Gospel-Centered Buzzwords

My biggest personal take away from writing this book entitled The Gospel-Centered Woman is the power and depth of the meaning behind the word gospel. The gospel is a BIG word. And it is certainly good to emphasize our need to center our lives in it. But gospel-centered is a current evangelical buzzword, and it was daunting to try to do justice to that phrase that so many throw about.

I did a quick search on Amazon today, and Scotty Smith, Matt Chandler, Tim Keller, and Graeme Goldsworthy all have books out with gospel-centered in the title. I love that this phrase is receiving focus. Yet, like any buzzword, it can quickly become a meaningless phrase—or maybe it is better to say that it is easy for people who don’t understand its meaning to use that phrase to give credence to their words. It’s easy for me to choose to put the buzzword gospel-centered in the title of my book to jump on the gospel-centered bandwagon in reformed evangelicalism. But I learned long ago that merely using the words gospel, grace, and Jesus in proper context did not mean I understood the gospel, grace, or Jesus. So it’s been a constant focus for me while writing this book to steward well the concept behind the phrase gospel-centered.

The word gospel is both simple and complex. It simply means good news. And the good news is that Jesus is King. It’s that simple. But, oh, is it deep. What profound implication there is behind the words Jesus. Is. King. The good news encompasses His life, His death, His resurrection, His ascension, and now His reign from heaven as we wait for the fullness of His reign on earth. In The Gospel-Centered Woman, I was able to explore some of the value of King Jesus’ life and death for us, but I only got to the tip of the iceberg. My pastor suggested I write a series. But that is daunting to consider when it took so much to just get a measly 154 pages put together.

There sure is a lot more to explore in that little word gospel, and after writing this much on it, I’m inspired for the journey ahead – a lifetime of growing in understanding of how the good news that Jesus is King affects everything. There’s more to explore of Jesus’ life and death, tons to glean from His resurrection and ascension. And so much to consider as we wait for His return. In particular, I’m currently meditating on the gift of the Holy Spirit as the deposit/guarantee of God’s promises in the New Covenant. The good news that God lives in us has far reaching implications that I once naively thought I understood but that now seem vast and deep (and beautiful), worth engaging for the long haul to fully understand all that God in us brings to the table.

I hope no one reading this little book will think that I’ve exhausted the implications of the gospel on Biblical womanhood. But I certainly do hope I whet your appetite to engage on the topic for the long haul. This study has certainly whet mine.