The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission: Promoting the Gospel with More Than Our Lips

Written by John Dickson and Alister McGrath

Narrated by John Dickson

This book comes out of years of reflection, failures, and some successes in the task of reaching out to others with the gospel. Many Christians think of the task of mission as an entirely verbal activity, when perhaps the best kept secret of New Testament teaching about mission is that it involves a whole range of activities that explicitly promote Christ to the world and draw others to him, and only a few of them involve speaking. Without diminishing or downplaying the importance of speaking the gospel, John Dickson shows that, on the other hand, downplaying the range of activities that promote Christ to the world has its own set of problems. It can make those who are not confident about speaking—of anything, let alone Jesus—feel inadequate and self-conscious in the task of reaching out to others. Equally, it can make those who do have a flair for speaking feel as though they are fulfilling Christ’s mission just by talking. But the reality is that the Lord wants our whole life, not just our lips, in the task of bringing the gospel to the world. Every facet of our lives can be used by God to promote the news of his power and mercy. In this practical guide to the biblical art of sharing your faith, John Dickson offers refreshing insight into the ways that all Christians can and should be involved in spreading the good news of Jesus. While not all Christians are called and gifted to become evangelists, we are all called to promote the gospel through a wide range of activities—prayer, financial partnership, good deeds, godly lives, public worship, daily conversation, etc.—with and without our lips. As readers engage with this book, grapple with its arguments and hear the stories of people coming to faith, they will be inspired to see the whole of life as significant for bringing the gospel to the world, and they will be liberated out of guilt and self-consciousness in evangelism into becoming perfectly natural promoters of Jesus Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Jun 8, 2010
• ISBN: 9780310572015

John Dickson

John Dickson (PhD, Macquarie University) serves as the Jean Kvamme Distinguished Professor of Biblical Evangelism and Distinguished Scholar in Public Christianity at Wheaton College. A speaker, historian, and media presenter, John is the author of more than 20 books, two of which became television documentaries. He also cohosted the documentary For the Love of God: How the Church is Better and Worse Than you Ever Imagined. He is an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Sydney, a Visiting Academic in the Faculty of Classics at Oxford University (2016-2021), and Distinguished Fellow in Public Christianity at Ridley College Melbourne. John presents Australia’s no.1 religion podcast, Undeceptions, exploring aspects of life, faith, history, culture, or ethics that are either much misunderstood or mostly forgotten.

Reviews for The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission

[Alec Bussen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've read several books on Christian mission and am familiar with some really good material on missional living and evangelism, but have always felt a tension in my life and a guilt that I'm not doing mission unless I am actively proclaiming the verbal message of the Gospel to others. Proclaiming any message, nonetheless the Gospel, has been a sincere difficulty of mine. On the fly, I'm not good with my words and I don't feel I am great at sparking conversation with others generally. I do talk with others about Jesus as part of my normal life, but usually in response to normal conversation and usually over some question or challenge that needs an apologetic response.

What Dickson's book has done for me is help me locate my role in God's mission. My greatest area of lack is not that I am not outgoing or that I get tongue-tied when trying to explain... well, just about anything clearly. My problem is that I do not pray nearly enough for my lost friends. He has helped move me from an overbearing guilt based in what may simply be a different kind of gifting and has helped me realize and become genuinely convicted that the work of prayer for my lost friends is the most effective evangelistic strategy I CAN commit myself to.

Lord, thank you for this simple work.

[Daniel Van Orden · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very balanced but Biblical perspective on the Best Kept Secret of Christian Missions. He takes you back to the Bible early and often, all the while spattering his personal struggles and successes. It is often challenging, but overall an encouragement. I would recommend for all, whether or not you would claim the title, Christian. This book will help you understand those who not just claim the title, but embody the Savior they claim to follow.

[RyandBec · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Clear, informative, very helpful.

[Mike Williams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought the author did a great job of explaining how evangelism really is so much bigger than just the narrow view of going out and sharing your faith cold turkey. It's a much broader, natural endeavor that allows people to just be themselves and use their natural gifts to share in what the author calls Kingdom Promotion. I found myself becoming excited as I listened, and it was freeing to hear that people without the gift of gab (people like me!) are still essential in God's plan for reaching the world. I highly recommend this book for pastors as well, it has some great insight on how to help equip congregations to work as a body to accomplish Kingdom work, and also a great reminder that the way we structure actual church environments and services can actually be a legitimate form of evangelism as well! I also love how the book ends...the author does a nice job of tying of everything together. Great read!