What is the gospel? The word itself simply means "good news."​ It's the message of how God rescued his fallen creation from sin and death through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We often tell the story of the gospel in four parts:

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Creation

God created all things from nothing. Earth was full of God's peace, and everything worked as God designed it to. In love, God created humans and gave them the task of making the world flourish with his goodness. We were made to live in joy in the presence of our Creator, worshiping God by loving Him and one another forever.

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Fall

Adam and Eve (the first humans) rebelled against their Creator, mistrusting his goodness. Their rebellion ("sin") brought brokenness and misery into God's once-peaceful creation. Humanity would have to live with the consequences for their sin — physical and spiritual death. All humans are born under this curse of sin, and every one of us has declared ourselves to be God's enemies through our attitudes and actions that go against his design for how he created life to be.

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Redemption

Although we deserve the judgment and wrath of God for our rebellion, the loving Creator put together a master plan for saving his world and rescuing those who rebelled against him. In the person of Jesus Christ, God himself came to save and restore his lost and broken world. He did this by sacrificing himself in our place, taking upon himself the punishment we deserved as he died on the cross. Three days later he rose from the dead, claiming victory over sin and death forever. All who trust in Jesus's sacrifice as payment for their sins receive God's forgiveness and the promise of resurrection. This salvation is a free gift to us from God, and there's nothing we possibly could do to earn it or keep it. We are forgiven and accepted because by God's grace alone.

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Restoration

The good news gets even better! God promises to renew his creation. Jesus will return to judge against sin, putting an end to it forever. He will then bring his Kingdom of Heaven to earth, making all things new. The perfect peace of God will reign forever in his new Kingdom, and all who belong to Jesus will live there with him as his redeemed children.