All Comments for: From Four Laws to Four Circles | Christianity Today

Free Newsletters:

RSS Feeds |

Audio |

Twitter

Home > 2008 > July

Christianity Today, July, 2008 |

CHRISTIAN VISION PROJECT

From Four Laws to Four Circles

James Choung has found a way to tell the old, old story to a new generation.

Interview by Andy Crouch | posted 6/27/2008 08:48AM

It may not be a coincidence that when James Choung, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, set out to help college students explain the gospel to their friends, he turned to the most ...

[Reader Reviews]

Average User Rating:

Rate and Comment on this article

Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 comments.

Page: 1

Show All

Wes Wetherell

Posted: June 30, 2008 1:36 PM

We don't need a redefinition/repackaging of the Gospel, but if we were going to have one, it would be helpful to start with the same message. "The Big Story" presented in this method is just not the Gospel of the Bible. I find it very interesting that Choung's FAQs attached to the PDF of this presentation wildly misses on the central point of the Gospel - the nature and purpose of the atonement. Where, in this presentation, would anyone even have a clue that "propitiation" was required, and provided? Choung is right when he says that "if it's new, it's probably heretical." (FAQ 2)... A man-centered, sin-avoiding, wrath-ignoring, blood-denying presenation may be engaging and attractive to people today (as it has always been), but it is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

JonC	Posted: June 28, 2008 10:10 PM

Whatever it takes a person to get out and share the gospel, then use it. The most basic and comprehensive that uses the Bible from OT to NT is by Matthias Media, "Two Ways to Live". Yet, the best way is to know your Bible. If someone asks you a question they do not want to hear your opinion, they need to know that the Bible is true and how your use the Bible will communicate that you actually believe what you are saying.

Hoyagirl97

Posted: June 28, 2008 5:07 PM


I bet Adam Talbott never shared the gospel effectively with nonbelievers. Do you start the conversation about Jesus with the words, "He came to give you penal substitutionary atonement"? Do you have to use those words to communicate that He came to live, teach, heal, and die for our sins and save us? How would you, Adam, start the conversation then? I'd like to know.

Bob Brinkman

Posted: June 28, 2008 11:02 AM

I agree with Adam T.'s comments. Would-be Christians must do more than emulate Christ as a moral example (because it makes the postmodern world 'nicer'), they must accept him as their personal savior (because He is the ONLY path to salvation). Although this tool may bring new followers who may eventually be taught this tenet, such information should be presented up front and throughout. Well-meaning supplemental tools are useful to keep the old, old story relevant to modern lingo, but better yet is to always go back to the source.

rey corpuz

Posted: June 28, 2008 10:11 AM


great article on sharing life in christ. very appropriate indeed in today's post-modern mindset. choung is God's gift to 21st century holistic kingdom witness.

Adam Talbott

Posted: June 28, 2008 9:54 AM

Choung has developed a well-marketed presentation, but it is not the old, old story. His students are right to ask, "I still don't see why Jesus needs to be a part of it." If a gospel presentation does not include penal substitutionary atonement, then Jesus is simply a moral example for us to follow, overcoming a vague idea of evil and inspiring us to be socially active. Of course sin is "jarring" - this is why Christians have been hated and persecuted since the crucifixion. As we think creatively about how to explain the Gospel to new generations and tribes, we should never edit the Gospel, but simply explain it as clearly as possible in the given context. Gospel clarity will result in frequent Gospel rejection, but it is the Holy Spirit's job (not the evangelist's) to open hearts to believe the unbelievable. It grieves me to see well-intentioned evangelists agree with the world that the cross is folly. It grieves me even more that CT cannot discern the problem.

ChinaLamb

Posted: June 27, 2008 7:01 PM


Sorry, I feel cheated by your story. I read about this great new tool in the email, and read the article to find out what it was - only you only talked more about it, and didn't give us this great tool.

Page: 1

E-mail this page

Write CT

Print this article

Post a comment