​​​“My group isn’t outward focused enough! They don’t know much about the Bible! Our discussions always seem so shallow!” Thus, Trevin Wax, author of Gospel-Centered Teaching summarizes the concerns of Bible teachers everywhere. Modern Christianity tends to counteract these concerns by reinventing either the teacher or the curriculum in order to reengage the student. Wax presents a different, thoroughly biblical approach. He argues, “Get the message right, and God will work through a variety of methods. But miss the message, and the best methods in the world won’t bring about transformation” (p.7). 

What is this message? It is the Gospel, or good news, of salvation in Jesus Christ. Using Christ’s own words in John 5:39, “[The Scriptures] bear witness about me,” Wax demonstrates the importance of recognizing the centrality of Christ throughout the Bible and what that means for the Bible teacher. He shows the Gospel to be the power of God for salvation, the power of God for sanctification, and the motivation for the Church’s mission to bring Christ to the world. Refusing to see the Gospel as merely the first step in one’s salvation, he begs teachers of God’s Word to see how every account in Scripture centers on this truth and shows how God uses such an approach to transform lives.

To accomplish this, he guides the teacher to ask three questions of every text they preach: How does this passage fit into the big story of Scripture? What is distinctively Christian about the way I am addressing it? And, finally, how does this truth equip God’s Church in her mission? About half of the book (the last three of five chapters) addresses practical insights into these questions. Using excellent examples, he illustrates both the error of law-based approaches and how to correct this with a gospel-based one.

Without using this distinctively Lutheran terminology, the author does a fine job of noting the distinction between law and gospel and showing how a failure to make such a distinction can be catastrophic. As such, I would highly recommend this short, accessible, and practical book for the various teachers within our congregations. It is a great gift for Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, and even as a refresher for pastors as they endeavor to proclaim the good news of God’s love for us in Christ.

Order your copy here: Ambassador Publications Online Store