University Professor's Book Named a 'Resource of the Year' by Outreach Magazine

Scot McKnight's latest book examines the meaning of 'gospel'

CHICAGO (March 2, 2012) — Outreach magazine named Dr. Scot McKnight’s book, The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited as "Resource of the Year" in the evangelism category. McKnight is the Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies, Biblical and Theological Studies Department, North Park University.

McKnight said he was honored that his book was recognized by Outreach. "When I was told, I was pleased to hear that someone had the courage to rank my book at the top for books on evangelism, because this book shifts what evangelism means," he said.

"The message of this book is that the standard gospel – 'God loves you, you are sinner, Jesus died for you, respond in faith and you can be reconciled to God and go to heaven when you die' — is not what the New Testament means by 'gospel,' McKnight said. In his book, McKnight focuses on 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul said the gospel is "the Story of Israel coming to completion in the Story of Jesus who is King (Messiah), Lord and the one who saves his people from their sins," he said.

"The 'standard' gospel has created the church as a 'salvation' culture, focusing on who is in and who is out. The second approach creates a gospel culture, one noted by living under Jesus as king," McKnight said.

McKnight joined the University in 1994. He is a New Testament scholar, author, teacher and sought-after speaker. He has authored more than 30 books, including the award-winning The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others, which won the Christianity Today book of the year in 2005 for Christian Living. McKnight also writes a blog titled, "The Jesus Creed."

Outreach gave special recognition to 20 resources in categories that include compassion and justice ministries, missional living, and cross-cultural ministries. The list is published in the magazine’s just-released March/April 2012 issue. About 170 resources published between Nov. 1, 2010, and Oct. 31, 2011, were submitted to Outreach for consideration – the most submissions in the last four years, according to the magazine.

Evangelical Covenant Church News contributed to this report.

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