Thank you for downloading this Crossway book.
Sign-up for the Crossway Newsletter for updates on special offers, new resources, and exciting global ministry initiatives:
Crossway Newsletter
Or, if you prefer, we would love to connect with you online:
If you read only one book this year, make it this one. Its that important.
Rick Warren, #1 New York Times best-selling author, The Purpose Driven Life ; pastor, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California
This book, like the gospel itself, is clarifying, convicting, comforting, and compelling all at the same time. I wholeheartedly invite you to read it, to be overwhelmed by the mercy and majesty of God in the gospel, and then to spend your life making the gospel explicit in every facet of your life and to every corner of the earth!
David Platt, best-selling author, Radical ; Senior Pastor, The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama
Too often the gospel fails to take root when it is assumed. The explicit gospel transforms individuals, churches, and nations as the mission of God is carried forward. Matt Chandler has gifted the church with a powerful tool to combat the assumed gospel. The Explicit Gospel is a serious threat to the moralistic, therapeutic deism that cripples the lives of so many. I highly recommend this book to both believers and unbelievers alike.
Ed Stetzer, President, LifeWay Research; contributing editor, Christianity Today
That the gospel is not clearly taught in classic liberalism is disheartening but not surprising. That frequently the gospel is not taught in evangelical congregations is both disquieting and surprising. Evangelicals will not deny the gospel, but they may assume it while talking about everything elseand that is tragic. Matt Chandler issues a robust call to make the gospel an explicit and central part of our preaching and takes pains to show what that looks like. Amen and Amen.
D. A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Matt Chandler presents the gospel in a way that is balanced, hope-filled, and very, very serious, all the while presented with Matts trademark humor. Even more faithful than funny, Matt insults all of us (including himself) in a strangely edifying way, and in a way that I pray will make you treasure Christ even more.
Mark Dever, Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington DC; President, 9Marks
The Explicit Gospel is a roadmap and wake-up call to our generation to grasp the full, expansive, and true gospel story. Matt is a leading voice, a great expositor of the Scriptures, passionate about Jesus, and serious about the gospel and making God known. When he speaks, I listen, and when he writes, I read. This book reflects the clear and core message of Matts life, leadership, and passion for a generation hungry for truth.
Brad Lomenick, Executive Director, Catalyst
Other Crossway books in the Re:Lit Series:
Gospel-Centered Discipleship , Jonathan K. Dodson (2012)
Rid of My Disgrace: Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault , Justin and Lindsey Holcomb (2011)
Redemption: Freed by Jesus from the Idols We Worship and the Wounds We Carry , Mike Wilkerson (2011)
A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table , Tim Chester (2011)
Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself , Joe Thorn (2011)
Community: Taking Your Small Group Off Life Support , Brad House (2011)
Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus , Bill Clem (2011)
Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission , Darrin Patrick (2010)
Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe , Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears (2010)
Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus , D. A. Carson (2010)
Leaders Who Last , Dave Kraft (2010)
Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods , Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears (2009)
Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions , Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears (2009)
Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community , Tim Chester and Steve Timmis (2008)
Vintage Jesus (trade paperback edition), Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears (2008)
Death by Love: Letters from the Cross , Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears (2008)
The Explicit Gospel
Copyright 2012 by Matthew Chandler
Published by Crossway
1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway is a registered trademark in the United States of America.
Cover design: Patrick Mahoney of The Mahoney Design Team
First printing 2012
Printed in the United States of America
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture references marked RSV are from The Revised Standard Version . Copyright 1946, 1952, 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4335-3003-6
PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-3004-3
Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-3005-0
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-3006-7
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Chandler, Matt, 1974
The explicit Gospel / Matt Chandler with Jared Wilson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4335-3003-6 (hc)
1. SalvationChristianity. 2. RedemptionChristianity. 3. SalvationBiblical teaching. 4. RedemptionBiblical teaching. 5. Protestant ChurchesDoctrines. I. Wilson, Jared C., 1975 . II. Title.
| BT751.3.C47 | 2012 |
| 230dc23 | 2011036191 |
Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
To Lauren
Not a day has gone by that I dont marvel at the gospels work in you. Jesuss deep love for you, made manifest in both your passion for him and patience with me, is an evidence of Gods grace on my life. I am more grateful than I can express to be walking this journey with you.
