Today's Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic?

For those who find themselves dissatisfied with the weak, "seeker-sensitive", man-centered gospel that convicts no one and evicts no change, Pastor Chantry's book is a drink of refreshing water. Chantry takes a long look at how Christ and Paul spoke of man, sin, and salvation, and applies it to how we should witness today. The modern church is sick and often unwilling to confront sin on anything but a superficial level, but there is a biblical model to follow, as Chantry outlines here.This is a short book, an easy read, but it just might be earth-shattering in its impact on your walk, ministry, and witness.(I would also recommend Murray's "The Invitation System" for a look at where modern evangelical practices are badly hurting the church.)

Despite numerical reports of the church's success that paint a bright picture of health and growth, there is a stark realization that the church has little power in evangelism today. Too many of God's people are consumed with the modern thinking that being relevant, having intellectual and social respectability, and unity are the keys for evangelism today.Walter Chantry says the problem with unity is that churches water down the Gospel by compromising the truth and trying to find "the lowest common denominator" in which all churches can agree upon. The Gospel has been so diluted and the truth spread so thinly that the world can scarcely see it. Peace and compromise are preferred over conflict and truth by churches not wishing to offend other denominations, their own missionaries, and even their own Sunday schools and other programs. Why? They believe unity is the key to success, and that the world will marvel and be won over by the combined power of their evangelistic efforts.Chantry speaks against the church that has forgotten its Protestant roots from Luther: "The evangelical wing of the Protestant church is saturated with doctrine and practices which have no biblical foundation. Many teachings and habits touching the gospel are...the products of human invention and tradition." The Gospel message preached today not only cannot be traced back to the Reformers and their creeds--it cannot even be traced back to the Bible itself. Modern evangelism has twisted the Gospel like the cults and Satan himself who use verses and half-truths from the Bible to deceive its listeners.Many sincere men are "preaching a dethroned Christ" instead of the true Gospel. They get "decisions" for Christ that mean little to nothing because the overwhelming majority of those making the decisions fall away from the faith, giving evidence that they were never saved in the first place. Slick marketing and manipulative questioning methods are modern evangelistic methods that have no Biblical basis. Many of those making those preaching a synthetic Gospel as well as those making "decisions" will realize that they have been fooled when they hear the scariest words in the Bible from Jesus in Matthew 7:23: "I never knew you; Depart from me."We have inherited ways of preaching salvation that we assume to be correct but fail to be seen throughout historical Christianity and in the Bible. They are modern inventions and traditions based on secular thinking that tries to improve the message of the Gospel to make it easier for people to make a "decision." Chantry challenges readers to look closely at the methods and message that Jesus preached and says, "Though the answers may be painful, you must ask yourself if your church, your evangelists, your Sunday School teachers, and you, yourself, are preaching our Lord's Gospel."What I shared was the introduction to the book. Chantry, with the main part of his writing, uses the example of how Jesus preached to the rich young ruler, and he compares and contrast with today's "quick fix" evangelism, which would look at the well-to-do, sincere, clean-cut young man and have him repeat a prayer and pronounce him saved in less than five minutes. Jesus didn't do that--He started by preaching the character of God, then preaching the law of God, and included the essential elements of repentance, faith, true Biblical assurance, and dependence upon God. It is short but powerful book and I can give it my highest recommendation and hope you would read it too.

A different look at Evangelism. And taken form the Gospel. Not from Paul. I like the viewpoint a lot as many of those who are professing their faith are largely off base in this area as well as others so far I can see., and need to make a shift towards the full truth of the Gospel.

Don't stop by reading this cover, just buy and read it.I found my copy elsewhere and bought 2 more for my favorite pastor's. It is all about the truth of rightful evangelizing which is loose these dates.

This book makes it very clear what is missing in the soft, wishy washy gospel presentations of today and provides an answer as to why "Christianity" is becoming irrelevant. It is not Christianity at all.

WHY don't pastors get it? This book, in it's tiny, afternoon-reading size, hits the nail on the head. Every Christian in churches with Purpose Driven or program-embracing pastors needs to read this little volume.

This is a read and re-read several times a year. Explains why our evangelistic efforts are failing and what to do about it.

Very relevant.Highly recommended.The book goes through the rich young ruler.It shows how today's evangelism is different than Jesus's.

I am not new to the message of this book but this is very well put together. I read it thoroughly in a day, underlining parts and looking up most of the scriptures.It gives an excellent overview of the sad state of much of modern day evangelism, leaving one quite exasperated at the thought of so many deluded / deceived / 'feel good Christians' who do not question their easy path to salvation, keen to claim Christ's promises to the saved but all too ignorant of the true Biblical nature of saving faith. The exposition of Christ's conversation with the 'rich young ruler' hits the nail on the head. I fail to see how any one who, genuinely longs to belong to Christ, above all else and to take their last breath on the narrow path, cannot be moved to seriously examine themselves in the light of God's Word and to cry out to Him for a regenerated heart of flesh that is capable of true repentance. We strive to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.We study the works of Arthur Pink and the Puritans, alongside The Word.Let us take seriously the words of our Saviour when He said: 'The gate is strait and the road narrow and few find it' (Matt 7 v 13), we were always puzzled by this scripture, as new Believers (ourselves the product of 'salesman evangelism') but now the meaning of this severe warning is becoming clearer by the day.

An absolutely amazing book in my humble opinion.I believe though in this day and age when a false gospel is rampant in the land it probably does not go down to well amongst other evangelicals.If you want the truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ against the sugar cotted lies that are preached from many a pulpit in this land; then this is the book for you.If you are troubled in your soul by a feeling of emptiness in what you hear in your church then I'd highly recomend reading this mans inspired book.It brings us back to Christ's true message concerning God first with sinning mankind humbled as the dust we are.The Gospel is a Gospel of sinners repenting & truly following the commands of our risen Saviour.To God be the glory!

EXCELLENT BOOK - SHOULD BE READ BY ANY PRESENT DAY PREACHERS OF THE GOSPEL.

Excellent book - highly recommended.