Twenty years from now, when looking back on the “return to the Gospel” movement that is currently gaining speed throughout the world today, what are some things that have gone a little off course?

That’s the question that three pastors and authors, J.D. Greear, Trevin Wax and Greg Gilbert, asked themselves on The Gospel Coalition recently, wondering if they are neglecting certain things or might already be seeing trends where this Gospel-centered movement is going off in the wrong direction.

“Is it possible for us to already start to see certain trends of where this movement may go less than what is biblically faithful?” Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Durham, N.C., reflected. If so, there needs to be a change, the men agreed.

For Wax, an editor at LifeWay Christian Resources, there was an issue of the mind versus heart.

In watching the movement – of evangelicals committed to renewing their faith in the Gospel of Christ – unfold, he found that sometimes, in seeking clarity on the Gospel, which he believed to be a good and necessary thing, the focus would solely remain on “getting the bare facts right” instead of experiencing the beauty of the Gospel.

“We can sort of have this knowledge at the cerebral level, but not really be what’s captivating our hearts, what’s affecting our hearts,” he shared.

“We’re able to easily say, ‘Hey, there’s something wrong with that guy’s preaching,’ or ‘There’s something wrong in that book,’ or ‘This guy’s confusing Gospel and implications and whatnot,’ but it’s not the beauty of the Gospel and the God of the Gospel that’s actually captivating our hearts, our affections, our emotions.”

It’s up here, Wax said, pointing to his head, but not in there, he said, referring to his heart.

Greear, affirming Wax’s concern, shared a story about meeting a “little old lady” while visiting his home church who exemplified that very issue.

“I was at my home church and there was a sweet little old lady there who would not be able to articulate any of the terms for Gospel-centeredness. She would probably have never heard of John Piper or Tim Keller, but she started to talk about it in a way that just exuded love for Jesus, gratefulness for his grace and the cross.”

“And I remember standing there and it was like God knocked me down about four levels because the whole point of Gospel-centeredness is love for Jesus, and this woman had it,” Greear said.

“It’s possible for us to … forget that the point of Gospel-centeredness is not being able to point out who doesn’t use the terms of Gospel-centeredness, the point is loving Jesus.”

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