The preaching of the gospel is not optional. It is imperative to building Christ’s church because the church is not built on personalities, programs, popularity, politics, or entertainment. Christ builds His church through the truth of who He is, what He has done, and what He calls people to believe and obey.
What the Gospel Means in Plain Words
The gospel means “good news.” This good news is that God, in His love, sent Jesus Christ into the world. Jesus lived without sin, died on the cross for our sins, rose from the dead, and now calls all people to repent, believe, and follow Him. The gospel is more than a church slogan; it is the message of salvation, hope, forgiveness, and new life in Christ.
Jesus Warned Us About Deception
In Matthew 24, Jesus instructed His disciples to “watch out that no one deceives you.” He warned that many false messiahs and false prophets would arise and mislead many. He also said that as wickedness increased, the love of many would grow cold. Yet within these warnings, Jesus made a profound declaration: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
The Danger of Misusing the Gospel
When the gospel is misappropriated, the message of Christ is used for purposes other than its intended purpose. Rather than directing people to Jesus, it may be used to gain influence, build a personal platform, generate financial benefit, control others, advance personal opinions, or support a particular agenda. This is dangerous because a distorted gospel cannot produce a healthy church.
If the gospel is misrepresented, the future church will be weakened. People may attend church without truly knowing Christ. They may become familiar with religion without embracing repentance. They may pursue blessings while neglecting holiness. They may hear motivational messages without receiving the truth about sin, grace, the cross, and the resurrection. Over time, the church can become active yet spiritually powerless, visible yet lacking depth, and popular yet weakened in faith.
What Faithful Gospel Preaching Builds
Faithful gospel preaching forms people who love Jesus more than the world. It strengthens believers to stand firm in times of difficulty. It builds a church that can recognize false teaching, resist deception, and continue in love even as the world grows colder. It reminds us that Jesus is not merely part of the message; Jesus is the message.
A Call to the Church Today
Many factors help explain how the church arrived at its present condition. Yet one truth remains clear: the church must return to the true gospel. We must preach Christ clearly, humbly, and faithfully. We must not dilute the message to make it more comfortable, nor distort it to serve our own desires.
The future health of the church depends on the gospel being preached faithfully today. If we desire Christ’s church to be strong tomorrow, we must be faithful with Christ’s message now. The gospel is not ours to revise; it is ours to proclaim.
Minister A Francine Green, November 2026