Written By Bob Schindler, Chief Operating Officer of CEDE SPORTS
Gospel Centered Ministry
At CEDE SPORTS, we talk about gospel centered sports ministry – for sports chaplains and for churches doing sports, rec, or fitness ministry. In this blog, I want to introduce a series of several blogs where we will look at gospel centricity – what it is and what it isn’t. This discussion is based on the letter of Paul to the Ephesians. While he never uses the term gospel centered n this letter, as we look at this topic over the next several blogs, I think you will discover the concepts around gospel centricity are imbedded in the letter.
Ephesians
The letter is divided into two distinct parts. Chapters 1-3 form the first part with chapters 4-6 making up the second part. The first part of the letter focuses on understanding our calling in the gospel. The second part focuses on living out our understanding of our calling in the gospel. This order of the two parts is no accident. To reinforce that order, in the first part, there is only one imperative, surrounded by lots of indicatives. Many truths to believe. One command to obey. That command is found in 2:11 – “Therefore, remember ….” Paul goes on to tell us what to remember – who we were and who we are in the gospel. We are to remember this. We are commanded to remember this.
Two Keys
With these thoughts in mind, I see two initial keys to being gospel centered.
- Being gospel centered begins with believing - believing the truths about the gospel.
- Being gospel centered involves remembering – remembering the realities of our life before and after the gospel.
Believing and remembering. This is the opposite of the popular cultural phrase “Fake it till you make it.” As you think about what it means to be gospel centered, keep these ideas in mind – believe and remember, who you were apart from the gospel and who you are in the gospel.