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Back to the Gospel: Reviving the Church through the Message that Birthed It
In Back to the Gospel , Peter Louis helps us to rejoice in our relationship with God again by reminding us of how big our salvation really is. Too often in the church, we find ourselves frustrated with our sin habits, guilty over our past, and not wanting to spend time with God. We want to be close to God, but we feel too unworthy and ashamed to approach Him. But God saved us to live in joyful relationship with him, not to live in guilt and fear. As he walks through the why , the what , and the how of the gospel, Peter Louis shows us that the gospel doesn't just save us from judgment. By crucifying our sinful nature, God has raised us to a new life that transforms us to enjoy an empowering and dynamic love relationship with Him.
- GenresFaithChristianNonfiction
182 pages, Paperback
Published January 5, 2017
85 people are currently reading
365 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 6, 2024
Earlier this year I had a bit of a crisis - I had no idea how to put the beauty of Christianity and Jesus to words. Every time I shared the Gospel, I always left feeling like my explanation was half-baked, somehow inaccurate despite following the same formulas I had heard in church all my life. I could not do the Gospel justice with my words.
Not only did this book finally give me the words I was looking for, but it also fixed my understanding of what Jesus' crucifixion & resurrection really did, as well as what it means to be given a new nature through Christ. I had many eyebrow raising moments while reading this, where I thought, "Huh, that's not biblical", only for Louis to faithfully interpret scripture in a way that answered my objections. Louis did a great job of revealing inaccurate ways that we (I) view sin & the Law in relation to our identity, and uses the core of the Gospel - intimacy with God, the "glory we fell from" (what Louis would describe as the most overlooked part of Romans 3:23) - to shed new light on how close the cross brings us to God and what it means to be born again.
There are still some ideas that I am wrestling through theologically (Louis' ideas are very Wesleyan/Holiness in nature), but I think this book does what the title says, and does it beautifully. Will re-read. 4.5 stars.
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"If we do not start and end [the Gospel] with God's all-consuming desire to be intimate with us, His people, then we are missing the entire point. The true and powerful gospel invites us into constant union with God" (24).
"There is nothing wrong with ministries deriving spiritual principles from the Word of God and using God's word to encourage and exhort people into freedom. The problem is when we communicate, whether subtly or overtly, that freedom comes based on our ability to fully "obey" or "walk out" these principles" (149).
"[The Church] is often limping along, building bigger walls, putting her hopes in the kingdoms of this world (businesses, retirement, politics), and insulating herself from the "big bad world". Many times, she bemoans the moral decline and corruption in society, while failing to acknowledge her role and position as the "light of the world". A victim mentality has invaded the hearts and minds of many believers, which leads to a spirit of fear, complaining, and eventually apathy" (159).
Not only did this book finally give me the words I was looking for, but it also fixed my understanding of what Jesus' crucifixion & resurrection really did, as well as what it means to be given a new nature through Christ. I had many eyebrow raising moments while reading this, where I thought, "Huh, that's not biblical", only for Louis to faithfully interpret scripture in a way that answered my objections. Louis did a great job of revealing inaccurate ways that we (I) view sin & the Law in relation to our identity, and uses the core of the Gospel - intimacy with God, the "glory we fell from" (what Louis would describe as the most overlooked part of Romans 3:23) - to shed new light on how close the cross brings us to God and what it means to be born again.
There are still some ideas that I am wrestling through theologically (Louis' ideas are very Wesleyan/Holiness in nature), but I think this book does what the title says, and does it beautifully. Will re-read. 4.5 stars.
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"If we do not start and end [the Gospel] with God's all-consuming desire to be intimate with us, His people, then we are missing the entire point. The true and powerful gospel invites us into constant union with God" (24).
"There is nothing wrong with ministries deriving spiritual principles from the Word of God and using God's word to encourage and exhort people into freedom. The problem is when we communicate, whether subtly or overtly, that freedom comes based on our ability to fully "obey" or "walk out" these principles" (149).
"[The Church] is often limping along, building bigger walls, putting her hopes in the kingdoms of this world (businesses, retirement, politics), and insulating herself from the "big bad world". Many times, she bemoans the moral decline and corruption in society, while failing to acknowledge her role and position as the "light of the world". A victim mentality has invaded the hearts and minds of many believers, which leads to a spirit of fear, complaining, and eventually apathy" (159).
May 11, 2023
Phenomenal book! Peter beautifully articulates with simplicity some profound truths about the Gospel that every believer should understand. Extremely challenging at parts, and it shed some light on lots of misconceptions held by parts of the Church (myself included) today. Some of the concepts it identified resonated with things I’ve experienced and come to believe over the past year, and he helps put some deeper spiritual truths that can be hard to explain into easy-to-read, digestible words.
Any Christian should put this high on their list! Also a great one to read with others to process through as a group.
Any Christian should put this high on their list! Also a great one to read with others to process through as a group.
May 23, 2023
This is the book I’ve been looking for - for longer than I realized! Clearly explains God’s three point plan of the Gospel and encourages Christians to participate in the freedom of the kingdom of heaven today by the power of the Holy Spirit
Read it, wrestle with it, and live it!
Read it, wrestle with it, and live it!
October 27, 2024
Cannot recommend this enough. Addresses some important questions in the life of a Believer and brings us back to what’s most important.
January 5, 2024
This book truly opened my eyes to brand new ways I can view the Gospel (and Evangelism). The ideas that Louis introduces would seem radical in many church bodies today, but I believe they could be revolutionary to many believers. Louis’ discussion of our sinful nature, and how it is truly changed and replaced with God’s righteousness, is one that I feel give members to the Church a new view of the freedom we have in Christ.
“This is the victory that we have been reborn into, and it is a thorough and complete salvation. He did not merely rinse us in His blood or settle our record of debt, but by the cross He destroyed sin, sickness, and death by becoming sin and death so that we could forever be liberated from the captivity of sin and fully become the righteousness of God”(40).
Additionally, Louis’ way of reframing the Gospel as a daily experience and decision to abide in God’s gift righteousness opened my eyes to ways that I find myself turning the Gospel into a “one-time gift of salvation, [when] it was never intended to be an isolated experience”(142).
I similarly felt convicted in reading Louis’ thoughts that “we’ve made Christian ministry more about the message we preach than the life we live” (171). How often have I relied so heavily on the preached Gospel that I have missed out on opportunities to express it through my actions?
Lastly, Louis’ explanation of the prodigal son was one that I, personally, needed to hear. While this section is in the beginning of the book, it was one I thought about throughout the rest of my reading. Louis’ use of this story to supplement his explanation of the New Covenant versus the Old Covenant truly paints the picture of ways that members of the church today, myself included, have warped our view of God to believe that doing Christian actions will result in intimacy with Him, when we really need to simply be with Him.
“So we see that our sanctification is not so much a work that we must perform, but a simple faith in the One who been raised and seated at the right hand of God”(104).
“When we are confident in the truth that we belong to the God in heaven who calls us His own, we will gladly serve Him and walk in obedience. Because we love Him and identify as His children, it will be our delight to honor Him in righteousness. It is from this identity that we will also see our Father’s willingness to freely give us all things”(59).
This book tugged at my heart strings and made me reflect on a lot of my relationship with the Lord, mainly ways that I have been functioning out of a sense of obligation to God, rather than allowing Him to lavish me in His gift of grace. A quick and short read but a very impactful one for me.
“This is the victory that we have been reborn into, and it is a thorough and complete salvation. He did not merely rinse us in His blood or settle our record of debt, but by the cross He destroyed sin, sickness, and death by becoming sin and death so that we could forever be liberated from the captivity of sin and fully become the righteousness of God”(40).
Additionally, Louis’ way of reframing the Gospel as a daily experience and decision to abide in God’s gift righteousness opened my eyes to ways that I find myself turning the Gospel into a “one-time gift of salvation, [when] it was never intended to be an isolated experience”(142).
I similarly felt convicted in reading Louis’ thoughts that “we’ve made Christian ministry more about the message we preach than the life we live” (171). How often have I relied so heavily on the preached Gospel that I have missed out on opportunities to express it through my actions?
Lastly, Louis’ explanation of the prodigal son was one that I, personally, needed to hear. While this section is in the beginning of the book, it was one I thought about throughout the rest of my reading. Louis’ use of this story to supplement his explanation of the New Covenant versus the Old Covenant truly paints the picture of ways that members of the church today, myself included, have warped our view of God to believe that doing Christian actions will result in intimacy with Him, when we really need to simply be with Him.
“So we see that our sanctification is not so much a work that we must perform, but a simple faith in the One who been raised and seated at the right hand of God”(104).
“When we are confident in the truth that we belong to the God in heaven who calls us His own, we will gladly serve Him and walk in obedience. Because we love Him and identify as His children, it will be our delight to honor Him in righteousness. It is from this identity that we will also see our Father’s willingness to freely give us all things”(59).
This book tugged at my heart strings and made me reflect on a lot of my relationship with the Lord, mainly ways that I have been functioning out of a sense of obligation to God, rather than allowing Him to lavish me in His gift of grace. A quick and short read but a very impactful one for me.
June 30, 2025
4.75
This book was fantastic. I absolutely love Peter Louis and the burden he has to see the gospel as a message to not be believed one time, but the importance for it to be believed every day for the Christian. I could not recommend this book enough to Christians at every point in their walk. It reminds you that the message of Christ Crucified is still what the lost need but also the church needs to see revival in this hour. AMAZING book. Also loved an idea of the triple curse (sin, sickness, and death) that Jesus overrides with his death burial and resurrection. AMAZING BOOK!!! Helpful framework for the gospel.
This book was fantastic. I absolutely love Peter Louis and the burden he has to see the gospel as a message to not be believed one time, but the importance for it to be believed every day for the Christian. I could not recommend this book enough to Christians at every point in their walk. It reminds you that the message of Christ Crucified is still what the lost need but also the church needs to see revival in this hour. AMAZING book. Also loved an idea of the triple curse (sin, sickness, and death) that Jesus overrides with his death burial and resurrection. AMAZING BOOK!!! Helpful framework for the gospel.
October 19, 2025
MUST READ
The concepts taught in this book truly changed my life. A cliche and overused statement in the Christian circle but this book truly encapsulates the truths that made my walk with the lord take a 180. I guarantee you 100% that you will walk away changed after reading this book and meditating on the scriptures that Louis highlights. If not changed, you’ll definitely have a better understanding of the gospel and what it means to be in the new covenant.
The concepts taught in this book truly changed my life. A cliche and overused statement in the Christian circle but this book truly encapsulates the truths that made my walk with the lord take a 180. I guarantee you 100% that you will walk away changed after reading this book and meditating on the scriptures that Louis highlights. If not changed, you’ll definitely have a better understanding of the gospel and what it means to be in the new covenant.
July 19, 2021
Sometimes we get bogged down by doctrine so much that we forget the fundamentals of the gospel. Peter K. Louis titled this book appropriately as it really takes us back to the core message of the gospel. Reminded of this message, this book enables its readers to walk with strengthened faith and renewed minds. It’s a book I’ll definitely be rereading in the future!
January 6, 2021
Just ok. I'll probably try to read this again in 6 months to see if that changes but it lacks a cohesive arc. It seemed more like a collection of short articles about the gospel, arranged in a semiconnected order.
December 20, 2025
EVERY CHRISTIAN should read this book! It helped me notice ways I was lead by religiosity in my life and that the gospel is a FREE gift that I did NOTHING and can do NOTHING to receive it. It’s not by works. Only Jesus.
September 11, 2023
The way Peter speaks about the blood of Jesus is none other . The profound revelation I was having through this book about the Gospel and THE TRUTH. It’s fair to say i am ruined
November 26, 2023
Brings you back to the simplicity of the Gospel, which changes everything
March 25, 2024
this was one of the most impactful books i’ve ever read!
July 23, 2024
Phenomenal. This book greatly expanded my perspective on various aspects of the Gospel. It's a highly recommended read for anyone, regardless of their stage in life or faith journey.
September 6, 2024
yaaaaaa will be rereading this again
December 25, 2024
Oh my. I loved this. I’ve known the gospel. But reading this allowed it hit my heart on a deeper level! Thank you Jesus!
April 6, 2025
So beautiful
June 9, 2023
This book is everything. A must read for every Christian especially those that have been caught in performance Christianity. The ultimate reminder that we are receivers!!!
May 16, 2023
A must-read for anyone who exists in, around, or in proximity to any kind of Christian culture--especially evangelicalism. Made me realize how much I have simultaneously diluted AND overcomplicated my theological framework out of a genuine desire to "live in relationship" with God and uphold "biblical values". Text me if you want to read it--I'll send you a copy! ;)
May 5, 2021
Awesome read! Eye opening and perhaps even motivating in terms of waking up and finding FREEDOM. I am truly blessed to know that I have such powerful and immediate access to Jesus Christ.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews