Gospel Fluency Study Guide

Study Guide for

Gospel Fluency:

Speaking the Truths of Jesus into

the Everyday Stuff of Life

By Jeff Vanderstelt

Date for

Reading

What to Read

Discussion questions that could be used in journaling, accountability, or focus group.

Week 1

Chapter 1

1) In your understanding, what does it mean to be "gospel-fluent"?

2) How does the author say that we become more like Jesus? (If you aren't sure about the specific answer to this question, re-read page 21 and the first sentence on page 22.)

3) What is your biggest takeaway from this chapter?

Chapter 2

1) According to the author, what is a mature Christian?

2) What does it mean to "speak the truth in love"?

Is this different from the way you previously understood this?

3) For you, what was the biggest challenge from this chapter? How did/will you respond to this challenge?

Chapter 3

1) In your understanding, what is the difference between speaking "gospelish" and being gospel-fluent?

2) What do you see as key to becoming gospel-fluent?

3) Are there some specific areas of your life that you know you haven't been applying the gospel? (After you list those areas, spend some time paying through each of them.)

Week 2

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

1) What (according to the author) shapes culture? If this is true, what is necessary to develop a gospel-fluent culture in our church?

2) What are the key movements/elements of the true story?

3) As you read the author's summary of the true story, what were some points that stuck out to you?

Chapter 5

1) What is salvation (past, present and future)?

2) Why is the life of Jesus important to the gospel?

3) What were some of your takeaways from this chapter?

Chapter 6

1) What did you learn about faith from the story of Caleb?

2) All sin is the result of what?

3) What are the 4 liberating truths about God that free us from the lies which lead us to sin?

Week 3

Chapter 7

1) “You talk about what you love, and you love what you talk about.” What does this statement (made by the author) mean? How will you apply it?

2) Take a moment to write down some things that you love about Jesus. Share these with your accountability partner at your next meeting.

3) What are your biggest takeaways from this chapter?

Chapter 8

1) How do you know if what you’re thinking lines up with the gospel?

2) How can you recognize lies and accusations that come from the enemy?

3) What are steps you will take based on what you learned in this chapter?

Chapter 9

1) What are 4 key questions for forming ourselves in the gospel?

2) Choose a sin or temptation you struggle with and follow the author’s process of tracing back the fruit to the root. What did you learn from this?

3) Take the time to apply the “fruit to root” and “root to fruit” processes a few times, and right down your observations.

Week 4

Chapter 10

1) In this chapter, the author discusses some very creative ideas for rehearsing the gospel. Which one is your favorite?

2) The author gave examples of how to speak the gospel into one another’s struggles (pages 140-142), practice this with your accountability partner.

3) What was the biggest lesson you learned from this chapter?

Chapter 11

1) Have you ever felt like Jerry (from the author’s story)? What did you learn from his story?

2) What are some of the methods the author recommends in this chapter for seeing Jesus as “the better…”? Which one(s) do you want to learn to practice?

3) Think now about some ways that you need to recognize that Jesus is “the better…” Take the time to write those down.

Chapter 12

1) The author brings out the fact that while many of us may recognize Jesus as the hero of history, but maybe we don’t really see Him as the hero of our own story (often, He’s more of a support character). Where do you find Jesus in your story?

2) Using one of the author’s methods, take the time to rehearse your story. What did you learn from this? (This would be something good to share with your accountability partner.)

3) What is your biggest takeaway from this chapter?

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Week 5

Chapter 13

1) What does the author say is necessary before we expect others to understand us and what we believe?

2) What happens when we don’t listen well?

3) When you listen to other people’s stories, what are some of the things you should listen for?

Chapter 14

1) What are some ways the author teaches us to “show and tell” the gospel?

2) Follow Jeff’s exercise of becoming a gospel metaphor. List some of the attributes of Jesus that you love, and then pick one that you will be to someone this week in order to show Jesus to them. (Be sure to write it down so you don’t forget.)

3) What is the biggest lesson you take from this chapter (and that you will apply) for telling the gospel to others?

Chapter 15 & Conclusion

1) What is one takeaway for you from chapter 15?

2) What are some ways you have learned to be gospel fluent since we started this book?

3) What are some areas where you still need to work on speaking the gospel into your life and/or the lives of others?