Years ago I heard a pastor encourage believers to summarize the gospel in a minute. I thought it was a great idea and have been encouraging believers to do it ever since. I think this is a good exercise for a few reasons:
It keeps us focused on the core components of the gospel instead of getting sidetracked by other issues (1 Cor. 15:1-4).
It helps us as believers to review and rejoice in our great salvation, rather than to neglect it (Heb. 2:3).
It strengthens our witness to others by sharing the Good News with them even when we’re pressed for time (Col. 4:5).
Today I came across a great example of a one-minute gospel presentation in Abigail Dodds’ book, (A)Typical Woman: Free, Whole, and Called in Christ. I even timed her explanation of the gospel by reading it aloud (admittedly at a good pace), and I finished right at the one-minute mark.
Here is Abigail’s summary of the gospel:
It is that God, who created everything and everyone (Gen. 1), sent his Son (1 John 4:14), who is also God (John 8:58), to earth to be born as a man named Jesus (Matt. 1:21). He did this out of his great love for us (Eph. 2:4), because our sin made us his enemies; his Son Jesus came to make peace for us (Rom. 5:1, 10). The way Jesus made this peace was by living a holy, perfect, and sinless life (2 Cor. 5:21), then being crucified by wicked people like us and dying a terrible death on a cross (Luke 23). When he died, he took the punishment for all the sins of those who put their trust in him — past, present and future (Rom. 3:21-26). He was buried in a tomb, and three days later, God raised him from the dead, and he appeared to many in his resurrected body (Acts 2:32; 1 Cor. 15:6). Then God took him up to heaven, where Christ is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (Luke 24:51; Col. 3:1).
All who repent of their sin, die to themselves, and believe in him are given eternal life and the righteousness of Christ (Luke 24:47; Rom. 6:5-14). They are also given God’s Holy Spirit, who was sent as a helper for us, to guide us in the truth (John 14:16-17). And even in this life, our lives are now lived in the death-conquering Christ, as though eternity has already begun (Col. 3:3-4). We are transformed, brand new, and born-again (2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:3).
This is the gospel.
I love how Abigail included Scripture references with her presentation. That way, if we have time, we can point people to the Scriptures to show that the gospel originates from God, not from us.
Can you summarize the gospel in a minute? Why not practice doing so, and then share it with someone?