"Do you feel worried and helpless about the state of the world and about the future? Do you feel it is mainly the fault of others, or do you think you yourself are at fault?"
Or:
"Do you feel we have reneged on our responsibility for the future, and do you feel helpless to do anything about it? Do you feel it is mainly the fault of others, or do you think you yourself are at fault?"
- probably most meaningful to young people and family people who are concerned about climate change, terrorism, etc.
The three all present the logic of the Gospel in several stages, and differ mainly in the first, opining stage. The other stages are almost the same, referring to our need and the atoning work of Christ. GG emerges partly from a 'new view in theology and practice'. This page presents some draft practical tools for evangelism under the 'new view':
There is also a more reflective page on evangelism as such, which discusses the more general issues, including:
(NOTE to those who don't like this kind of structured approach: I am NOT hereby putting GG into a box. Rather, I am speaking to those who value structured approaches, to suggest a structured approach for this. If you don't like this, then just skip it. Perhaps you'd like to skip to 'Telling and Answering'?)
| Item |
GG (draft) |
CC (approx) |
EE (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory Idea | We were given the privilege and responsibility for tending and developing God's creation. |
God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. |
Heaven is a free gift; it is not earned or deserved. |
| The Problem | But we have messed it up ... | We do not experience this ... | None of us are worthy of it. |
| Root of Problem | ... because we - all of us - have treated the creation as though it belonged to us. | ... because we have turned away from God. | We are all sinners. |
| God's Dilemma | Because of his love for all his creation, he must judge us when we harm it. | As a result, we are separated from God. |
God must punish us because of his justice. But he does not want to punish us because of his love. This gives God a dilemma. |
| God's Solution |
God entered the world in the person of Jesus Christ who died 2000 years ago to bring forgiveness to us and so the Spirit of God might live in each of us. | Jesus Christ died on the cross to bridge the gulf between us and God. |
God solved this in the most amazing way - by coming into the world in the person of Jesus Christ. Christ died to take on himself the punishment for our sins. |
| The Result |
The Spirit of God grows his 'fruit' of a different attitude for the rest of creation in us and he gives us power, comfort and wisdom to live in a new way, despite pressures from those whose vested interests might be threatened by us. | We are no longer cut off from God, and gain our purpose. | We are no longer guilty before God. |
| Our Response | We must ask Jesus Christ to be our Saviour and Master, and allow the Spirit of God to renew our mindset and grow fruit in us. | We must ask Jesus Christ to be our Saviour and Lord. | We must ask Jesus Christ to be our Saviour and Lord. |
| Suitable For | Those who, deep down, are worried about environmental and other global problems, especially related to the future. | Those who feel they have no purpose in life. | Long-standing church people who are unsure how they stand before God. |
Peter's famous statement was not so much a telling as an answering. There is a difference.
So what did Peter tell them that made them desperate to hear what to do? Peter told them the specific evil they had done: they had killed the Holy One of God.
This is what 'green gospel' does. It tells people they have done evil: they are destroying the very inheritance of God, and doing so for no good reason other than a selfish attitude.
Moreover, in century-terms, unlike the situation in Western lands until recently, what Peter told them, and then gave as answer, was 'new news'. That we are destroying God's earth by our selfish attitude and that the answer is to repent and turn to Christ, is 'new news' to most Western people today.
It is now the appropriate time to begin to proclaim 'green gospel'.
Do you fear about the future?Is it because you feel we have messed the world up? In what ways?
(Listen to their answers. Assuming they do fear and feel we have messed the world up, then we can proceed. If they do not, then we can take a different approach that is not discussed here.)
I've got some good news for you: Though humanity has messed the world up, God has a solution that is powerful enough to cope, and God wants to involve you in this solution.Would you like to hear this?
(If they would like to hear)
The situation is this:
Humankind was given the privilege and responsibility for tending and developing God's creation, loving and caring for it like its Creator would.
Humankind was a kind of representative of God to the rest of Creation.
(Fill in with some examples. Maybe see if they have any idea of examples.)
But we have messed it up ...
... because we - all of us - have treated the creation as though it belonged to us.The problem is at several levels.
First, each individual, for example living for ourselves rather than for others or God.
Next, each business, organisation or even family or clan (ask them in what ways these mess things up)
Third, governments (ask them in what ways these mess things up).
Finally, our mindset - our aspirations, expectations, assumptions, etc. (Give an example and ask them for others)Can we point the finger at others and think we are not to blame?
God has compassion on all He made.
Because of his love for all his creation, he must judge us when we harm it.
But since we too are part of His Creation, God does not want to harm us.
God solved this problem in the most amazing way.
God entered the world 2000 years ago in the person of Jesus Christ
who not only showed how to live
but died to bring forgiveness to us
and so the Spirit of God might live in each of us.
The Result
In those who respond fully to this,
The Spirit of God grows his 'fruit' of a different attitude for the rest of creation in each
which changes our mindset, and changes the ways that governments and businesses work, and individuals live.The Spirit of God gives us power and wisdom to those who fully turn to Christ, to work wonders at all these levels.
And to take effective action in the world, e.g. against vested interests that harm Creation.
(Discuss examples, e.g. Wilberforce and the slave trade. In 20 years, the whole mindset of society had changed.
Let them come up with others.)
We must respond to this; it's not automatic. God gives us the dignity of responding.
We must ask Jesus Christ to be our Saviour and Master,
and allow the Spirit of God to renew our mindset and grow fruit in every corner of our being.
(Read Luke 9:23-25)
God invites each person on the planet to join in healing Creation and overcoming evil in the world.
Any questions?
Discuss any questions they might have, but avoid fruitless wrangles.
Is this what you would like to do?
Would you like to join God in His project of healing the world and changing the direction of humanity?
(If so, invite them to pray a prayer like:
Jesus, I fear for the future.
I know it is our fault, and my own fault, like everyone else.
I believe You died 2000 years ago to make us acceptable with God, so that the Holy Spirit can live and work in us, so that we will change.
Please be my own Saviour from my tendency to mess things up.
Please be Master of my life.
Please send the Holy Spirit to live n me.
Thank you.
This page, URL= 'http://www.abxn.org/nv/gg.html', is offered to God as on-going work in developing a 'New View' in theology that is appropriate to the days that are coming upon us. Comments, queries welcome.
Copyright (c) Andrew Basden to latest date below, but you may use this material subject to certain conditions.
Written on the Amiga with Protext.
Created: 3 August 2005. Last updated: 23 November 2006 Tell + Answer. 24 July 2008 a bit more Intro in response to someone's comment, and link to Evangelism page. 5 March 2017 New intro explaining better about the different kinds of people; contents; new .end. 9 August 2020 Skeleton one-to-one presentation; bgcolor. 7 December 2022 question about personal guilt added, and 2 versions for GG.