Committed To Gospel-Centered Solutions

Let me make an incredibly bold statement to begin this post: 

NOTHING HAS CHANGED THE WORLD FOR GOOD QUITE LIKE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!  

Every place the gospel goes individuals change, families are transformed and even society itself begins to be restructured to care for the poor, the innocent, the children, women, and all those who are marginalized and at risk.

Yes. I believe it. Societal change is a by-product of the transformative message of Jesus Christ!

This conviction is clearly both the belief and strategy of those who led the early church, in the days after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Consider the radical methodology that Paul articulates in his first letter to the Corinthian church.

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with superior eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony of God. For I decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:1-12

I realize that Paul is using a bit of hyperbole here when he says nothing but Jesus and the message of his crucifixion and resurrection. Yes, Paul did other things. He was a tent-maker. He taught about practical matters like marriage and parenting. He raised up and installed leaders in the churches that he planted. 

Yet the clear priority and the central conviction of his ministry was this: Preach the gospel in such a way as to help people encounter the life changing reality of the risen Jesus. If we do that well, that one thing changes everything. The gospel changes hearts, families, communities and nations. 

It was not the gospel of Jesus plus capitalism. Nor was it the gospel plus feminism. It wasn’t Jesus crucified and nationalism (or communism, or globalism). Paul did not preach Jesus plus the theology of marxism,  where you separate everyone into groups of oppressor and oppressed and try to tear down one to build up the other.

It was simply the message of Christ and him crucified. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Nowhere in the New Testament will you find anything modeled or taught by the early church leaders other than GOSPEL-CENTERED ministries and solutions. The leaders that launched the revolution we now know as Christianity practiced this approach to every problem in life. In the history of the church, over the last two thousands years, the more the church stayed true to this conviction, the more good was done in the world. The opposite is also true. The more the church strayed from the singular conviction of gospel centered ministry, the more they strayed into bad practices and toxic traits. 

When I preach the message of Christ crucified and resurrected from the dead, I partner with God in bringing about:

#1 – The Salvation and Transformation of the Soul

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

The gospel doesn’t just modify behavior, it transforms the heart. Salvation is not merely about securing a future in heaven; it’s about being spiritually reborn. When we preach Christ crucified, we invite people into a supernatural encounter where guilt is replaced by grace; shame is removed by acceptance; and sin is defeated by the power of the cross. This soul-deep change impacts every aspect of life, producing lasting fruit that no human system or ideology can replicate.

#2 – The Coming of the Kingdom of God Here on Earth

 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 1 Corinthians 4:20

The gospel ushers in the Kingdom of God, not just someday, but today. Wherever Jesus reigns in the hearts of people, there the Kingdom advances. It’s a kingdom of justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Gospel-centered ministry brings Kingdom values to our homes, workplaces, cities, and cultures, turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6). We don’t advance this kingdom by force or politics, but by the Spirit through love, truth, and sacrificial service.

#3 – The Reconciliation Between Every Ethnicity, Generation, and People Group

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  Galatians 3:28

 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. Ephesians 2:14

The cross of Christ breaks down walls. In a world fractured by race, class, age, and culture, the gospel is the only message powerful enough to bring true reconciliation. Jesus doesn’t erase differences—He redeems them. In Him, diversity becomes a display of God’s beauty, not a cause for division. The church becomes a multi-colored, multi-generational family, united not by earthly labels but by heavenly identity.

#4 – The Reality of the Equality That Comes from the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy… Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit.  Acts 2:17-18

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

The gospel levels the playing field. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in every believer, regardless of gender, age, background, or status. This indwelling presence brings dignity, power, and purpose to every child of God. In gospel-centered communities, there are no elite class of Christians—just Spirit-filled saints living out their calling. This kind of equality can’t be legislated; it’s born from the Spirit within.

#5 – The Influence in the World That Comes When I Imitate Christ’s Life of Love and Service

Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant… just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:26-28

Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. Ephesians 5:1-2

Jesus didn't change the world through force; He did it through foot-washing, cross-bearing love. The more I become like Christ, the more influential I become, not by the world’s standards, but by Kingdom impact. Gospel-centered living models humility, compassion, and courageous truth. It shifts culture, softens hearts, and shows a better way. We don’t point fingers; we carry towels. When we serve like Jesus, we shine like Jesus.