Gospel to Asbury University

"Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us (leading us to faith), we must first see the cross as something done by us (leading us to repentance)." -John Stott

On the morning of March 2, 2011 I took the stage with my pastor, Brian Croft, in Asbury University's chapel service to bring one message (click here to hear the message).

"For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling." -1 Cor. 2:2,3

On this day I would reflect back to September 2005, a dark hole I was in before the 'light of the gospel of the glory of Christ' came in. My pastor lined me up by introducing me and then with fear & trembling I took stage to exalt the Christ on the cross. The only thing surreal about this all was that my pastor & I felt like this was the culmination of why I came to Asbury. Sure I got a basketball scholarship, earned a degree and had many opportunities to share the gospel previously but this was special. In my years at Asbury I had never heard a speaker in chapel clearly preach the gospel. I learned long ago never assume people know the gospel, are transformed by it, and stand in it. I need the gospel everyday or I'll dry up in emptiness & look to inadequate things for joy.

So here it was an opportunity to bring the Gospel, the message God promises to bless and change hearts through. It was a humbling experience to stand before 1300 people & unfold the beautiful glory of the cross of Jesus Christ. It was one of those few moments in life where I feel truly alive & at one with the purpose God gave me. I know how my generation is so occupied and empty and we reach out to anything to satisfy us but it leaves us more empty. At the cross is where we find peace with God, satisfying joy, eternal life, removal of guilt/shame and a new heart to finally live.


When I preach the gospel I want a gospel centered response. Maybe that’s why I’m so anti altar call & hate manipulation. God allowed me to see a gospel centered response yesterday when I checked my campus mailbox. An unidentified student left me a note that said:

“…You allowed me to see God and myself in new ways. Thank you for bringing me to Him.”

Later that night I was reading, “The Cross of Christ” by John Stott & came across this quote that revealed how Gospel centered this note was. Stott said:

“The doctrine of substitution affirms not only a fact (God in Christ substituted himself for us) but its necessity (there was no other way by which God’s holy love could be satisfied and rebellious human beings could be saved). Therefore, as we stand before the cross, we begin to gain a clear view both of God and ourselves…”

It is amazing to see a Gospel centered response because those are the life changing ones. What an undeserving joy it is to see & taste the fruit of the Gospel. The truth is I am the one who desperately needs the Gospel every day. I hope many others who heard the gospel receive eyes to see themselves exposed in the shadow of the Cross & see God’s glory revealed in the Cross.