We preachers & teachers can be guilty of throwing around what I call “Bible words or phrases” without remembering it’s likely that many of our listeners or readers have little or no idea what the word or phrase means.

The word we use most is the word “gospel.” It was a common Greek word in the Roman Empire meaning “good news”. But Jesus, both, deepened and widened its meaning with the good news of mankind having the opportunity to be reconciled to God through Christ.

Here is a wonderful, short clip by author and defender of the Christian faith, Gregory Koukl (pronounced “COKE-el”), as he succinctly explains the biblical meaning of the word “gospel.”   Hopefully, this helps you offer clarity of the term to your students.

AND SPEAKING OF THE GOSPEL…

I thought this was profound.  Nancy Pearcey was one of my professors at HBU during my grad work in Christian Apologetics.  She actually studied under the renowned philosopher, Francis Shaeffer.  She writes,

“One of Francis Shaeffer’s most memorable sayings was that Christianity does not start with ‘Jesus saves you from your sins.’ It starts with ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.’ Shaeffer’s point was that Christianity cannot be reduced to a tract or a technique for getting ‘saved.’ It is a comprehensive account of the structure of reality, a rational and real-world account of the history of the universe, a verifiable storyline of the unfolding of the cosmos.”

The old saying is “You’re only as old as you feel.”

I know some younger people who live like they’re ancient. And some older folks who live life with such adventure and joy you would swear they were in their 20’s.

This quote sums up this topic better than any I’ve ever seen. Shared years ago by my dear friend, Jim Hardwicke, who happens to be our guest speaker at next April’s Appreciation Banquet.