Know and Tell the Gospel — 42 years on!

Posted on June 22, 2023 
Filed under Encouragement, Evangelism, Resources

Back in October 1991, the ACL’s newsletter featured this short article by the Rev Brian Telfer, Rector of Christ Church Gladesville. Brian was writing on the tenth anniversary of the publication of John Chapman’s book Know and Tell the Gospel.

Without doubt, our culture has changed a great deal since the book was published in 1981, but every Christian will benefit from reading it – for the first time, or the tenth time – and may our hearts be stirred to know, and to tell, the gospel.

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Ten years, and nearly 45,000 copies down the track, John Chapman’s book on Evangelism is still required reading.

But it may be that some have not yet discovered this most useful and encouraging book!

Brian Telfer gives Know and Tell the Gospel a timely plug…

Many books written on Evangelism could be described as HOW TO books. John Chapmans’ book is a WHAT and WHY book first and a HOW TO book second.

1991 marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of Know and Tell the Gospel – and it has gone through eight subsequent printings.

What makes it so popular?

There will be as many reasons as readers. You’ll probably add others, but let me share with you a few that immediately come to mind…

John Chapman has been a friend and encourager to many— not only in this Diocese, but throughout the world. We “put not our trust in men”, but approach Know and Tell the Gospel with confidence in the writer as a teacher and preacher of the gospel.

It is a lifetime reflection on the nature of the gospel — having grown out of discussion and debate with friends and opponents alike — the result of 30 years of preaching. It is vintage Chappo.

PRACTICAL HELP

Know and Tell the Gospel refuses to avoid the difficult questions like God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility and sets the gospel where it ought to be — at the heart of Biblical Theology.

And it is readable — accessible to those who wouldn’t call themselves readers — as well as to those who are theologically trained.

When I first read the book I saw its value as a study book for the congregation.

It begins dealing with basic questions such as — What is the gospel? Why must it be preached? and What is God doing in Evangelism?

It continues by looking at the Howto’s — giving us a model to follow and suggesting ways to answer difficult questions.

As we studied the book I was again impressed — it was rooted in Scripture and centred on Jesus. It helped people understand their faith and convinced them they should share it.

If you are looking for some thing to help you and your congregation “get started” in telling the gospel, you can’t go past Know and Tell the Gospel.

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Of course Know and Tell the Gospel is still available – now in its fifth edition – from Matthias Media .