Have you ever shared the gospel with someone and realized it just wasn’t connecting? We trust that God’s Word has the power to save (James 1:21) and that someone’s response to the gospel is based on the Holy Spirit’s work (1 John 2:20–27). Yet while we know that only the Spirit changes hearts, we can seek to make our gospel presentation one that engages the hearer’s comprehension and understanding as far as it depends on us. Our approach to sharing the good news of Jesus can thus significantly influence how it’s received, especially in today’s post-Christian cultural landscape. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach that will always work, I want to recommend a framework that presents two powerful evangelistic pathways—the Romans Road and the Ephesians Road—and demonstrates how this combination can work together to create a more complete and compelling gospel presentation. The Romans Road has guided countless people to salvation through its clear explanation of sin, judgment, and redemption. Its straightforward approach has proven effective for generations. Yet many people today search for more than personal salvation; they long for meaning, identity, and purpose in a fragmented world. By thoughtfully combining approaches, we can present a gospel that both saves individuals and invites them into God’s story of cosmic renewal. This is where the Ephesians Road approach comes in. Developed by The Gospel Coalition columnist Trevin Wax, the Ephesians Road builds on the solid foundation of personal salvation by expanding our vision to see salvation within God’s grand cosmic plan. Wax’s approach addresses contemporary questions about identity, community, and justice while maintaining the biblical truths of grace and redemption. By thoughtfully combining these two approaches, we can present a gospel that both saves individuals and invites them into God’s story of cosmic renewal. This hybrid framework offers practical guidance for sharing this holistic gospel in ways that resonate deeply with modern listeners while remaining firmly rooted in biblical truth. What follows is a roadmap for evangelism that honors the gospel’s personal and cosmic dimensions—a presentation that speaks to head and heart, to individual and community, to present salvation and future hope. 2 Evangelistic ‘Roads’ To understand the “two roads” approach, we need to know what the individual “roads” are. The Classic Romans Road Let’s first look at the Romans Road, an approach supposedly invented by Jack Hyles sometime around 1970. It has four steps and relies on four verses from Paul’s letter to the Romans. Step Key Verse Emphasis  1. Universal sin  Romans 3:23: “For all have   sinned and fall short . . .”  Personal guilt  2. Sin’s penalty  Romans 6:23: “The wages of   sin is death . . .”  Deserved judgment  3. Christ’s provision  Romans 5:8: “While we were   still sinners, Christ died for   us.”  Substitutionary atonement  4. Necessary response  Romans 10:9–10: “If you confess . . . [and] believe . . . you will  be saved.”  Individual decision This four-step outline has introduced millions to the gospel. Yet by relying on a handful of decontextualized verses, it can shrink Paul’s sweeping argument to a me-centered transaction: “I sinned; Jesus paid; I decide.” This approach underrepresents the Bible’s corporate, cosmic, and kingdom dimensions. Trevin Wax’s Ephesians Road In his book Holy Subversion, Wax points out that while the Romans Road approach can be helpful (he’s used it himself), it’s lacking in certain areas. The deficiency of the Romans Road isn’t in the Scripture verses but in the disappearance of the framework in which these verses make sense. When the people around us no longer hold to a biblical framework from which to comprehend these truths, the Romans Road turns into a series of cobbled-together propositions disconnected from the story of Scripture. As Wax notes, “The presentation assumes that people know who God is, what God demands, who we are, what our problem is, and how God has acted in history to bring restoration.” In his book, Wax suggests walking people through the opening chapters of Ephesians instead: Mile Marker Key Point Gospel Horizon God’s cosmic plan Salvation is about God’s plan for the world, and the gospel is what he has done through Jesus of Nazareth in order to accomplish that plan (Eph. 1). Before creation, the Father purposed “to unite all things in [Christ]” (v. 10). Salvation begins with God’s agenda, not ours. This plan unfolds through God’s covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, culminating in Christ as the promised seed through whom all nations would be blessed. God intervenes to save you Salvation comes only by the grace of God (Eph. 2:1–9). We were “dead in [our] trespasses . . . but God . . . made us alive,” highlighting sheer grace over human choice. You’re given a new calling and a new community Salvation comes with a calling that must be fulfilled within the community of faith (Eph. 2:10–22). Grace creates “one new man” (v. 15) and sends us out as God’s workmanship “created . . . for good works” (v. 10) within a reconciled community.   This approach recenters the gospel on Christ’s victory and the church’s participation in God’s renewing mission, rather than merely on personal life-after-death security. Why the Ephesians Road Resonates Today The Ephesians Road is more likely to connect with modern hearers: Cultural Challenge Romans Road Limitation Ephesians Road Advantage Identity crisis (Who am I?) Focuses on guilt/forgiveness but not identity. Begins with adoption “through Christ” (Eph. 1:5)—offering a stable, grace-given self-understanding. Hyperindividualism and loneliness Presents salvation as a private decision. Emphasizes incorporation into a new family and as “fellow citizens” (2:19). Story hunger (people long for a big narrative) Four isolated verses feel like proof-texts. Tells the Bible’s grand drama from eternity past through God’s covenant with Israel to the renewal of all things, showing how we as Gentiles are grafted into Israel’s story. Justice and reconciliation concerns Doesn’t address dismantling hostile divisions. Showcases Jew/Gentile reconciliation and peacemaking (2:14–16) as fruit of the gospel.   Think of the Romans Road like a straight path to salvation. It’s direct and clear about our need for forgiveness and shows you how to be saved from sin through the work of Jesus. The Ephesians Road is more like looking through a big picture window that shows the whole landscape of God’s plan. It still teaches that Jesus died to save us from our sins, but it places this truth within a broader context, including God’s bigger plan for the entire universe, our belonging to God’s family (not just being saved as individuals), and our purpose to participate in God’s work in the world. This bigger picture speaks powerfully to people today who feel disconnected and want to belong somewhere. Many younger people also care deeply about making the world better and more just and have a hunger for meaningful stories that explain life, rather than simply finding a ticket to heaven. While both approaches teach the same gospel, the Ephesians Road helps people see how salvation connects to the bigger questions of “Who am I?” “Why am I here?” and “How can I make a difference?” As Wax says, “It’s not so much that God has a wonderful plan for your life; it’s that God has a wonderful plan—and invites you into it.” Combine the Romans Road and Ephesians Road Both approaches can be beneficial in presenting the gospel. But they can be even more powerful when combined, with the Ephesians Road providing the meaning and broader context and the Romans Road providing the clear path to personal salvation. Here’s how they complement each other. 1. Begin with God’s Grand Design (Ephesians): Share how God had a beautiful plan from before creation—to bring everything in heaven and earth together under Christ (Eph. 1:9–10). Explain that we were chosen and loved before time began, designed for relationship with God and to reflect his glory in creation. Also, explain how this plan worked through God’s specific covenant with Abraham and his descendants, promising that through this chosen family all nations would be blessed—a promise fulfilled in Christ. 2. Explain the Universal Problem (Romans): Help people understand that all humanity has rejected God’s design (Rom. 3:23), resulting in broken relationships, suffering, and separation from God. The consequence of this rebellion is spiritual death (6:23) and eternal separation from our Creator. 3. Reveal Christ’s Complete Solution (Both): Show how Jesus’s death paid the penalty for our sin (Rom. 5:8) while also fulfilling God’s cosmic purpose to restore all creation (Eph. 1:7–10). His sacrifice addresses both our personal guilt and the entire broken world system. Through the cross, Jesus reconciles us to God and begins healing all the divisions in humanity. 4. Invite a Personal Response (Romans): Invite people to respond to this gift by believing in their heart and confessing with their mouth that Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9–10). Emphasize that salvation comes through faith. Be clear that our salvation depends on Christ’s work rather than on us earning God’s favor through good works. 5. Celebrate Our New Identity (Ephesians): Describe the transformation when someone trusts Christ. We’re made alive with him (Eph. 2:4–5), adopted into God’s family (1:5), and made part of a new humanity that transcends racial, social, and cultural divisions (2:14–16). We move from spiritual orphans to beloved children. 6. Embrace Our Kingdom Purpose (Ephesians): Show how salvation doesn’t just change our destination after death but gives us purpose now. We’re created in Christ for good works (2:10) and called to participate in God’s mission of reconciliation as his ambassadors. Our lives become part of the great story of God’s kingdom bringing healing to creation. This combined approach addresses both the individual need for salvation and the deeper questions of identity, belonging, and purpose that resonate with contemporary seekers. Power of a Holistic Gospel The Two Roads Framework can help us express the biblical message more fully. By combining the personal salvation focus of the Romans Road with the cosmic vision of the Ephesians Road, we offer unbelievers rescue and purpose, forgiveness and belonging. In our fragmented culture, where people struggle with questions of identity and meaning, this integrated approach addresses both the head and heart. It speaks to individual guilt while painting the grand picture of God’s kingdom coming to earth. It offers immediate peace with God while inviting people into the adventure of participating in his ongoing work. The holistic gospel we share through this combined approach isn’t just about getting people to heaven. It’s about inviting them into the greatest story ever told, where their lives can find ultimate meaning as part of God’s plan to restore all things in Christ. Addendum: Example Gospel Presentation Creating an example for how to combine these two frameworks is difficult since evangelism tends to work best as a dialogue, rather than a monologue. Still, it might be helpful to show what a combination could look like. This is intended as a presentation of the gospel for someone unfamiliar with the Bible (since he or she won’t know what “Romans” and “Ephesians” are, we can substitute “the Bible says” when referencing individual verses): Can I share something that’s changed my life and how I see the world? This is the core of my belief system, what we Christians mean when we talk about the “gospel,” or good news. I also believe that what the Bible says about God is true, so I’m going to share some of what it says about life and our world. Before anything existed, God had a beautiful plan. He created everything—including you and me—with purpose and love. His intention was for all creation to flourish in relationship with him and each other. God chose a specific people—Israel—through whom he would work out this plan. He made promises to Abraham that through his family, all the families of the earth would be blessed. The story of the Bible is largely the story of how God kept these promises. As the Bible tells us [in Eph. 1:10], God’s ultimate plan is to bring everything in heaven and earth together under Christ. However, something is obviously wrong with our world. As children of Adam, we’ve all turned away from God’s design. We all choose to live however we want to live rather than as God wants us to. The Bible also tells us [Rom. 3:23] that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This isn’t just about breaking rules; it’s about a broken relationship with our Creator. This is what Christians mean when we use the word “sin.” And the Bible goes on to add [Rom. 6:23] that the natural consequence of sin is death. Not just physical death but also spiritual death. Spiritual death is an eternal separation from the life-giving God. But here’s why this is good news: God didn’t abandon his plan. While we were still living in rebellion, “Christ died for us” [Rom. 5:8]. What this means is that Jesus took the punishment we deserved and bridged the gap between us and God. That’s what the cross—the place of Jesus’s sacrifice—is all about. When Jesus died on the cross, he died in our place and paid the price that we couldn’t pay so we could be reconciled to God the Father. Jesus did this to save all those who put their faith in him. But he also died to restore God’s entire plan for creation. This is what we Christians refer to as salvation. Jesus saved us by paying the price for us and then giving us the benefit for free. We can’t earn our salvation or do anything to add to it. Salvation is a free gift. But it’s a gift that requires a response. We must accept the gift. The Bible [Rom. 10:9–10, NIV] explains how we do that: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” It’s not about being good enough to earn God’s love or earn our salvation. It’s about accepting what Jesus has already done on our behalf. As Gentiles, when we trust in Jesus, we’re adopted into God’s covenant family—the same family he promised to Abraham. We become part of their story and inheritors of God’s promises to his chosen people in the Old Testament. When you put your trust in Jesus, something remarkable happens. According to the Bible [Eph. 2], God makes you “alive together with Christ” and adopts you into his family. You’re no longer defined by your past. You’re now defined by your new identity as God’s beloved child. And with that identity comes a new purpose and mission. The Bible says [Eph. 2:10, NIV] we’re “created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” You’re invited into God’s ongoing work of healing and renewing this world. You become part of a new community that crosses all divisions—political, ethnic, ideological—and demonstrates God’s love to a broken world. So this isn’t just about getting to heaven someday, though it does mean that. It’s about joining God’s kingdom work right now, finding your true identity, and participating in the reconciliation of all things in Jesus. What’s stopping you from beginning this new life with God today? I’d be happy to pray with you or answer any questions you have about following Jesus. This combined approach maintains the clarity of the Romans Road while embedding it within the broader, more compelling narrative of the Ephesians Road. It speaks to both personal salvation and cosmic purpose, addressing the intellectual and existential questions of our time while remaining faithful to the biblical gospel.

Practicing church discipline is a vital biblical responsibility that’s often ignored in our modern age. In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst discuss what church discipline is (and isn’t), why healthy congregations practice it, and why it’s actually a form of love. Drawing from experience, they also offer advice for fostering a culture in your church where discipline will seem faithful, not foreign. Resources Mentioned: Is It Loving to Practice Church Discipline? By Jonathan Leeman What Should We Do about Members Who Won’t Attend? By Alex Duke Understanding Church Discipline by Jonathan Leeman Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus by Jonathan Leeman

Since the summer of 2011, Evangelium 21 (“Gospel 21”) has promoted biblically rooted church ministry in German-speaking Europe. At this summer’s meeting in Hamburg, two things stood out. The first distinct feature was the theme: “The Spirit of Truth” (John 14:17). For a ministry committed to spiritual and church renewal in post-Christian Europe, challenges and discouragements abound. The theme could have been a problem—our leaders and speakers hold different views on the continuation of the Spirit’s gifts. Yet, rather than avoid the topic, the conference provided a godly model of uniting on biblical essentials while dialoguing with humility and charity on the areas of disagreement. And a deeper study on the Holy Spirit’s person and work offered great hope for persevering in gospel ministry, reminding us that the power for spiritual revitalization lies with our sovereign God. The E21 conference was held in May 2025 / Courtesy of Ron Kubsch The second distinction: This was the first main conference that didn’t include a well-known guest speaker from the United States or the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, 1,100 attendees packed the room and another 2,000 joined on the live stream. I think it was one of the best E21 conferences yet. It’s certainly great to benefit from the gospel ministries of renowned preachers and authors. But the depth and clarity of the talks from ministers throughout German-speaking lands displayed encouraging fruits of God’s work over recent years to multiply laborers for the gospel harvest in Europe. Here are some highlights from those plenary talks. God the Holy Spirit “We Christians are in danger of grieving the Holy Spirit by not giving him the place he deserves,” declared Daniel Knoll, pastor of Immanuel Church in Wetzlar, Germany. The Holy Spirit is truly God and thus equal and one with the Father and the Son. He is due our worship and honor. Yet in his work, the Spirit doesn’t put himself in the limelight but rather exalts the Father and the Son in our lives. “The Holy Spirit uses the truths of the Bible to make Jesus Christ glorious in our hearts,” emphasized Knoll. The Spirit in the Old Testament Larry Norman, copastor of Leipzig English Church, examined the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and his divine work in creation, revelation, and new creation. Norman emphasized how the Spirit uses human weakness throughout the Old Testament to achieve great redemptive aims: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 4:6). The Spirit spoke through the prophets of old to point God’s people to Christ, and he still speaks through them today to point us to Christ. The Spirit as Helper Theology professor Philipp Bartholomä from the Free Theological University in Giessen, Germany, examined the Holy Spirit’s role as Helper based on John 14:15–26. Jesus told his followers from the start that their path would be difficult. But he sent the Holy Spirit as the Helper to give Christ’s followers assurance against accusations, intercede for them, unite them intimately with Christ’s heart, encourage them in their weakness, and work through their weakness to magnify God’s strength. The E21 conference / Courtesy of Ron Kubsch “Gospel-centered living,” says Bartholomä, “is Spirit-filled living.” We must rely on the Helper to follow Christ in faithful discipleship. Jonathan Edwards and the Holy Spirit Felix Äschlimann, director of the Seminar für biblische Theologie Beatenberg in Switzerland (Seminary for Biblical Theology), drew lessons from Jonathan Edwards’s theology of the Holy Spirit for today. In particular, he emphasized Edwards’s reliance on the Spirit for a spiritual knowledge of Scripture, the Spirit’s work in revival, and the authentic marks of the Spirit’s work in the Christian’s life. “For Edwards, it was not the ecstatic experiences or even the countless converts that counted as signs of genuine devotion,” Äschlimann said. “Rather, it was faithfulness to God.” Testing the Spirits “We live in a deeply religious world full of prophets who want to sell us their particular version of the good life, with or without Jesus,” warned pastor Rudolf Tissen of the Evangelisch-Freikirchliche Gemeinde Unna in Germany. That’s why the gift of discerning the spirits, which Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12:10, is relevant and urgent in our time. Only the Spirit of truth enables us to discern the truth of God and love of Christ in a world full of deceit and lies. The Gifts of the Spirit Those truly gifted by the Spirit are called to be humble, submit themselves under the church’s leadership, and edify the church, said pastor Christian Wegert of Arche Congregation in Hamburg. “Unfortunately, this is not always the case,” Wegert observed. “That is why Paul has to point out the true motive of the gifts of the Spirit, namely love (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1–13).” If you’re wondering what your gifts are, the best way to discover them is through faithful and humble service in the church. The Fruits of the Spirit Pastor Matthias Lohmann of the Freie evangelische Gemeinde Munich showed from Galatians 5:16–26 that the apostle Paul counted the fruit of the Spirit more important than the gifts of the Spirit. At first glance, the fruit appears less spectacular, and it often grows slowly. But the Spirit’s long-term commitment to grow Christ’s people in holiness is a work of far greater beauty than temporary experiences. The Spirit bears fruit such as love, peace, joy, and kindness in Christians to build up the church in love, witness to Christ, and glorify God. The Spirit Outpoured Pastor Wolfgang Wegert from the Arche Congregation closed the conference with instruction, warning, and encouragement based on the Spirit’s outpouring at Pentecost (Acts 1:4–8). He charged listeners to beware of misusing the Spirit’s ministry to manufacture religious spectacles and artificial experiences. Rather, genuine revival occurs when the Spirit works through the Word of Christ to awaken and grow living faith in Christ. If ministers desire the Spirit’s outpouring for spiritual renewal today, then they must devote themselves to proclaiming God’s Word. Please join us in praying for God to pour out the Spirit in German-speaking lands for a rich gospel harvest, and to use the ministry of E21 and the regional and annual conferences to build up healthy churches.