Easter Gives Us Resurrection Gospel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kathy Carlton Willis
WillisWay@aol.com; 956-642-6319



Easter Gives Us Resurrection Gospel
Former Pastor Has New Evangelistic Message
with Historical Miracle


North Brunswick, NJ (March 18, 2008)--Just as sure as Easter celebrates the risen Savior, the evangelistic message must have as its central theme, the resurrection. So often Christians get bogged down in persuading non-believers that they are sinners, and that Jesus died on the cross for their sin that they lose sight of the true focus of the Good News--the resurrection. Mark McGrath's new book, A Forgotten Gospel reminds us just how important believing in the miracle of Easter is to the conversion of a soul.

Just hearing the word "evangelism" conjures up images of Bible-toters going door-to-door spreading the Good News. Most non-believers avoid answering the door, or feel strong-armed if they do get caught in the net called "witnessing." Even most Christians become nervous at the thought of evangelism. Why? Because they have been guilted into believing they are somehow "less than" if they do not follow a specific pattern of what some call soul-winning. The thing is, the Good News sounds an awful lot like bad news, starting with, "You must acknowledge you are a sinner." This is off-putting for the one witnessing as well as the non-believer.

Today's culture presents challenges to sharing the gospel that were not present 20 to 30 years ago. Why create an antagonistic atmosphere that can be perceived as judgmental? It only shuts the door to the opportunity for future conversations.

Isn't there a better way? A Forgotten Gospel presents a pattern that ordinary Christians can use to share Christ without alienating friends, loved ones and co-workers. Author Mark McGrath studied every instance a Christ-follower shared the gospel to a non-believer in Acts, and found some common denominators. Interesting, these factors are not found in most patterns for evangelism. A Forgotten Gospel shows believers how to present the gospel using a relevant biblical pattern with a flexible, conversational approach. The old models don't hold up in today's fast-paced, post-modern society.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Building on 25 years of church-planting experience--with churches started in New York, New Jersey and Great Britain--Mark McGrath, President of McGrath Communications Group, brings a unique blend of professional communications skills training and passionate commitment to developing effective church leaders. Mark conducts evangelism training with several national Campus ministries at Rutgers University in New Jersey and has launched an updated version of both the weekend and small group evangelism seminars he developed. These seminars are available to churches across the U.S.

AUTHOR AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS / BOOK AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW


Endorsements

In A Forgotten Gospel, Mark McGrath has taken the truth of the Gospel that "everything hinges on the resurrection of Jesus Christ" and made it simple for today's contemporary world. Many others died on a cross, but none of them are alive today! Jesus Christ is the king, and he wants our friends to know Him and let Him lead their lives. McGrath gives a new, fresh and yet scriptural approach to the Gospel that makes it easy to share our faith in Christ with our friends and family and then still have meaningful conversations afterwards. Presenting his material has started to encourage my students that they too can share Jesus with the people they live with while still calling them close friends.

-Tony Yuhas
Campus Staff for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Rutgers University

Over twenty years ago we embraced the radical change Mark describes here in A Forgotten Gospel and it has completely altered both the approach to and the effect of our outreach. Because this approach coaches people to know how to engage in meaningful conversations with unbelievers, and how to keep the door open for future dialogue, the number of meaningful conversations with non-believers has increased, the level of our relationships with them has deepened, and the church is extremely confident when interacting with those outside the family of God. On top of that, the people who are now beginning to follow Jesus are coming with a genuine faith and real commitment! Whether you have a heart for evangelism or a fear of evangelism, this book is a must read.
-John Singleton
Director of LifeLine Network International

I like this! And I'll tell you why. It's clear and simple. It's positive, like the gospel. It's full of hope. It's free of religious jargon.

McGrath's desire to make the resurrection of Jesus the central aspect of our communication of the gospel to those who need it is right on! Sounds a lot like the book of Acts.

I especially appreciate his emphasis on learning to listen to others and showing real concern for them and their thoughts. His insistence on being sensitive to the voice of God is extremely important. His whole approach is well-balanced and he writes from a broad experience. Very encouraging, indeed!

-Orville Swindoll
Missionary in Argentina for 32 years. Author of several books in Spanish and English. Founder and director of two Spanish-language magazines for Christians. Fifty-seven years of Gospel ministry, and married to the same woman for over 55 years. Four children. Nineteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Pastor of a Hispanic church in Miami, Florida.