How exactly does the death and resurrection of Jesus bring us salvation? Today, I’m not joined by Dave “Double Portion of the Spirit” VanVickle unfortunately, so this episode is a little shorter. In this episode, I dive into the art of sharing the Gospel and offer you the tools and resources you need, so you can effectively share the powerful reality that Jesus saves!
Snippet from the Show
“Connection is more important than perfection.”
Shownotes
Following Christ means that Christ is no longer a branch off of my life, but rather that I am a branch off of Christ’s life.
Shownotes
5 Ways to Nail Sharing the Gospel
1. Understand atonement theology– We need to understand how the death and resurrection of Christ brings us salvation. Spend time reading about atonement in the Catechism (CCC 599- CCC 618). Read St. Paul’s letters, particularly Romans and Galatians. Read the Canons of the Council of Trent and pay particular attention to the theology of original sin, baptism and of justification.
2. Put yourself into the heart of the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ- Our entire Christian life flows from the cross and the resurrection, everything we do ultimately points back to these realities, we must ground ourselves in these crucial moments of Christ’s life and teach others to do the same.
3. Realize that every teaching of the Church is connected to the Trinity and the Incarnation- These two doctrines are the foundation of the Catholic faith. Everything we do as Christians is Kingdom-centered and community-centered because we are made in the image and likeness of a God who is not alone. He is the mystery of the Trinity; Fatherhood, Sonship and the bond of love that is the Holy Spirit.
4. Emphasize the importance of the participation in the Mystery of Christ– We are called to participate in the mystery of Christ, to be in him and he in us. Read John 15 and live a life firmly rooted in Christ who is our vine and source of life.
5. Refer to the four keys of access to the Mystery of Christ:
- Salvation History- Read and present the story of salvation found in Scripture. The doctrines of the Church flow from the narrative we find in the Bible. Become familiar with all the stories that contextualize the Gospel. Jesus is part of a bigger story, we cannot understand the Gospel in isolation from the rest of Scripture.
- Liturgy- Emphasize the importance of the Liturgy and attending Mass.
- Doctrine– Put vagueness to death with simple, clear, and honest explanations of the doctrines of the Church. We must understand and proclaim the teachings of the Church.
- Christian Living- Explain Christian living as the balance of three main elements; the moral life in Christ, deep devotional life, and regular sacramental life.
Practical Takeaways
- Study the Catechism on the Cross and Resurrection of Christ
- Memorize Romans 5:6
- Pray the first glorious mystery of the Rosary for Amber VanVickle
- Read the Liturgy of the Word
- Recommit your life to Christ
Resources
- Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com
- Text “EKSB” to 33-777 to subscribe and be added to Gomer and Dave’s email list!
- Visit Dave’s website at thesinnersguide.com
- The Activated Disciple by Jeff Cavins
- As parishes plan for the fall, Ascension is pleased to offer our new and improved online bible study programs and sacramental preparation programs digitally to help you minister with flexibility. Go to ascensionpress.com to view all our offerings!
Meet Your Hosts
Michael “Gomer” Gormley
Michael spent 17 years in full-time parish ministry and is now the Mission Evangelist for That Man Is You!, a men’s apostolate for Paradisus Dei. Michael is a frequent speaker at conferences, retreats, and parish missions all over the US and Canada.
He is the founder and creative director of LayEvangelist.com, and hosts two popular Catholic podcasts: Catching Foxes and Every Knee Shall Bow.
He is married to his college sweetheart, Shannon, and has four beautiful and hilarious children: Kateri, Cecilia, Noah, and Thomas.
Dave VanVickle
Dave VanVickle fell in love with the Lord at the age of fourteen and has since dedicated his life to bringing others into a radical relationship with Christ.
He is a speaker and retreat leader who focuses on proclaiming the universal call to holiness, authentic Catholic spirituality, spiritual warfare and deliverance. Additionally, Dave has over ten years of experience assisting Priests with their ministries of exorcism and deliverance.
Dave married his late wife Amber in 2010. He now resides in Pittsburgh with his five children: Sam, Max, Judah, Josie and Louisa.
