When we want to know how we should approach a watching world and a world that is dying, a world that is pagan,

what gospel do they need to hear? It is the life and ministry of Jesus.

Now we hear people all the time say, I'm committed to the gospel, to preaching the gospel, to sharing the gospel.

And yet if we look at the content of what it is they're preaching and what it is they're

sharing, you know, I may share with my neighbor that Jesus changed my life.

That's a wonderful testimony, but it's not the gospel.

I can say to my friends, I've got good news for you.

God loves you.

That is good news, but it's not the gospel.

In New Testament categories, the gospel is understood in terms of a definite content.

And that content is not about me, and it's really not about you.

The content focuses attention on the person and work of Jesus, on who he is, what he has done, and then it is added how the benefits

of his ministry can receive by us in faith.

Now on several occasions in the book of Acts, we get examples of apostolic

preaching. We get examples of what the scholars call the carigma, which is just a fancy word

for the proclamation of the early church. And when we want to know how we should approach

a watching world and a world that is dying, a world that is pagan, what gospel do they need

to hear? It is this corigma that we find encapsulated in the book of Acts in sermon after sermon after sermon after sermon

and what it is is the life and ministry of Jesus.

Now, I think it's good for us to give our testimonies, but don't confuse our testimony

with evangelism. Our testimonies are pre- testimony with evangelism.

Our testimonies are pre-evangelism.

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