GCS Podcast

It only takes a look at the news to become overwhelmed by all the trials and suffering in the world today – but as Christians we have a hope that others do not. With that in mind, what can we do as a Christian community to reach out and share love and hope with others? Do you trust that if you share the Gospel your words will have an impact on a person’s life?

The Bible tells us that God spoke our world into existence. Of all the different ways God could have created the heavens and the earth, He chose to do so with words. God took what was nothing and spoke life into it, and from those powerful words brought forth light out of the darkness. We know that God’s words are powerful, for we also read in the New Testament that “the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword.” When we stop and contemplate the true power of God’s words, why do we doubt Him? Why do we not believe His promises? Why do we not share the words of the Gospel with others?

Let's join Tony as he tackles those questions.

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Jesus Christ continues to be the most significant figure in history, with about one-third of the world’s total population reporting to be Christian. However, annual statistics show a rapid decline in the number of people attending churches. What stops churches from growing, and what is causing this rapid decline? 

Seemingly every other week there is another story of churches closing up shop, sold to developers to be converted into condominiums or the latest trendy bar. Belief in the secular gods such as atheism and humanism continue to grow, making it critical for Christians to proclaim the Gospel. What is your reaction when you consider the consequence of false gospels and the millions of people who have never heard and understood the true Gospel? What questions should the church be asking to tackle this problem? Are there definitive reasons why churches stop growing?

Let's join Tony as he talks about the rise and spread of ‘false gospels” and examines the harmful consequences of a church that has stopped proclaiming the true Gospel.

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Matthew 28:18-20 is the most well-known biblical record of what is commonly referred to as the "Great Commission". But despite the significance of these and other Bible verses that call Christians to “go and make disciples of all nations,” a surprising proportion of churchgoing Christians in the world are generally unaware of these famous words from Jesus. For many of us, the Great Commission has instead become the Great Omission.

The mandate to evangelise and to always be prepared to give a defence for our faith is directly tied to obedience to Christ. Yet few people engage with an ever increasingly hostile culture for a variety of different reasons. An absence of evangelism training, leave many Christians struggling to know what to say, and how to say it. How can the church fulfil this "Great Commission" when most Christians struggle to define what it is? What are the contributing factors, and how do we fearlessly engage a culture that views the Christian faith as irrelevant and irrational? 

Let's join Tony as he examines the Biblical meaning and significance of the “Great Commission”.

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Our world is being violently shaken by the Coronavirus outbreak. As countries try to slow the outbreak by going on lockdown, scientists are working around the clock in the race to find a vaccine. It seems the battle has only just begun!

With new information coming out every day about how the Coronavirus spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and to what extent it may spread, leaves many people feeling anxious and overwhelmed. The feeling of fear is palpable in conversations when the topic comes up. No one seems to know yet if this virus can be contained. So, what can the church learn from this global pandemic that can make us more effective in the Great Commission? 

Let's join Tony as he explores what we can learn from the Coronavirus, and how we can respond in times of crisis.

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When did you last have a face to face conversation with someone, where you shared your Christian faith with them? Do you find it difficult to share the Gospel?

We live in a culture where text messages and social media seem to drive our relationships, and in-person conversations are often a rarity - but it is often in these face to face conversations where we have a chance to learn how to share our faith. How do we reach a generation that listens with its eyes and thinks with its feelings?

Let's join Tony as he takes a deeper look at this topic.

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How has the modern church lost its moorings? Has it intentionally severed itself from the Gospel? Can it be re-anchored, or is it doomed to suffer the same fate as the civilisations that have come and gone before us?

 In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he called the church the "Body of Christ", because it was to resemble Christ in the world by carrying out the Great Commission. When Jesus entered our world, He took on a physical body to demonstrate the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly—especially through His sacrificial death on the cross. After His bodily ascension, Christ continues His work in the world through those He has redeemed—the Church now demonstrates the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly. In this way, the Church functions as “the Body of Christ.”

But, how will the church today ever resemble Christ when it so readily refuses to lose its life for him and for the Gospel? Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” 

Let's join Tony as he explores the truth of the Gospel message, and its essential ingredients. 

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We live in a society that wants nothing to do with God, however once you do away with the existence of God, where do people turn to for answers? How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? 

God spoke the world into being by the power of His words, and He now asks His followers to proclaim the Good News to everyone, everywhere. However, in a world of growing scepticism, many Christians are afraid to share their faith, and settle for living out the works of the Gospel and expect to experience the effects. But, are works enough to communicate the Gospel?

Let's join Tony as he examines the difference between the words, the works and the effects of the Gospel. 

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On a mountain in Galilee, Jesus called on his followers to step out in faith and spread the Gospel to all nations. Jesus said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). But, what does evangelism look like in a digital, social media age?

The digital age has connected people across the world, making instant communication and global networking a reality. But, are we losing the art of face-to-face communication, and if so, are we losing the ability to share the Gospel?

When it comes to effective evangelism, over reliance on technology in Christian ministry can be a hindrance, especially when it ends up replacing face-to-face human interaction. Gospel tracts, street evangelism, street preachers with a megaphone - all of these things seem like evangelistic efforts of yesteryear. But if this seems true, where does that leave the state of evangelism today? Is faith-sharing a fading practice, or does it simply look different today? In all their innovative efforts to engage culture, have Christians left this ancient practice so integral to their faith behind? Do most Christians know what the Gospel message is, and would they know how to share it?

Let's join Tony as he shares a clear explanation of the Gospel message.

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Jesus said that his mission was to seek and save the lost – and what greater mandate could He leave His followers than to continue His legacy! What do you think it is that causes some Christians to be disinterested in this great commission? 

While there are many good things that a church can do in this world, God has assigned a specific missional priority to the church for reaching the lost. The church, of course, as the ‘koinonia’ or community of faith, is to be involved in caring for the homeless, serving the disadvantaged, and meeting needs of those in distress, but these activities are Christian duties that all believers do in the regular course of life. They are not the missional priority of the church. 

Let's join Tony as he looks at the “mission of the church” and how the people of God can embrace a missionary identity.

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In a world full of distractions and information overload, trying to take in and respond to too much information can cause forgetfulness, fatigue, and difficulty with focus. If you were a soldier on the battlefield, would you walk outside your secured building alone, without any armour or backup? Would you skip your training and fitness sessions and ignore your leader’s commands and warnings? Of course not, but that’s exactly what many Christians do when it comes to their spiritual lives. They try to handle things without the help of God, and eventually, they lose the desire to spend time in God’s Word and grow deaf to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Becoming complacent, they forget they are even at war, and wake up one day to find that the enemy has infiltrated their hearts and minds. This is exactly what the enemy wants us to do, but we need not fall victim to his deceptive tactics. 

When we proclaim the Gospel, we are joining with creation in declaring God’s greatness (Psalm 19:1–4). This is our joy and our privilege as the redeemed! In Matthew 5:11 Jesus extols believers to ‘rejoice and be glad’, even in the wake of persecution because we have the assurance of a great reward in heaven. Furthermore, Jesus speaks of His intention for believers in John 10:10, ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ Surely then this ‘fullness of life’, to be experienced right here and now, is inextricably entwined with doing God’s will, with us living as fully as we possibly can within His plan for us. 

So what happens when we fail to fully engage in that plan? What happens when we largely ignore His Great Commission? For us personally it might mean missing out on some of that ‘full life’ that He promised - but there are far greater, wider reaching consequences.

Let's join Tony as he looks at Biblical strategies to strengthen your faith, protect you from the enemy’s attacks, and remind you of the victory we have in Christ.

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