The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission: Promoting the Gospel with More Than Our Lips
Written by John Dickson and Alister McGrath
Narrated by John Dickson
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
This book comes out of years of reflection, failures, and some successes in the task of reaching out to others with the gospel. Many Christians think of the task of mission as an entirely verbal activity, when perhaps the best kept secret of New Testament teaching about mission is that it involves a whole range of activities that explicitly promote Christ to the world and draw others to him, and only a few of them involve speaking. Without diminishing or downplaying the importance of speaking the gospel, John Dickson shows that, on the other hand, downplaying the range of activities that promote Christ to the world has its own set of problems. It can make those who are not confident about speaking—of anything, let alone Jesus—feel inadequate and self-conscious in the task of reaching out to others. Equally, it can make those who do have a flair for speaking feel as though they are fulfilling Christ’s mission just by talking. But the reality is that the Lord wants our whole life, not just our lips, in the task of bringing the gospel to the world. Every facet of our lives can be used by God to promote the news of his power and mercy. In this practical guide to the biblical art of sharing your faith, John Dickson offers refreshing insight into the ways that all Christians can and should be involved in spreading the good news of Jesus. While not all Christians are called and gifted to become evangelists, we are all called to promote the gospel through a wide range of activities—prayer, financial partnership, good deeds, godly lives, public worship, daily conversation, etc.—with and without our lips. As readers engage with this book, grapple with its arguments and hear the stories of people coming to faith, they will be inspired to see the whole of life as significant for bringing the gospel to the world, and they will be liberated out of guilt and self-consciousness in evangelism into becoming perfectly natural promoters of Jesus Christ.
John Dickson
John Dickson (PhD, Macquarie University) serves as the Jean Kvamme Distinguished Professor of Biblical Evangelism and Distinguished Scholar in Public Christianity at Wheaton College. A speaker, historian, and media presenter, John is the author of more than 20 books, two of which became television documentaries. He also cohosted the documentary For the Love of God: How the Church is Better and Worse Than you Ever Imagined. He is an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Sydney, a Visiting Academic in the Faculty of Classics at Oxford University (2016-2021), and Distinguished Fellow in Public Christianity at Ridley College Melbourne. John presents Australia’s no.1 religion podcast, Undeceptions, exploring aspects of life, faith, history, culture, or ethics that are either much misunderstood or mostly forgotten.
More audiobooks from John Dickson
A Doubter's Guide to Jesus: An Introduction to the Man from Nazareth for Believers and Skeptics Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Doubter's Guide to the Bible: Inside History’s Bestseller for Believers and Skeptics Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHumilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Christ Files: How Historians Know What They Know about Jesus Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Life of Jesus: Who He Is and Why He Matters Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5History Shock: When History Collides with Foreign Relations Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission
Related audiobooks
The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's Grand Narrative Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Christian Mission in the Modern World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What is the Gospel? Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Unbelievable Gospel: Say Something Worth Believing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Apologetics at the Cross: Audio Lectures: An Introduction to Christian Witness Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Calvary Road Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Unsaved Christian: Reaching Cultural Christians with the Gospel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Explicit Gospel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Talk about Jesus (Without Being That Guy): Personal Evangelism in a Skeptical World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesus, Justice, and Gender Roles: A Case for Gender Roles in Ministry Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Untamed: Reactivating a Missional Form of Discipleship Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gospel & Parenting Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Above All: The Gospel Is the Source of the Church's Renewal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Your God Is Too Safe: Rediscovering the Wonder of a God You Can't Control Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God's Word Today Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Out of the Saltshaker and Into the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Basic Christianity Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Why Cities Matter: To God, the Culture, and the Church Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Evangelism as Exiles: Life on mission as strangers in our own land Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Master Plan of Evangelism Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Christianity For You
The 5 Love Languages Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Return of the Gods Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Little Book of Letting Go Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership 25th Anniversary: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries: When To Say Yes, How to Say No Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries in Marriage: Understanding the Choices That Make or Break Loving Relationships Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Crazy Love, Revised and Updated: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: Third Edition with Bonus Content, New Reflections Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Garden Within: Where the War with Your Emotions Ends and Your Most Powerful Life Begins Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Love and Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mere Christianity Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Cost of Discipleship Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Weight of Glory Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission
7 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I've read several books on Christian mission and am familiar with some really good material on missional living and evangelism, but have always felt a tension in my life and a guilt that I'm not doing mission unless I am actively proclaiming the verbal message of the Gospel to others. Proclaiming any message, nonetheless the Gospel, has been a sincere difficulty of mine. On the fly, I'm not good with my words and I don't feel I am great at sparking conversation with others generally. I do talk with others about Jesus as part of my normal life, but usually in response to normal conversation and usually over some question or challenge that needs an apologetic response.
What Dickson's book has done for me is help me locate my role in God's mission. My greatest area of lack is not that I am not outgoing or that I get tongue-tied when trying to explain... well, just about anything clearly. My problem is that I do not pray nearly enough for my lost friends. He has helped move me from an overbearing guilt based in what may simply be a different kind of gifting and has helped me realize and become genuinely convicted that the work of prayer for my lost friends is the most effective evangelistic strategy I CAN commit myself to.
Lord, thank you for this simple work. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A very balanced but Biblical perspective on the Best Kept Secret of Christian Missions. He takes you back to the Bible early and often, all the while spattering his personal struggles and successes. It is often challenging, but overall an encouragement. I would recommend for all, whether or not you would claim the title, Christian. This book will help you understand those who not just claim the title, but embody the Savior they claim to follow.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Clear, informative, very helpful.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I thought the author did a great job of explaining how evangelism really is so much bigger than just the narrow view of going out and sharing your faith cold turkey. It's a much broader, natural endeavor that allows people to just be themselves and use their natural gifts to share in what the author calls Kingdom Promotion. I found myself becoming excited as I listened, and it was freeing to hear that people without the gift of gab (people like me!) are still essential in God's plan for reaching the world. I highly recommend this book for pastors as well, it has some great insight on how to help equip congregations to work as a body to accomplish Kingdom work, and also a great reminder that the way we structure actual church environments and services can actually be a legitimate form of evangelism as well! I also love how the book ends...the author does a nice job of tying of everything together. Great read!