I picked up Gospel Fluency assuming it was a book on evangelism. Some of the endorsements on the back even portray it as such. And it does provide some helpful guidelines on sharing our faith. But Gospel Fluency seeks to do something more. Vanderstelt shows how the gospel penetrates every area of our lives – our conversation, our behavior, and our fellowship. Yes, we need to share the gospel with the lost. But we also need to share it with other believers, and even ourselves. “We need the gospel and we need to become gospel-fluent people. We need to know how to believe and speak the truths of the gospel – the good news of God – in and into the everyday stuff of life” (p. 23).

The author demonstrates the only way to be truly fluent in the gospel is to be part of a community (a gospel-centered church) where the gospel is front and center of all we do. “Formal training alone does not make one fluent. You become fluent through immersion in a gospel-speaking community and through ongoing practice. You have to know it, regularly hear it, and practice proclaiming it” (43). So after exploring the idea of fluency and the summarizing the message of the gospel, the author spends the second half of the book addressing The Gospel in Me (Part 3), The Gospel With Us (Part 4), and The Gospel to Others (Part 5).

This last section is the closest to what you would normally consider an evangelism book, with some helpful reminders to care and to listen (p. 177), to look for people’s overarching storyline (p. 180), to physically display God’s character (p. 188), to ask for eyes that see people’s hurt and brokenness (p. 200), and to actually open our mouths (p. 191).

I loved the affection for Christ that pervaded this book, and the reminder that love for God is what motivates us to talk to others about him. “People need to be deeply affected by the incredible news of Jesus on a daily basis. What affects you greatly creates in you great affections. And those affections lead you to express verbally and physically what you love most, because you talk about what you love” (p. 94). This reminds me of what Jesus says in Matthew 12:34, “out of abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

One issue I did find odd was Vanderstelt’s use of the gospel in biblical counseling and sanctification. He tells a number of stories how he uses the gospel in shepherding his children and counseling believers. So far, so good. But at times, he seems to almost downplay the importance of obedience, instead saying “belief” in Jesus is the only work we can do. “I am training them in the work they are to do. This work is to believe – to believe the gospel” (p. 83. See also p. 78, 81, 114, 115). Now, it’s certainly true we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. It’s also true that we want to address matters of the heart, and not merely behavior. But we are sanctified by grace as we work.

We become more like Christ when we exert genuine effort and strive toward righteousness, remaining fully dependent on the Holy Spirit. God “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). I don’t think the author would disagree, but I’m concerned his focus on simply believing the gospel could become too ethereal and unintentionally subvert the actual commands of Scripture.

A few minor qualms aside, if you’re looking for a refresher course on the gospel and a clear case why we need to spend more time talking about it as Christians, I recommend Gospel Fluency. You can order the book by clicking here: https://amzn.to/3wIQJ5g

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