The response of so many to the news I shared about The Gospel Study Guide (GSG) has been very encouraging! Thanks everyone.
I thought I would mention a few things about this new resource so here are five things I want you to know.
1. This is 100% a PRE-conversion tool to help students come to really understand what the Bible teaches about our sin, the work of Jesus, God’s grace, and faith. As a pastor, I am often approached by children and youth who want to be baptized. I want to be sure that they have deeply understood the Gospel and said a whole-hearted “YES” to it before they are baptized. Those of us in Baptist and other like-minded churches hear this story often: “I was baptized when I was 6 or 7 or 8 but I really didn’t know what I was doing. It was later that my faith became real.” It seems to me that we can prevent those kinds of confusing experiences with better teaching. I couldn't find a resource that addressed this need so over the last few years I've been developing one. Now, here it is.
2. This resource can be used by anybody - student, parent, church leader, in any setting. The GSG takes the user through the Scriptures and the key concepts of the Gospel. There are answer pages in the back so you can check your responses. You don’t have to be an expert or a professional. You can do this!
3. There are several pages of instructions and guidance for the students who will use the GSG and for the parents or other adults leading sessions. If you choose to use the GSG, I strongly encourage you to read these pages.
4. This is the kind of study that a pre-teen or youth can work through more than once. In fact, the more times they walk through it the better! Some who have genuinely said “yes” to the Gospel will benefit from gaining a clearer, sharper understanding of what they did when they trusted Jesus to be their Savior.
5. We all want our children and teenagers to experience this wonderful thing we call being saved. But wishful thinking is not enough. The Holy Spirit doesn’t use vague hints or indirect pressure. The Spirit uses the Gospel to convict and create faith. The guide provides a structure for a sustained exposure to the Gospel facts. This is a long look at what this thing called the Gospel is all about. This is a tool to help the child deeply engage with the Gospel.
If you are looking for something that is quick and easy...this is not for you. This for the parent or pastor who wants to bring an older student through a sustained interaction with Bible passages that teach Gospel basics. This allows the child to discover the Gospel for him or herself. It requires their mental engagement with the hope that it will lead to heart engagement.
This will require a serious commitment of time but this is, after all, a serious issue.
Copies are available for $10 plus $2 for postage costs. Email me at clark956@hotmail.com. If you find this resource helpful, I hope you’ll tell other parents and/or church leaders about it.
Thanks!
Clark Palmer
