A series of questions...

Hey all...

Most of you recieved this by email, but just in case...I'd like to get your opinions on a series of questions that may seem basic but are very important if we get them wrong. I'm starting (reading, not writing) a book right now that deals with evangelism, etc., and it's raising some important questions for me. I have some opinions of my own about what the Bible teaches, but I'd like to get some input from a few of you...you can either respond by email (todd.stoller1@gmail.com) or comment on the blog, either way your responses will not be published. This is strictly for my learning from your biblical perspectives...:-) Not sure how this experiment will work out, but I'd like to try.

1. What exactly is the gospel?

2. How do we present it to others?

3. What must I do to be saved?

4. How do we present it to others who may consider themselves saved but are not?

All of these questions seem very basic, but are nevertheless very deep and important. They are questions that have been stirred by this book and other books or by my life in the US or by my experiences in Mexico.

For starters, I'd like to focus on the first one: What exactly is the gospel? If we take the easy route and say it's about belief, we immediately run the risk of "Yeah, I believe. Now I'm saved right? Ok, leave me alone, because I'm in control of the situation and I can live however I want." Clearly there is a difference between true belief and a statement of belief that may or may not be real. On the other hand, if we put too many of our own ideas into the equation, we skew the gospel to our point of view and weigh it down. Salvation becomes a series of hoops to jump through: "I attend church, I sing hymns, I read the Bible, I don't kill people. I must be saved." Both views are held by many Mexicans and Americans alike. It's also not as simple as quoting Acts 2:38, because, for instance, Romans 10:9-11 has a very different flavor. Again, not sure where I'm going with this or if anything will happen, but I'm interested in hearing from all of you. Please respond only to me, not to "all".

Thanks,

Todd