A Different Way to Think About “Sharing the Gospel”

New and growing disciples often encounter a frequent, familiar sentiment. This sentiment, implied by Christian leaders throughout church history, is that believers mustn’t get involved in secular fields, specifically those on the frontlines of creating culture like arts, music, entertainment, politics, or business. The implication is that God’s doesn’t want us to participate in the most critical areas of culture creation, but rather invest only in sacred avenues of administering the gospel message. This view suggests––implicitly and sometimes explicitly­––that God only cares about the formal preaching of his message to a broken world, which we then seek to retreat from. In this view there is little comprehension that God has the capability to set a table with the delicacies of joy and delight in the presence of perceived enemies.

While this sentiment has good intentions of protecting believers from potential harm in settings that may be perceived as a threat, it is not a biblical one. The Bible calls us to be cultivators of the earth and to set culture. God called Adam and Eve from the very start to cultivate a society that would bring order, blessing, and nourishment for everyone. The work of creating beautiful, God-honoring (and humanity-honoring) culture is one of the foundational calls of Christianity no matter what arena that work may take us to. 

For this full cultural mandate to be realized, the message of Christ requires us to expand our understanding to include the restoration of culture. This might mean sending workers into communities that may feel uncomfortable for leadership, funders, or other partners.  

What do you think of when you hear the three words “sharing the gospel”?  Many of us in the West quickly conclude this is primarily an intellectual message being delivered through verbal proclamation without any accompanying cultural or physical component. We may then conclude that any sense of sharing the gospel that requires more than intellectual exchange is not in the purview of Christian witness. 

Because of this incorrect conclusion, we often ignore aspects of sharing the gospel through our lifestyle choices, emotional and embodied expressions, and acts of service. We miss out on the gospel impacting the culture around us, unable to see the transformation we thought our message would bring. 

I am not a Christian because I simply intellectually adhere to an idea that Jesus lived a sinless life, died, and rose from the dead. Although I do believe those core ideological tenants, I am a follower of Jesus because I have experienced His forgiveness in my body and deep in my soul.

Often Western Christianity has thought the work of Christian witness is done when a rational message is preached, someone prays a prayer, and that person agrees to the message. This is often the only evidence required to be counted among those born again.

But to be a witness to Christ’s transformation in Europe requires us to share our whole being––an entire lifestyle ordered by good news. Not only are our thoughts transformed, but our habits, lifestyle structures, and activities move closer to abiding with Jesus. God desires the culture of our heart and lifestyles to be redeemed––a reflection of his perfection.

The gospel is a whole life transformation program, not a list of intellectual doctrines. It’s about cultivating the beauty of Christ on the earth and showcasing the beauty of abiding in intimate friendship with Him. Imagine what a life abiding in His beauty can look like to people who are searching for beauty amid a broken culture?

Across Europe, Greater Europe Mission workers are sharing their transformed lives with others. Our mission is about real-life transformation and the holistic work of Christ on our bodies, our souls, and then our culture. If heaven came to earth, what would heaven encompass? Would it only impact our mind, or would it impact all  spheres of culture, all modes of work, and all aspects of our humanity?