How to teach God’s good news

in EasyEnglish

A guide for church leaders

 

Last part: Why do so many evil things happen in our world?

How much should a church leader say about sin?

In our previous chapter, we discussed sin (evil deeds), although we did not use that word. We also did not mention hell, although the Bible teaches clearly about it. And we did not describe what happened to Adam and Eve. Clearly, there are a lot of important subjects that we could explain.

Church leaders need to know how much they should explain about sin. It would be wrong not to mention it. People need to know the truth about the state of their lives in front of God. If people do not understand about sin, then Christ’s death would seem without purpose. And then people would have no reason to invite God into their lives.

Something very strange happens when a church leader speaks about sin. People listen to his words but, usually, there seems to be no reaction. People act as if they do not care about these things. That is extraordinary. It is not the usual way for people to behave when they hear terrible news about themselves.

When a judge sends someone to prison, that person feels the strongest emotions: fear, shame, anger. Only a person who has gone to prison many times does not care about the judge’s decision. But when a church leader speaks about God and his judgement, people seem not to care. That, too, is evidence of how terrible our state is in front of God. The Bible calls that attitude ‘a hard heart’. It is the attitude of people who do not care. God wants to change that attitude completely. His desire is to give people a right relationship with himself (Ezekiel 36:26).

Actually, it is better if we do not usually see strong reactions and powerful emotions in our churches. Emotions can quickly become much too strong for anyone to control. And then it may be impossible for the person to hear about Christ. That person may start to imagine that even God cannot save them.

For that reason, a church leader should appeal to a person’s mind and intelligence, not to the emotions. A church leader should consider himself a teacher, not an entertainer (see 1 Timothy 4:11). An entertainer appeals to the emotions, but a teacher educates the mind. People who have learned the truth about God can then start to trust him.

Our work begins with the mind, but it cannot end there. It is God’s desire to change people completely (John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17). It is especially in a person’s spirit that the person needs a right relationship with God. The mind will die when the body dies. It is the spirit that can live always with God (Hebrews 12:23).

That is why our own words and thoughts are not enough. We can, perhaps, educate people’s minds, but we are completely unable to change their spirits. Only God can do that. For that reason, regular prayer is essential for the church leader who carries out this kind of work. He must pray for himself as well as for the people whom he hopes to help. And for the same reason, the leader must use God’s word, that is, the Bible. Our words can only have an effect on a person’s mind, but God’s word is much more powerful (Hebrews 4:12).

There is also another reason why we must use the Bible to teach about these things. There are many different beliefs in this world, and most of them are neither good nor helpful. We must show people that we are not merely teaching our own opinions, but God’s opinions. They have an important decision to make. So we must show them what God has said about these matters. However, if we explain too many Bible verses, people may find them too hard to understand. It is better to choose just one Bible verse, and to explain it well.

We are now ready to answer our original question. How much should a church leader explain about sin? Of course, the answer is not the same for every group of people. Some people learn more quickly than other people do. So the leader should continue to explain until the people understand clearly these important facts:

(1) The people must understand that they have not obeyed God’s law. God considers each of them guilty. And one day in the future, he will be their judge.

(2) The people must understand that their lives need to change completely. They have been God’s enemies, and they must now become his friends.

(3) The people must know that they cannot save themselves. They cannot pay for their sins by means of good actions. Only God can change their lives. And he does it by means of Jesus’ death, when people invite him into their lives.

When people understand those things, the church leader has explained enough about sin. So then the leader can explain what God did to save people from their sin: the death of Jesus.

Next part: How a church leader can explain about Christ’s death

Index: How to teach God's good news in EasyEnglish

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This article comes from the book: ‘How to teach God’s good news in EasyEnglish’ by Keith Simons, available as a free download below:

 

© 2013, Keith Simons.