Among conservative evangelicals, there’s a longstanding friendly debate over whether all sermons should include a concise summary of the gospel message. I don’t mean a gospel-centered hermeneutic that connects every passage of Scripture to the person and work of Jesus (a different debate). Instead I’m talking about inserting in your sermon—hopefully in a natural way that connects to the rest of the message—a short (4-6 minutes) explanation of the main truths about who Jesus is and what he has done, along with an exhortation to repent and believe. While most conservative evangelical preachers do not follow this approach, perhaps the best-known proponent of including a gospel summary in (nearly) every sermon is Mark Dever. So, for a wonderful example of what I’m talking about, consider this sermon delivered by Dever in a seminary chapel (the gospel summary begins at 14:04).
I was persuaded of the wisdom of this approach about fifteen years ago. Having now followed it faithfully for over a decade, I can see many benefits of almost always including a concise gospel summary. Here are three reasons why you should adopt this approach as well.... Read More
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