be willing. Transformation always happens after the call, but not always before.

PS. You need only worry when you are already doing ministry yet you fail on every single qualification on those blogs. Then maybe some self-examination is in order.

To Do Ministry Jesus' Way

A bit more than 2000 years ago, the God of the entire universe came to the earth as a tiny baby born to a Jewish family. This God baby grew and walked among us humans. He taught at many places and healed many people with his miracles. He walked with them, laughed with them, wept with them, and ate with them. This God man left the comforts of his heavenly abode, perfect in every way, and came to a home that was (in comparison) dirty, rundown, and wretched.

He could not help it because he loved the people so much. Eventually, he gave up his own life in order to save everyone. His name is Jesus Christ. This was his incarnation.

This is what ministry should be. Some scholars call it incarnational ministry. We give up what we know and love. We give up some rights and privileges. We may even give up part of our identity or subsume the identity of another culture. All in order that more people might come to know God.

John Stott writes this, "mission involves... renouncing privilege, safety, comfort and aloofness, as we actually enter other people’s worlds, as he entered ours; humbling ourselves to become servants, as he did..."

Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, "To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews... To those outside the law I became as one outside the law... that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel..."

Mission is not simply going somewhere and doing something. Mission is being with someone. Sometimes being present is the best present we can give. Sometimes to share the gospel, we simply share our lives.

No support raising is needed, and you get very flexible time commitments. If after reading this you feel motivated to start being a missionary (in this non-traditional sense), write in the comments or send me a message. I'd be very happy to talk to you more and give you some practical tips.