GOSPEL-CENTERED NEIGHBORING | GOSPEL INTENTIONALITY
WORD
BIG IDEA
READ
Romans 10:13-17
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Paul deeply desired his Jewish kinsmen to know Jesus, and he prayed for their salvation fervently (Rom 10:1). Yet, despite his deep desire and fervent prayer for their salvation, Paul knew that none of them would come to Christ apart from gospel intentionality. For them to call upon Jesus, they must first believe in him. For them to believe in him, they must hear about him. For them to hear about him, somebody must preach to them. For somebody to preach to them, that person must go to them. In other words, the mission of making disciples requires gospel intentionality.
GOSPEL INTENTIONALITY
We often struggle to live evangelistic lives because we are busy, and evangelism feels like something we must add to our already busy lives. Between work, family, church, recreation, rest, and taking care of the responsibilities of life, few of us feel we have the margin to add some sort of evangelistic endeavor onto all of that. So we walk around with a low-grade sense of guilt and failure, knowing we are called to make disciples, but not really knowing how to integrate that into our lives.
This is where the concept of gospel-intentionality is helpful. Gospel intentionality is a concept that simply asks: what am I already doing, where has God already placed me, and how can I simply be more intentional about building relationships and sharing the gospel in those areas? As you think about this concept, consider the following categories: Location (where do I live? Who are my neighbors?); Vocation (what is my job? What are my skills? Who are my coworkers?) Recreation (what do I enjoy? What are my hobbies?); Restoration (where are the needs around me?); Rhythms (what do I do regularly? E.g. I eat 21 meals a week)
BIG IDEA
- The mission of making disciples requires gospel intentionality.
- Many people struggle to evangelize because evangelism feels like an add-on to an already busy life.
- Gospel intentionality is a concept that simply asks: what am I already doing, and how can I be more intentional about building relationships and sharing the gospel in that area?
READ
Romans 10:13-17
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Paul deeply desired his Jewish kinsmen to know Jesus, and he prayed for their salvation fervently (Rom 10:1). Yet, despite his deep desire and fervent prayer for their salvation, Paul knew that none of them would come to Christ apart from gospel intentionality. For them to call upon Jesus, they must first believe in him. For them to believe in him, they must hear about him. For them to hear about him, somebody must preach to them. For somebody to preach to them, that person must go to them. In other words, the mission of making disciples requires gospel intentionality.
- Who is the most evangelistically intentional person you know? What do they do that stands out to you?
- On a scale of 1-10, how intentional are you about building relationships and sharing the gospel with others?
- What are the biggest barriers for you in this area?
GOSPEL INTENTIONALITY
We often struggle to live evangelistic lives because we are busy, and evangelism feels like something we must add to our already busy lives. Between work, family, church, recreation, rest, and taking care of the responsibilities of life, few of us feel we have the margin to add some sort of evangelistic endeavor onto all of that. So we walk around with a low-grade sense of guilt and failure, knowing we are called to make disciples, but not really knowing how to integrate that into our lives.
This is where the concept of gospel-intentionality is helpful. Gospel intentionality is a concept that simply asks: what am I already doing, where has God already placed me, and how can I simply be more intentional about building relationships and sharing the gospel in those areas? As you think about this concept, consider the following categories: Location (where do I live? Who are my neighbors?); Vocation (what is my job? What are my skills? Who are my coworkers?) Recreation (what do I enjoy? What are my hobbies?); Restoration (where are the needs around me?); Rhythms (what do I do regularly? E.g. I eat 21 meals a week)
- As a group read through the Gospel Intentionality Assessment together. What are 2-3 areas of your life that you could live with more intentionality? Share specifically what that could look like.
- How could you involve your group, or members of your group, in these things?
- Who are two or three people God has placed in your life already, and how can you be more intentional in those relationships?
- End your session in prayer.
GOSPEL INTENTIONALITY ASSESSMENT
Between now and next week, use this tool to prayerfully ask God to reveal one or two areas of your life where you can begin to live with more gospel intentionality. Don’t get overwhelmed by trying to change every part of your life at once. Instead, find one or two areas, make a simple plan, and begin to pray and act with purpose. I suggest getting a 3x5 card to write the specific names of people you want to begin praying for, as well as to write down how you want to begin living more intentionally. In your planning, remember to balance “kingdom demonstration” and “gospel proclamation.” Next week, begin your session by sharing what God has revealed to you.
Between now and next week, use this tool to prayerfully ask God to reveal one or two areas of your life where you can begin to live with more gospel intentionality. Don’t get overwhelmed by trying to change every part of your life at once. Instead, find one or two areas, make a simple plan, and begin to pray and act with purpose. I suggest getting a 3x5 card to write the specific names of people you want to begin praying for, as well as to write down how you want to begin living more intentionally. In your planning, remember to balance “kingdom demonstration” and “gospel proclamation.” Next week, begin your session by sharing what God has revealed to you.