The Christian Gospel

The teaching of Jesus and his followers has been undeniably influential in our world. It has deeply shaped our Western society, and has almost certainly shaped you, even if you’re not particularly conscious of it.

Which is all a bit strange, because that teaching is largely focused on the meaning of Jesus’ death on a Roman cross, and the surprising claim that he had risen from the dead. How does this centuries-old message have anything to do with our lives today?

The answer is found in exploring other questions: Why was the title ‘Christ’ added to the name of this man Jesus? Everyone dies, so why was his death so significant? Is it believable that he rose from the dead, and why does it matter?

More to the point, is any of this strange message even true? And if it is, does it really bring the peace, joy and hope that Jesus promised and to which his followers testify?

These are the questions Tony Payne answers for you—directly and compellingly—in this short and highly readable book.

Tony Payne is known around the world as a Christian writer and teacher. He is the author (or co-author) of many popular books and resources, including Two Ways to Live, Learn the Gospel, The Trellis and the Vine and Prayer and the Voice of God.

"Two Ways to Live has been used by God, I dare say, to bring thousands of people to faith in Christ. Praise God! Tony Payne has written a characteristically clear and engaging explanation of the gospel using the framework of 2WTL in a brief booklet format. He explains that he has written it to help people understand themselves (in the sense of where so many of our late modern Western cultural values derive from) and understand Jesus well enough to decide to base their life on him. Or at least, take another step in considering doing so. I agree with Tony that many, many people are still open to considering the Christian gospel, and that many have never really heard it. Here’s an easy giveaway that will address that gap by providing the reader with a contemporary, conversational and reliable exposition of the heart of the gospel, the death and resurrection of Jesus, and why it matters."

—Kanishka Raffel, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney

"I am convinced that every Church would be helped to stay on mission if even one good evangelistic book was published each year. I think this, for no other reason than it would provide all of us something fresh to give away to our friends and neighbors who don't yet know Jesus. I am grateful that for this year anyway, Tony Payne has given us just such a book!"

—David Helm, Pastor, Christ Church Chicago; Chairman, The Charles Simeon Trust

"A few years ago I had the opportunity to speak about the Christian faith in front of a group of high schoolers. It struck me as I did so that these young people had not rejected the gospel—they had never even heard it! They knew nothing of Jesus, nothing of the Bible, nothing of the good news he proclaimed. Such is the reality in an increasingly secular society. And it is right here that The Christian Gospel can be so helpful, since it takes nothing for granted. In that way it’s an evangelistic resource for this day and these people."

—Tim Challies, Author and blogger