In fact, I was still trying to process what I’d learned upon reading The King Jesus Gospelthat day- that somehow I’d managed to be a Christian for twenty-five years without understanding what the writers of the New Testament meant when they referred to the gospel.

The skill and immediacy with which the poor guy changed the subject revealed to me that he’d probably sat next to a well-meaning evangelist in the past, the kind to whom “gospel” means salvation from hell and “evangelizing” means convincing your seatmate to make a decision for Christ before the plane lands.Īs McKnight notes in the book, “Most of evangelism today is obsessed with getting someone to make a decision the apostles, however, were obsessed with making disciples.” It’s a book about the gospel,” I said, “about how modern Christians have misunderstood it to be all about personal salvation, when it’s more about the story of Jesus.” I was thankful for the quiet time because I got to spend the four-hour flight completely engrossed in a book that revolutionized my perspective on my Christian faith- The King Jesus Gospel by Scot McKnight.Īs we were taxiing around John Wayne Airport, the guy (who at the beginning of the flight told me he spent the summer working for Coca-Cola setting up air-conditioned tents at concerts and amusement parks), asked me what I was reading. The guy next to me on my flight from Chicago to Santa Ana last week was the perfect seatmate-chatty during takeoff and landing, asleep for the rest of the flight.

I just don’t think it is what Paul means.”

“I am perfectly comfortable with what people normally mean when they say ‘the gospel.’

Summary of jesus and john wayne