In a way this whole discussion seems weirdly artificial. All of our life as Christ followers is the gospel. Everything we do or say is because of the presence of God in us.
I am not a preacher (vocational pastor of a congregation). I am a lawyer who teaches (and yes I do preach some) the Bible. Standing in front of a class I feel the weight of James 3:1. I also feel unworthy to teach or preach anything out of my own power. the only reason any of us (seekers, as well as Christ followers) are in that room at that time for that lesson is because of the Grace of God manifested toward us through the provision of His son as the perfect lamb that was slain on our behalf so that we could be reconciled to God.
My goal as a teacher is to wake up within each listener a hunger for God’s glory so that they will pursue Him on their own every day. Teaching the scripture is always an exercise in learning the height and depth and fullness of God’s love toward us. That is why it seems artificial to be having this discussion about evangelism in church services.
All of our life is spent working out our own salvation with fear and trembling. every lesson is an attempt to take hold of that thing/reason for which God took hold of me. the goal of every lesson is to make God look glorious and to persuade the listeners to look at Him in awe and wonder and love.
The gospel permeates and undergirds every lesson, every song. It is the reason for our hope. It is the reason for our joy. It is the reason for our love of the Bible. It is the reason we assemble together to encourage one another and provoke one another to love and good works.
God’s wonderful magnificent sovereign grace is what makes sense of the senseless and it is what gives hope to the hopeless.
What else would we have to talk about in our gatherings?
I agree with you. I posted some comments on this issue as well.. and I regretted it almost as soon as I did. I can only speak for myself, but it is so easy to react to abuses in the church by building a straw man out of those we differ with. For myself, I am probably responding against my own experience in revivalistic churches and those of the extreme seeker sensitive model. Yes, there are probably abuses out there. But can we really fault those who are zealous for the salvation of the lost? Perhaps we can address unbiblical models and philosophies, but, in the end, of course evangelism will take place in church. At least I hope it does. As you said in your post, “what else (but the gospel) would we have to talk about in our gatherings?” Amen!
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Thanks Dan.