Introducing a New Series: Presenting the Gospel in a Culture of Hopelessness
Oct 3 2025 - Eric Buresh
Most of what I write here falls into the category of devotional. These posts flow from my own time of study and reflection, written with the hope that they will encourage and exhort you as they have first stirred my own heart.
This post, however, will serve as the doorway into something a little different. Over the next several weeks, we will post a series of pieces that are more instructional in nature, dealing with the subject of gospel presentation.
Why Cultural Apologetics?
The church has a long and rich history of defending the faith. When we hear the word apologetics, most of us think of academic exercises designed to guard core doctrines against attacks from within and without and to persuade outsiders using logic and reasoning. Such apologetics is vitally important to the health of the church, but it is not usually tailored specifically for evangelism.
Cultural apologetics, however, leans in a different direction. It is all about evangelistic persuasion. It is the art of presenting the truth of the gospel in a way that is attractive, compelling, and fitting for the culture in which we live. It is not about changing the gospel—it never changes—but about showing how its timeless truth speaks directly to the longings and wounds of our present moment.
In other words, cultural apologetics is packaging without compromise. It asks: How can I communicate the unchanging gospel in such a way that people in my neighborhood, in my city, in my century, see its beauty, relevance, and power?
The Delight of Persuasion
Of course, no one is saved apart from the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. We cannot reason anyone into the kingdom of God. And yet, what a delight for Christ-followers to partner with God in the message! To labor, not in dry formulas, but in persuasion born of love.
When we seek to woo others with the gospel, we find ourselves wooed all over again. To tell others that Christ is living water is to drink from Him afresh. To proclaim that His yoke is easy and His burden is light is to feel our own shoulders lifted. Evangelism is not just a gift to the lost—it is a gift to us who carry the message.
The Cultural Moment
And what a moment it is. However you slice today’s cultural analysis, certain themes ring out:
- Hopelessness
- Lack of purpose
- Loss of sustained identity
- Loneliness
- Fatigue and Anxiety
We do not rejoice in suffering, but we do recognize opportunity in it. These are the very wounds to which the gospel speaks most directly. If our culture feels like it is groaning under the weight of despair, then the soil is rich for hope to take root.
The Gospel is that hope. It is the answer to a restless age. It gives identity, restores purpose, ends loneliness, and promises true rest. It is the one story big enough, strong enough, and beautiful enough to carry the ache of our generation.
A Series of Seven
That is why I’ve prepared a series of seven posts. They are not the only way to tell the gospel story—there are countless and likely better ways—but they represent my best efforts right now to speak the good news into our culture’s longings. We will start with the foundation of the Gospel itself and then unfold some of its breathtaking effects.
Here are the titles you can expect:
- The Fountain and the Symphony: God’s Cosmic Purpose
- The Wrong Road: Humanity’s Rebellion
- The God Who Burns with Love: Justice and Wrath
- The Good Shepherd Who Lay Down His Life: Christ’s Rescue
- Admit, Believe, Follow: Our Response to the Gospel
- Pilgrims Together: The Community of the Gospel
- Masterpiece: Identity, Purpose, and Good Works
Setting the Stage
So consider this an invitation: not to an academic seminar, but to a journey of persuasion—where we will see again how the gospel answers the deepest needs of our time and how, in sharing it with others, we ourselves are freshly captivated by its beauty.
I pray that as we walk this path together, you will not only be better equipped to share the good news, but you will also find yourself wooed again by the One who is good news.