Tailoring the Gospel
“And he said, ‘There was a man who had two sons.’” (Luke 15:11)
How are you doing on your 2024 goals? Remember those grand intentions you created a little over a month ago? Do not worry, mine need some work too.
As a parent and a Christian, one goal of mine this year is to guide my son Henry into communion with the Grace Church congregation. This will probably be the goal that I take most seriously throughout the year. We approach communion at Grace through the lens of 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement on himself.”
As young church, Grace has not yet developed a program for confirmation. But in truth, confirmation programs can be just that, programmatic… a 6-week course followed by a mechanical profession of faith to gain a certification for communion access. I am not claiming this for all confirmation programs, but as a caution of what they can become.
It is my intent to walk with Henry this year, so that he understands the Gospel and in his heart accepts it as truth. I have created an outline for this, but executing on the plan will be more organic than formulaic. I know this because next year will be Henry’s younger brother Walter’s turn. In this, they are very much “two sons”, elder and younger, obedient and prodigal, and ultimately, both lost. The sins that harden their hearts to the Spirit will be very different. Applying the same formula to them would be ineffective.
It is clear to me that confirmation classes should start with parents more than the children. The parents, or the relative spiritual mentor, will be the instrument through which the Spirit works. Therefore, let us tune the instruments for greatest effect. This applies to any believer who will one day help shepherd others to the Lord. An instrument that does not have a solid grasp of the Gospel will stumble in their guidance. How good is your elevator pitch of the Gospel? Better yet, how good is your ability to deliver the Gospel to someone who is seeking?
Back in my sales days, my first time pitching a new product was typically a disaster. It was formulaic and read from a presentation. However, my ninth or tenth pitch was different. Instead of a formula, I watched my customer to determine the organic path of the pitch. No two customers were alike, and therefore no two pitches were alike. Through the customer’s questions, responses, and body language, I could quickly adjust the pitch to focus on their needs. Without a strong grasp of the product and how it could deliver value to the customer, I would not be able to deliver a tailored pitch.
As instruments of the word, we should prepare ourselves so that our delivery of the Gospel focuses on the seeker. We should be both knowledgeable and practiced. We owe it our children, our friends, and our Lord to be effective instruments.
Your Brother in Christ,
Thomas Goodrich