Gospel Shaped Outreach Handbook

Church is for Christians to assemble, worship, get fed and equipped to “go and make disciples.” For too many years our churches have taken the easy road by inviting the lost to church and calling it “evangelism.” This well intentioned trend of inviting the tares into the church in hopes they will become wheat has to stop.Is this easy? No.Is it Biblical? Yes.Is it doable? Absolutely. And “Gospel Shaped Church” will help.Erik Raymond does a masterful job of motivating the church to become Gospel-centered evangelists by utilizing the very thing he promotes: the Gospel. “The Gospel Shaped Church” is not a movement, it is Biblical. If you have been looking for a tool to equip your flock to become soul-winners, look no further.Oh, and one more thing: Erik’s beard is very manly and worth the price of the product. | I am privileged to know Erik Raymond not just as a writer and thinker, but as a friend and ministry partner. He loves the Lord Jesus; he’s passionate about the gospel; and he practices what he preaches. I’ve seen him plant and grow a gospel-shaped church using the principles he lays out here. So I’m excited to learn from him about evangelism. | As the church in the Western world faces a crossroads with regard to making and building disciples in the context of a culture growing increasingly disinterested – and even hostile – to the truth of Christianity, Erik Raymond has given us a timely and much needed resource to help equip church members to a faithful and zealous propagation of the Gospel. Written in a 9 week devotional/study guide format, Gospel-Shaped Outreach is perfect for one-on-one discipleship or for a small group. There is a dire need for this resource. It will be a great aid in assisting church members to focus on the fact that God has called them to be co-laborers in the work and mission of gathering people to Jesus. | Thinking theologically about evangelism is one thing. Passionately practicing evangelism is another. Thankfully, Erik Raymond's life is a testimony to both. Gospel Shaped Outreach is likewise both sound and tested, making it an important training tool for the church's great commission ministry. The straightforward structure and flexibility will equip entire congregations and foster the unity that only authentic gospel ministry can bring (Philippians 1:27). | I think the material is great. Simple to use and extremely practical. I think it's going to be a great tool for the church. Definitely worth a cheeky whirl! | Implementing an evangelism program in your local church is not difficult. The difficulty is always sustaining it. Our failures to create an evangelistic church arise from focusing our attention on the mechanics rather the heart of the evangelists. Erik Raymond understands this. Gospel Shaped Outreach goes after the heart and mind of Christians. Erik clearly understands that the local church is God’s program for the evangelization of the world and that the most effective methodology is the impassioned Christian. | Cultivating an evangelistic, missionary, gospel-focused community does not happen by accident. It requires intentionality. Gospel Shaped Outreach is an excellent tool that can help a church accomplish this God glorifying goal. I am delighted to commend its widest possible use. Work through it and then go and do what it teaches. | Cultivating an evangelistic, missionary, gospel-focused community does not happen by accident. It requires intentionality. Gospel Shaped Outreach is an excellent tool that can help a church accomplish this God glorifying goal. I am delighted to commend its widest possible use. Work through it and then go and do what it teaches. | Church is for Christians to assemble, worship, get fed and equipped to “go and make disciples.” For too many years our churches have taken the easy road by inviting the lost to church and calling it “evangelism.” This well intentioned trend of inviting the tares into the church in hopes they will become wheat has to stop.Is this easy? No.Is it Biblical? Yes.Is it doable? Absolutely. And “Gospel Shaped Church” will help.Erik Raymond does a masterful job of motivating the church to become Gospel-centered evangelists by utilizing the very thing he promotes: the Gospel. “The Gospel Shaped Church” is not a movement, it is Biblical. If you have been looking for a tool to equip your flock to become soul-winners, look no further. | I am privileged to know Erik Raymond not just as a writer and thinker, but as a friend and ministry partner. He loves the Lord Jesus; he’s passionate about the gospel; and he practices what he preaches. I’ve seen him plant and grow a gospel-shaped church using the principles he lays out here. So I’m excited to learn from him about evangelism. | As the church in the Western world faces a crossroads with regard to making and building disciples in the context of a culture growing increasingly disinterested – and even hostile – to the truth of Christianity, Erik Raymond has given us a timely and much needed resource to help equip church members to a faithful and zealous propagation of the Gospel. Written in a 9 week devotional/study guide format, Gospel-Shaped Outreach is perfect for one-on-one discipleship or for a small group. There is a dire need for this resource. It will be a great aid in assisting church members to focus on the fact that God has called them to be co-laborers in the work and mission of gathering people to Jesus. | Thinking theologically about evangelism is one thing. Passionately practicing evangelism is another. Thankfully, Erik Raymond's life is a testimony to both. Gospel Shaped Outreach is likewise both sound and tested, making it an important training tool for the church's great commission ministry. The straightforward structure and flexibility will equip entire congregations and foster the unity that only authentic gospel ministry can bring (Philippians 1:27). | I think the material is great. Simple to use and extremely practical. I think it's going to be a great tool for the church. Definitely worth a cheeky whirl! | Implementing an evangelism program in your local church is not difficult. The difficulty is always sustaining it. Our failures to create an evangelistic church arise from focusing our attention on the mechanics rather the heart of the evangelists. Erik Raymond understands this. Gospel Shaped Outreach goes after the heart and mind of Christians. Erik clearly understands that the local church is God’s program for the evangelization of the world and that the most effective methodology is the impassioned Christian. | Cultivating an evangelistic, missionary, gospel-focused community does not happen by accident. It requires intentionality. Gospel Shaped Outreach is an excellent tool that can help a church accomplish this God glorifying goal. I am delighted to commend its widest possible use. Work through it and then go and do what it teaches. | Church is for Christians to assemble, worship, get fed and equipped to “go and make disciples.” For too many years our churches have taken the easy road by inviting the lost to church and calling it “evangelism.” This well intentioned trend of inviting the tares into the church in hopes they will become wheat has to stop.Is this easy? No.Is it Biblical? Yes.Is it doable? Absolutely. And “Gospel Shaped Church” will help.Erik Raymond does a masterful job of motivating the church to become Gospel-centered evangelists by utilizing the very thing he promotes: the Gospel. “The Gospel Shaped Church” is not a movement, it is Biblical. If you have been looking for a tool to equip your flock to become soul-winners, look no further. | I am privileged to know Erik Raymond not just as a writer and thinker, but as a friend and ministry partner. He loves the Lord Jesus; he’s passionate about the gospel; and he practices what he preaches. I’ve seen him plant and grow a gospel-shaped church using the principles he lays out here. So I’m excited to learn from him about evangelism. | As the church in the Western world faces a crossroads with regard to making and building disciples in the context of a culture growing increasingly disinterested – and even hostile – to the truth of Christianity, Erik Raymond has given us a timely and much needed resource to help equip church members to a faithful and zealous propagation of the Gospel. Written in a 9 week devotional/study guide format, Gospel-Shaped Outreach is perfect for one-on-one discipleship or for a small group. There is a dire need for this resource. It will be a great aid in assisting church members to focus on the fact that God has called them to be co-laborers in the work and mission of gathering people to Jesus. | Thinking theologically about evangelism is one thing. Passionately practicing evangelism is another. Thankfully, Erik Raymond's life is a testimony to both. Gospel Shaped Outreach is likewise both sound and tested, making it an important training tool for the church's great commission ministry. The straightforward structure and flexibility will equip entire congregations and foster the unity that only authentic gospel ministry can bring (Philippians 1:27). | I think the material is great. Simple to use and extremely practical. I think it's going to be a great tool for the church. Definitely worth a cheeky whirl! | Implementing an evangelism program in your local church is not difficult. The difficulty is always sustaining it. Our failures to create an evangelistic church arise from focusing our attention on the mechanics rather the heart of the evangelists. Erik Raymond understands this. Gospel Shaped Outreach goes after the heart and mind of Christians. Erik clearly understands that the local church is God’s program for the evangelization of the world and that the most effective methodology is the impassioned Christian. | Erik Raymond is the senior pastor at Redeemer Fellowship Church in Metro Boston, USA. He is married to Christie and has six children. Erik frequently writes for many publications including The Gospel Coalition, Ligonier and Tabletalk. He blogs at The Ordinary Pastor.