My Review of THE UNBELIEVABLE GOSPEL by Jonathan Dodson

For followers of Jesus, evangelism can be one of the most intimidating activities we can engage in. It’s hard to know what to say or even how to communicate the gospel in a way that will appeal to our hearers. After all, we’re out to persuade people of their desperate need of Jesus. Saying a person needs Jesus doesn’t exactly communicate why someone needs Jesus.

Jonathan Dodson has released a new ebook called THE UNBELIEVABLE GOSPEL, and in it he touches on the common concerns believers have that often stop them short of sharing their faith with others. Believers often worry about how they will come across to those they’re talking to. They worry they will come across as preachy and self-righteous, impersonal, intolerant, or a know-it-all.

Dodson proposes that for many Christians evangelism is reduced to an opportunity to “name-drop” the name of Jesus and that what we often communicate is an unbelievable gospel. What I really love about this book is Dodson’s brilliant presentation of “gospel metaphors,” different facets of the gospel message as presented in the Bible, to communicate the gospel at the point of a person’s deepest need. The gospel metaphors are:
• Justification
• Redemption
• Adoption
• New Creation
• Union with Christ

Dodson a chapter on each gospel metaphor and shows how each of them addresses the specific concerns believers have about sharing their faith. Gospel metaphors are about helping people find Jesus where they most desperately need them. All the gospel metaphors are vitally important, but one gospel metaphor may speak to where someone is at more readily than the others at the time we’re trying to communicate the gospel to them. Dodson illustrates each of the gospel metaphors with stories of his own gospel conversations with people, and this really puts flesh to the ideas he’s communicating.

THE UNBELIEVABLE GOSPEL is available on the new Gospel-Centered Discipleship Bookstore. It’s a quick read, but full of practical wisdom for Christ-followers to put into practice in their gospel conversations with people.

I was provided with a copy of this eBook for free from the author for review, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own

Be sure to check out the new Gospel-Centered Discipleship Bookstore