What is the Gospel? (And what it is NOT.)

I am pleased with this book. Simple to understand, great illustrations and a very clear, biblical presentation of the four essential points of the Gospel. I'll give you one hint: "God loves and has a wonderful plan for your life." is NOT one of the four and it NEVER was. I was deceived for almost 10 years with that one.
Gilbert breaks the Gospel down into the four key points of a proper, biblical Gospel presentation. These four points are: accountability, rebellion, solution and application. The points are clearly supported with scripture, which I really appreciate.
I was reminded once again as I read this book that God has two very distinct ways that He has dealt with man's rebellion against Him. Both involve death. Someone must die and be punished for each individual sinner is held accountable before God. Either Jesus Christ will die as a substitution for a sinner on the cross and then this applied when the person repents and trusts Christ or the sinner will die and face condemnation alone at the final judgment.
For a short book the Gospel was clear, the outline is helpful to remember and the scriptures are given as proper support. Faith and repentance are mentioned which is certainly not the norm in books about the Gospel. However, there is one area that I feel was left out. Actually a friend of mine who gave me the book to read helped me see this. I went back and scanned the book again to verify his complaint. How salvation is applied and the origin of faith and repentance are not clearly explained. God is the giver of salvation. But, what is most often overlooked in modern Gospel and witnessing presentations is that faith and repentance are also gifts from God and not within the sinner until God rebirths them upon regeneration. This order of salvation is critical and is the difference between a God exalting salvation where man is the total recipient of grace verses a semi man centered Gospel where God does a little bit by providing Jesus and man kicks in his personal faith to complete the transaction. The scriptures do not support the later.
I like the book but do have that one reservation.

Is your God big enough?

How big is your God when times are tough, the mission impossible and the knees are weak? Big God is a new book by Britt Merrick on one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, Hebrews 11. "We need a bigger picture of the supremacy of Christ, the glory of Christ and the mission of Christ, and our lives should be subsumed by and submitted to Him." pg. 219 When your heart is overwhelmed with the worst possible news about life and death you better know some Bible, you better know Jesus. The central message of this book and why its worth reading in Britt's own words: "What do you do as a Christian when the doctor tells you that your five-year-old has cancer? How do you deal with that? If you're a Christian, your mind goes to Jesus." pg. 18. This book helps you along that path by exploring nine key elements of faith from Hebrews chapter eleven.
Another book about God and faith seemed a bit of a stretch for me with all the thousands of titles written on the subject in the last decade alone, not to mention antiquity. Britt disarms those thoughts as soon as you read the introduction and sense that this man has been battle tested with Jesus, through the Scriptures, anchoring this man's soul in very rough seas. The easy to read and understand exposition of the great faith chapter, Hebrews 11 was very well done and laid out. I wish for scholarship sake that he would have been defined the origin of faith itself as coming from God Himself as a gift and actual result of regeneration. (Rom. 10:17, Eph. 2:8-10, Titus 3:3-8)
Regardless, I was moved closer to Christ and encouraged to press on with the Gospel message and that is the benchmark for a book worth reading and recommending. You will be impressed, as was I, by his very high view of the Scriptures, Christ and the glory of God. The Solas of the reformation ring true and bright with this one. Britt, thank you for your work on this. You can warm yourself by my theological fire anytime.
http://biggodthebook.com/
Note: I received a free copy of this book from Gospel Light / Regal Books with no expectations or endorsements required. I write these words under my own motivation and desires.

Behold: The Magic Bullet Curriculum

"...the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were." Romans 4:17b
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Romans 1:16
"One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message." Acts 16:14

I think we as Christian educators have this crazy idea in the back of our minds that a certain curriculum, just the right set of lessons, will perform miracles. We always hope and pray that our lessons to children will change their lives: fall deeper in love with Jesus, know more about the bible, solidify a biblical worldview, etc.

The bible, however, is clear about how and who does the true changing and educating of all of us. God. God is the supreme actor and we are the receivers. Don't be lured in to thinking that there is a wonder curriculum out there that will change a kid's life. Instead, remember that God uses His word through the power of Holy Spirit to change His children. Look at curriculum as a means, a tool even, in the hands of our powerful God.