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Gospel Fluency: Speaking the Truths of Jesus into the Everyday Stuff of Life
flu·en·cy / ability to speak a language easily and effectively
Even if they want to, many Christians find it hard to talk to others about Jesus. Is it possible this difficulty is because we're trying to speak a language we haven't actually spent time practicing?
To become fluent in a new language, you must immerse yourself in it until you actually start to think about life through it. Becoming fluent in the gospel happens the same way—after believing it, we have to intentionally rehearse it (to ourselves and to others) and immerse ourselves in its truths. Only then will we start to see how everything in our lives, from the mundane to the magnificent, is transformed by the hope of the gospel.
Even if they want to, many Christians find it hard to talk to others about Jesus. Is it possible this difficulty is because we're trying to speak a language we haven't actually spent time practicing?
To become fluent in a new language, you must immerse yourself in it until you actually start to think about life through it. Becoming fluent in the gospel happens the same way—after believing it, we have to intentionally rehearse it (to ourselves and to others) and immerse ourselves in its truths. Only then will we start to see how everything in our lives, from the mundane to the magnificent, is transformed by the hope of the gospel.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 14, 2017
627 people are currently reading
3810 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Vanderstelt
21 books50 followersJeff Vanderstelt is the visionary leader of the Soma Family of Churches. He also serves as one of the teachers and elders of Soma Tacoma. He is the author of Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life. He lives in Tacoma, Washington with his wife, Jayne, and their three kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 361 reviews
October 10, 2022
I read this book as part of a book discussion group at my workplace. It started off pretty well, then gradually it became harder and harder to chew on. Reading this book is like eating chicken wings. It takes a lot of discernment and work to get the meat off of it without choking on a bone along the way. There are some elements of truth that are spot on, but there are also many inaccuracies and errors that one must be cautious of.
Thesis of the book: To show believers what it looks like to be "gospel fluent" in all facets and relationships of life. Basically, how to we "speak the gospel" to believers and non-believers.
One good thing about the book was that the gospel was clear. There were some good tendencies and sayings in the book itself that centered around the idea that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
Here are the yellow and red flags in the book for anyone wanting to undertake it:
1. (Calling everyone "unbelievers" seemed like a disingenuous 'hook' that couldn't be supported by scripture) - the author at the beginning lays out a statement for shock value, like someone would during a Ted Talk perhaps. We are all (those who believe in Christ and those who do not) "unbelievers" he claims. However, he fails to give Biblical support for this notion and tends to say what is simple and Biblical. Namely, that believers in Christ still struggle with sin and doubt and shame. Perhaps the root of sin is unbelief, but claiming these categories early on muddles the assurance of salvation for believers.
2. (The author uses himself for all of the good examples of the book). At first, this wasn't so bad or noticeable but as the book continued it got very old very fast. We got to hear how Jeff: said just the right thing to his kids when they were acting up, coached his wife through anxiety, mentored immature believers in his congregation, shared the gospel in a creative way on the plane with a stranger, etc. I want to be careful with this critique because I think the premise of the book lent itself to these examples (he is trying to show what speaking the gospel to people looks like in different situations). I don't have a problem with that premise, but the way in which he did it, with himself being the good example or the hero in every chapter who knew just what to say, the perfect illustration, etc. came across as prideful and immature.
3. (Watch out for Keswick influence) - As the book progressed, I picked up on some Keswick/higher life tendencies in the writing. There were Christians, and then there were "gospel fluent" Christians, as if we needed some secret skill or secret key or 'discipleship plan' outside of scripture to grow more like Christ. He praises some examples of Christians who are extremely charismatic such as his worship leader who can't stop praising the meal in a "spiritual" way. By doing so, I fear a separate 'class' if Christian is subtly being created... Those who are "in tune" with the spirit and those who are not. Be careful as you read this for this type of subtle but detrimental teaching.
4. (Misuse of the Holy Spirit) - The author completely abuses the role of Holy Spirit throughout the book. Many times he references "feeling" the spirit tell him something to do in the moment. Or giving examples like "we could walk through the neighborhood together in prayer, asking the Spirit to show us what is broken and needs repair..." Scripture never characterizes the Holy Spirit in this role. The Holy Spirit never speaks a word that is different than the Bible and the primary role of the Spirit is to point to Christ. Beware of this mischaracterization of the Holy Spirit.
6. (Lacking Scripture references and support) One very basic critique I have of the book is just that it lacks Scripture references and support of the concepts and ideas presented. I like books that are riddled with scripture and support because there is much less tendency for error and straying for what God actually says about His creation and His Son.
7. (Using unnecessary new terms for Biblical concepts) similar to the critiques above, the author has new terms he throws around "we are all unbelievers" and "gospel fluency". Instead of explaining these ideas in terms of scripture, we just hear about endless examples of how to be those things. I am wondering if the terms are used to try to be "relevant"? I'm not exactly sure, but I prefer books that stick to the terms and language of scripture instead of trying to coin their own slogans and catch phrases and "models" There is less room for error in books that simy stick to the basics and explain what God has already said perfectly in His Word.
Thesis of the book: To show believers what it looks like to be "gospel fluent" in all facets and relationships of life. Basically, how to we "speak the gospel" to believers and non-believers.
One good thing about the book was that the gospel was clear. There were some good tendencies and sayings in the book itself that centered around the idea that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
Here are the yellow and red flags in the book for anyone wanting to undertake it:
1. (Calling everyone "unbelievers" seemed like a disingenuous 'hook' that couldn't be supported by scripture) - the author at the beginning lays out a statement for shock value, like someone would during a Ted Talk perhaps. We are all (those who believe in Christ and those who do not) "unbelievers" he claims. However, he fails to give Biblical support for this notion and tends to say what is simple and Biblical. Namely, that believers in Christ still struggle with sin and doubt and shame. Perhaps the root of sin is unbelief, but claiming these categories early on muddles the assurance of salvation for believers.
2. (The author uses himself for all of the good examples of the book). At first, this wasn't so bad or noticeable but as the book continued it got very old very fast. We got to hear how Jeff: said just the right thing to his kids when they were acting up, coached his wife through anxiety, mentored immature believers in his congregation, shared the gospel in a creative way on the plane with a stranger, etc. I want to be careful with this critique because I think the premise of the book lent itself to these examples (he is trying to show what speaking the gospel to people looks like in different situations). I don't have a problem with that premise, but the way in which he did it, with himself being the good example or the hero in every chapter who knew just what to say, the perfect illustration, etc. came across as prideful and immature.
3. (Watch out for Keswick influence) - As the book progressed, I picked up on some Keswick/higher life tendencies in the writing. There were Christians, and then there were "gospel fluent" Christians, as if we needed some secret skill or secret key or 'discipleship plan' outside of scripture to grow more like Christ. He praises some examples of Christians who are extremely charismatic such as his worship leader who can't stop praising the meal in a "spiritual" way. By doing so, I fear a separate 'class' if Christian is subtly being created... Those who are "in tune" with the spirit and those who are not. Be careful as you read this for this type of subtle but detrimental teaching.
4. (Misuse of the Holy Spirit) - The author completely abuses the role of Holy Spirit throughout the book. Many times he references "feeling" the spirit tell him something to do in the moment. Or giving examples like "we could walk through the neighborhood together in prayer, asking the Spirit to show us what is broken and needs repair..." Scripture never characterizes the Holy Spirit in this role. The Holy Spirit never speaks a word that is different than the Bible and the primary role of the Spirit is to point to Christ. Beware of this mischaracterization of the Holy Spirit.
6. (Lacking Scripture references and support) One very basic critique I have of the book is just that it lacks Scripture references and support of the concepts and ideas presented. I like books that are riddled with scripture and support because there is much less tendency for error and straying for what God actually says about His creation and His Son.
7. (Using unnecessary new terms for Biblical concepts) similar to the critiques above, the author has new terms he throws around "we are all unbelievers" and "gospel fluency". Instead of explaining these ideas in terms of scripture, we just hear about endless examples of how to be those things. I am wondering if the terms are used to try to be "relevant"? I'm not exactly sure, but I prefer books that stick to the terms and language of scripture instead of trying to coin their own slogans and catch phrases and "models" There is less room for error in books that simy stick to the basics and explain what God has already said perfectly in His Word.
January 25, 2022
~3.5 stars. This book is difficult to review. There were a couple of “wow” moments and I really like the overall message about gospel fluency. However, it is guilty of several problems that I constantly find in Christian nonfiction. A lot of this is me, me, me. We learn all about the author’s wife and family, and every time he shares the good news with a stranger, and long, elaborate stories about his life that eventually comes to be a short point or analogy about God. If I wanted to read a memoir, I would read a memoir, people! It is clear he has good intentions, but also clear he sees himself as a hero and tends to brag. As other reviewers have pointed out, the tone can come across as very demeaning and condescending. Some of this I enjoyed greatly, but during the rest of it, I was rolling my eyes.
June 6, 2025
Went through this great book again, this time with my discipleship guys over the course of a few months. Crucial concept for all believers: the gospel is for all day every day Christian living. What does it look like to be "gospel fluent", able to connect daily rhythms to the work of Jesus in our hearts? If you haven't already, pick this one up to find out!
April 4, 2022
Very practical and motivating book to be more intentional about living out the truths of the Gospel.
He encouraged us to be so in love with Jesus, so overcome by what He does for us, that we can't help but talk about Him all the time in every situation.
I loved it!
He encouraged us to be so in love with Jesus, so overcome by what He does for us, that we can't help but talk about Him all the time in every situation.
I loved it!
August 24, 2025
4.5 stars! simple book but very beautiful, practical, and necessary. I was particularly impressed by Jeff's thoughts on taking communion and sharing testimonies. his framework for assessing works of the flesh, the enemy, and the world in light of what they say about our own identities and who God is, and for pursuing repentance by reminding ourselves of who God is and who we are in Him, was also very poignant and useful. I will revisit many sections of this book for sure and I'm excited to implement what I've learned in my life, Christian friendships, and missional communities. :)
February 19, 2017
From the foreword: Every human being on earth needs salvation, not only from the wrath to come, but also from the flimsy theology permeating our Christian communities. That might sound a bit extreme, but in essence it is true.
From chapter one: I’m an unbeliever. So are you. “Wait,” you’re thinking. “What are you doing writing a book about the gospel of Jesus Christ if you’re an unbeliever? And what do you know about me? Who do you think I am?” I grew up believing that people fall into two categories: you are either a believer or an unbeliever—; you either believe in Jesus Christ and what he has done for us or you don’t.
Do you know the gospel? Do you need the gospel? Do you love the gospel? Do you live the gospel? Do you SPEAK the gospel, not just in the words you say in front of others, not just in the words you say to justify yourself to yourself, but in the way you live your life? Vanderstelt's book is about becoming fluent in the gospel.
What does it mean to be gospel fluent? In his own words, "We need to know how to believe and speak the truths of the gospel—the good news of God—in and into the everyday stuff of life. In other words, we need to know how to address the struggles of life and the everyday activities we engage in with what is true of Jesus: the truths of what he accomplished through his life, death, and resurrection, and, as a result, what it true of us as we put our faith in him. The gospel has the power to affect everything in our lives."
He continues, "Gospel-fluent people think, feel, and perceive everything in light of what has been accomplished in the person and work of Jesus Christ. They see the world differently. They think differently. They feel differently. When they are listening to people, they are thinking: “How is this in line with the truths of the gospel? What about Jesus and his work might be good news to this person today? How can I bring the hope of the gospel to bear on this life or situation so this person might experience salvation and Jesus will be glorified?” When they see movies, they see the themes of the gospel, and they also notice which themes represent a false gospel. They begin to evaluate the storylines of their surrounding culture in light of the story of God’s redemptive purposes in Christ Jesus, and they learn to perceive where God might already be at work around them, preparing the soil of a community and individual hearts for the seeds of the gospel to be sown. Most significantly, those who are growing in gospel fluency are experiencing ongoing transformation themselves."
This book is divided into five sections: Gospel Fluency, The Gospel, The Gospel in Me, The Gospel with Us, and The Gospel to Others.
This one is good and basic and fundamental. Don't assume because it covers all the basics that "mature" "advanced" believers can skip it, that this is one for baby Christians. I'm convinced that we need the gospel every day, no matter what. And sometimes it's the people who think they know the gospel inside and out and back again that need the most basic principles of the gospel fleshed out for them...again.
The ideas are really good. The narrative has a lot of illustrations in it--dialogue situations--that I haven't quite decided if I like or not. I think his coaching you through how to speak the gospel to others--or to yourself--in love can come across at first as a little condescending. There were certain passages that I just felt were slightly awkward or unnatural. But. That being said, do I disagree with his theology? No.
I found his ideas thought-provoking for the most part. I liked what he had to say about stories and storytelling especially. "Listening to one another’s stories enables us to learn about God’s work in one another as well. Every one of us has a story, and all of our stories are part of the true story. Really, our story is God’s story. Though we regularly believe they are about us, our stories are really all about him, for “in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)."
His ideas about gospel fluency stayed with me as I read two books: John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress and Taylor Caldwell's No One Hears But Him. Both would be great examples of gospel fluency, in my opinion. Caldwell's book in particular stood out to me in terms of stories and finding ways to connect the gospel to our lives, our stories, our needs. But Christian and Faithful OR Christian and Hopeful (depending on where you are in their journey) are also great at speaking truth in love into any and every situation.
From chapter one: I’m an unbeliever. So are you. “Wait,” you’re thinking. “What are you doing writing a book about the gospel of Jesus Christ if you’re an unbeliever? And what do you know about me? Who do you think I am?” I grew up believing that people fall into two categories: you are either a believer or an unbeliever—; you either believe in Jesus Christ and what he has done for us or you don’t.
Do you know the gospel? Do you need the gospel? Do you love the gospel? Do you live the gospel? Do you SPEAK the gospel, not just in the words you say in front of others, not just in the words you say to justify yourself to yourself, but in the way you live your life? Vanderstelt's book is about becoming fluent in the gospel.
What does it mean to be gospel fluent? In his own words, "We need to know how to believe and speak the truths of the gospel—the good news of God—in and into the everyday stuff of life. In other words, we need to know how to address the struggles of life and the everyday activities we engage in with what is true of Jesus: the truths of what he accomplished through his life, death, and resurrection, and, as a result, what it true of us as we put our faith in him. The gospel has the power to affect everything in our lives."
He continues, "Gospel-fluent people think, feel, and perceive everything in light of what has been accomplished in the person and work of Jesus Christ. They see the world differently. They think differently. They feel differently. When they are listening to people, they are thinking: “How is this in line with the truths of the gospel? What about Jesus and his work might be good news to this person today? How can I bring the hope of the gospel to bear on this life or situation so this person might experience salvation and Jesus will be glorified?” When they see movies, they see the themes of the gospel, and they also notice which themes represent a false gospel. They begin to evaluate the storylines of their surrounding culture in light of the story of God’s redemptive purposes in Christ Jesus, and they learn to perceive where God might already be at work around them, preparing the soil of a community and individual hearts for the seeds of the gospel to be sown. Most significantly, those who are growing in gospel fluency are experiencing ongoing transformation themselves."
This book is divided into five sections: Gospel Fluency, The Gospel, The Gospel in Me, The Gospel with Us, and The Gospel to Others.
This one is good and basic and fundamental. Don't assume because it covers all the basics that "mature" "advanced" believers can skip it, that this is one for baby Christians. I'm convinced that we need the gospel every day, no matter what. And sometimes it's the people who think they know the gospel inside and out and back again that need the most basic principles of the gospel fleshed out for them...again.
The ideas are really good. The narrative has a lot of illustrations in it--dialogue situations--that I haven't quite decided if I like or not. I think his coaching you through how to speak the gospel to others--or to yourself--in love can come across at first as a little condescending. There were certain passages that I just felt were slightly awkward or unnatural. But. That being said, do I disagree with his theology? No.
I found his ideas thought-provoking for the most part. I liked what he had to say about stories and storytelling especially. "Listening to one another’s stories enables us to learn about God’s work in one another as well. Every one of us has a story, and all of our stories are part of the true story. Really, our story is God’s story. Though we regularly believe they are about us, our stories are really all about him, for “in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)."
His ideas about gospel fluency stayed with me as I read two books: John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress and Taylor Caldwell's No One Hears But Him. Both would be great examples of gospel fluency, in my opinion. Caldwell's book in particular stood out to me in terms of stories and finding ways to connect the gospel to our lives, our stories, our needs. But Christian and Faithful OR Christian and Hopeful (depending on where you are in their journey) are also great at speaking truth in love into any and every situation.
June 11, 2021
Me encantaron las ideas principales del libro. Algunos ejemplos y escenarios de sintieron un poco irreales, no porque me sea difícil predicar el evangelio, si no porque las conversaciones descritas sonaban un poco construidas. De cualquier manera es retador y un regalo pensar con cuidado que tanto consideramos a la persona de Jesús en nuestra vida y en nuestras relaciones. Súper recomendado para un mundo cristiano moralista que urge de una relación con Jesús.
May 14, 2020
I do think people need to find the words to share the Good News and that we often want our lives to be our witness without either knowing or sharing how it is connected to our beliefs about God and the Kingdom of God. I appreciated one chapter where he talks about the 4 Questions we can ask ourselves and others about how we know who God is and who we are and what God wants for us etc in order to help shape our thoughts and feelings when we are filled with fear or anger. However, the entire tone of the book is so smug and self confident—the author comes off as constantly having the answers and constantly guiding others into greater revelation. It’s super annoying and his perspective seems to be just do this and it’ll all change. I wouldn’t recommend this book to most people. I also don’t believe people will go to hell if I don’t do a better job of sharing the gospel so that’s of course part of it.
March 16, 2025
Jesus came at exactly the right time. As did this book come to me. Finished the read through and am excited to continue our study in it. Praise God for Pastor Ben and our book club! And all BHBC! Shout out!
It seems that some of the last things we come to as Christians is the courage to share the gospel with others and to lay our money at the feet of Christ for others. God has been working through our church, our pastors, and my heart to make me more aware and fluent in these weaknesses. I'm so very thankful for these types of books by fellow Christians. We talk about what we love, and we love what we talk about. Come to love Christ, and his gospel will pour out from our mouths. I can't recommend this book enough.
It seems that some of the last things we come to as Christians is the courage to share the gospel with others and to lay our money at the feet of Christ for others. God has been working through our church, our pastors, and my heart to make me more aware and fluent in these weaknesses. I'm so very thankful for these types of books by fellow Christians. We talk about what we love, and we love what we talk about. Come to love Christ, and his gospel will pour out from our mouths. I can't recommend this book enough.
September 2, 2025
This was a re-read for me, but still 5 stars. It was a great season for me to read this again and be reminded of the truths of the gospel.
May 19, 2018
I'm only giving this 3 stars out of personal preference. It was good themes, well-written, however very "Christianese." Granted, Vanderstelt did give definitions, explanations, and examples for his terms; still, I felt like Christianity was reduced to a system or formula (which is sad and I hate to say, because that's exactly what this book was trying to say Christianity is NOT; rather, it's a way of life). I still underlined and was challenged. But when the book ended, I still felt like I was waiting for something more.
July 10, 2020
I like the premise of book, which is that the Gospel applies to all facets of life rather than simply what happens after you die, which is often what it is relegated to. Christians say they believe the Gospel, but don’t actually understand it’s main tenets or why it matters to think about them. I liked the author’s metaphor of language learning and what it is like to become fluent in a new language. It adds a useful paradigm when trying to grow in Gospel understanding and application. The main problem with the book was the mismatch between what one might assume the audience is vs. who the author is actually speaking to. Given the title, one might assume the author would allow for new, unchurched Christians to be in the audience. However, he often references theological concepts without explaining them (For example, he talks about Jesus being the “true and better Adam” early on in the book, but only gives a cursory explanation of what that concept is towards the end of the book), leading me to believe his actual intended audience is Christians who have been in church/Sunday school/private-school-religion-classes for awhile. This book would have been really helpful to me in my college years as I was coming from this type of audience and just starting to explore my faith on my own. So, it’s a good book for the right audience, but if you are looking for something that explains the parts of the Gospel and how to apply it to all facets of life without Christian jargon then this isn’t it. (I would recommend a book like Risen Motherhood instead.)
April 25, 2024
took my forever to read but was definitely worth it. I think this book has actually changed the ways I see my patients and interact with everyone. Vanderstelt explains the gospel in a way in which you can literally use it in your everyday life - as the title itself says.. but truly it does.
My biggest take away from the book is that his goal isn't to make the reader feel as though they need to share the full gospel and have the person convert in order to be successful... far from that actually.. He emphasizes that people are drawn to Christ by the saving work that only God can do.. however, that does not mean we as Christians can neglect others and say that if the Lord wants to save them he will... No, but he emphasizes that we should be able to show how the gospel has transformed us in how we live our daily life, how we are in relationships with our coworkers, friends, and strangers.
This book has changed the way I interact with people completely because I no longer see strangers as someone I will never see again but rather I ask myself the question of.. "If this person is truly made in the image of God, how would I treat them and how would I want them to feel?" or even a practical application of Matthew 25:31-40.
Although this book is a heavy read, despite how short the book actually is. I recommend all believers to read this as it will truly change the way you see others in your day to day life but it will also cause you to slow your thinking because of all of the applications of scripture Vanderstilt provides.
My biggest take away from the book is that his goal isn't to make the reader feel as though they need to share the full gospel and have the person convert in order to be successful... far from that actually.. He emphasizes that people are drawn to Christ by the saving work that only God can do.. however, that does not mean we as Christians can neglect others and say that if the Lord wants to save them he will... No, but he emphasizes that we should be able to show how the gospel has transformed us in how we live our daily life, how we are in relationships with our coworkers, friends, and strangers.
This book has changed the way I interact with people completely because I no longer see strangers as someone I will never see again but rather I ask myself the question of.. "If this person is truly made in the image of God, how would I treat them and how would I want them to feel?" or even a practical application of Matthew 25:31-40.
Although this book is a heavy read, despite how short the book actually is. I recommend all believers to read this as it will truly change the way you see others in your day to day life but it will also cause you to slow your thinking because of all of the applications of scripture Vanderstilt provides.
March 29, 2025
Solid and encouraging. Christians must learn how to contextualize the gospel to every day life. The gospel is like a language that we have to learn how to speak to the areas of life that deny its truths. I enjoyed this book but also am a little overwhelmed at parsing the motives of every day life. Doing what he suggests takes a keen awareness of motives behind every day reactions and actions that I don’t find to be that easy.
June 8, 2018
"The main reason people don't talk about Jesus is not that they lack training. I am convinced it is that they lack love. … those affection lead you to express verbally and physically what you love most, because you talk about what you love."
The first part of this book spent a great deal discussing how we must be shaped by the Gospel in our own lives first. We must know what Christ has done for us, that He is the hero of our story and that we must remind ourselves of our love for Him because of His love for us. When we go through life ask "What difference does the Gospel make here?"
The book then moves into how we share the Gospel with others verbally and physically. We proclaim Christ as we listen to the needs of others.
"Gospel fluency isn't just about talking. Its about listening as well."
"If I have only an hour with someone, I will spend the first fifty-five minutes asking them questions and finding out what is troubling their hear and mind, and then in the last five minutes I will share something of the truth." -Francis Shaeffer
When we sit and listen horizontally and vertically, we help facilitate space to effectively communicate the love and difference of Christ. Name, narrative, and need. Once we have these three from a person we can tell them of Jesus and how He is the root of their true desire and need, He will be the hero of their narrative.
The first part of this book spent a great deal discussing how we must be shaped by the Gospel in our own lives first. We must know what Christ has done for us, that He is the hero of our story and that we must remind ourselves of our love for Him because of His love for us. When we go through life ask "What difference does the Gospel make here?"
The book then moves into how we share the Gospel with others verbally and physically. We proclaim Christ as we listen to the needs of others.
"Gospel fluency isn't just about talking. Its about listening as well."
"If I have only an hour with someone, I will spend the first fifty-five minutes asking them questions and finding out what is troubling their hear and mind, and then in the last five minutes I will share something of the truth." -Francis Shaeffer
When we sit and listen horizontally and vertically, we help facilitate space to effectively communicate the love and difference of Christ. Name, narrative, and need. Once we have these three from a person we can tell them of Jesus and how He is the root of their true desire and need, He will be the hero of their narrative.
October 27, 2018
For me, chapter 9 was an invaluable take-away from this book.
1.5 years after first starting to apply the fruit to root/ root to fruit exercise from chapter 9 (which for a time was the first thing I did every morning when I woke up as I was struggling with despair, burnout, and a lot of anxiety at the time) and having continued in that now almost daily- wrestling with my gripping habitual sin and unbelief- I can honestly say it has profoundly and deeply changed my life.
1.5 years after first starting to apply the fruit to root/ root to fruit exercise from chapter 9 (which for a time was the first thing I did every morning when I woke up as I was struggling with despair, burnout, and a lot of anxiety at the time) and having continued in that now almost daily- wrestling with my gripping habitual sin and unbelief- I can honestly say it has profoundly and deeply changed my life.
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July 1, 2022No other book has shaped my understanding of the good news of Jesus is like this one has. It’s like a beaming sunrise on what you thought repentance was, beautiful and mesmerizing.
February 22, 2024
There are some really great, 5 star parts of this book. I like the idea of becoming “fluent” in speaking the Gospel. The author presents the concepts in a fresh, easy-to-grasp perspective. Approaching the Gospel as a way of life- and not simply a part of life, and emphasizing the critical importance of the Gospel, is beautiful.
However, there were also some parts that felt a little gimmicky to me. Also, (and this is an observation from other reviews as well) the fact that the author used himself as the hero in all of his stories and examples, got old really quickly, and felt a little arrogant. (But some of his organizational associations lend themselves to that mindset, anyway…)
Overall, glad I read the book, learned a lot from it, and would recommend it (with some caveats).
However, there were also some parts that felt a little gimmicky to me. Also, (and this is an observation from other reviews as well) the fact that the author used himself as the hero in all of his stories and examples, got old really quickly, and felt a little arrogant. (But some of his organizational associations lend themselves to that mindset, anyway…)
Overall, glad I read the book, learned a lot from it, and would recommend it (with some caveats).
November 26, 2019
A really helpful read highlighting a huge problem among followers of Christ, that is, not knowing how to weave the gospel narrative into our everyday conversations with others, in telling our own redemptive stories while putting Jesus as the rightful hero of our stories, and in listening and responding to others with true gospel hope communicated clearly to them. May we start babbling and truly learning to speak the language of the gospel in our faith communities, so we can speak fluently to a broken world in need of the Savior.
December 2, 2023
This is a book that needs to be meditated on. It helped me to have studied it twice in parallel with different sets of people. I let the truth sink in and chose to trust the exposed truth of the book.
Found myself in great need for the Gospel and realized even better how greatly other people need the Gospel too.
This book won't change anyone. God changes people's convictions when they humble themselves.
This book won't offer everything, but it exposes one of the healthiest frameworks for being missional.
This book won't make anyone a Gospel fluent person, but it will perfectly address the issue and the urgency.
Found myself in great need for the Gospel and realized even better how greatly other people need the Gospel too.
This book won't change anyone. God changes people's convictions when they humble themselves.
This book won't offer everything, but it exposes one of the healthiest frameworks for being missional.
This book won't make anyone a Gospel fluent person, but it will perfectly address the issue and the urgency.
April 6, 2017
¡Quiero este libro en español! Me encantaron los ejemplos de cómo escuchar a nuestro prójimo, hablar el evangelio, y mostrar quién es Dios con nuestras vidas. Un libro corto, claro, y necesario.
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I want this book in Spanish! I loved the examples about how to listen to our neighbors, speak the Gospel, and show who God is through our lives. A short, clear, and necessary book.
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I want this book in Spanish! I loved the examples about how to listen to our neighbors, speak the Gospel, and show who God is through our lives. A short, clear, and necessary book.
March 4, 2019
This was a great reminder that we are to be living and speaking the gospel all the time. We are to be fluent in the gospel. I listened to the audio but definitely need to get a hard copy to study more thoroughly.
2019 A book on Christian living.
2019 A book on Christian living.
September 8, 2024
Highly recommend this book! It gives such great advice on how to actively walk in light of the gospel in “the everyday stuff of life.” Such a good read! 10/10
May 12, 2025
Straight fire. We need to be people who live lives that demand a gospel explanation. The gospel needs to be our greatest affection and belief. Then since our behaviors are the tangible expression of our beliefs- it should bleed into the everyday stuff of life.
June 16, 2024
there were some compelling points but I the overall tone was not for me
May 28, 2025
What Vanderstelt has to say is something my church and I really can learn from. 5 stars. How he says it is... less than ideal. 1 star. Split the difference. 3 stars.
May 5, 2025
If this book was 120 pages instead of 200, I think I’d have given it 5 stars. A few sections just dragged. But overall, super helpful and going to reference/recommend at an upcoming class on how to apply the gospel in everyday life.
December 20, 2023
Vanderstelt walks through a helpful framework of thinking and speaking the Gospel that challenged me on many levels and also gave me a greater appreciation and sense of gratitude for my Bible college training which equipped me in many ways to live out his conclusions.
July 24, 2024
I think his examples are a little generalized and not as applicable as I’d like, but I do see what he is overall explaining. Fruit to root has been very beneficial to me over the past couple years so 👏 for that
February 26, 2025
A great reminder that Jesus is the hero of our stories. Also, I will be using fruit to root forever.
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