4 Critical Mindsets:
- Embody the Gospel
- Seek empathy
- Prototype everything
- Multiply your impact
Not only can I almost guarantee that this list of 4 values that are critical to every Gospel minded organization will show up again on an exam, I want to dive into what embodying the Gospel really means.
Gospel-Mindedness
Gospel-mindedness or my play on words “minding the Gospel” is something that we touched on in class when talking about individuals as well as companies embodying the Gospel.
Gospel-mindedness can be defined as “wrestling with all the implications of the Gospel as it intersects with the fabric and the details of your whole life, both personal and professional.”
We were able to ask ourselves some entrepreneurial questions applying Gospel-mindedness to organizations; such as “How do the leaders or stakeholders define and practice the Gospel?”
However, I want to dive deeper and help us to examine our own hearts and ask ourselves – how we can strive for a Gospel-shaped mind. John Piper writes a Desiring God blog post about this, and I am going to share some of the information/points that he presents.
The Gospel-Shaped Mind
Honestly this article is really worth a read. I tried to summarize this section, but couldn’t do it justice so here are some of Piper’s words on Gospel-mindedness:
“The gospel-shaped heart is a heart that cherishes and treasures Jesus Christ more than health or wealth or even life itself. And, therefore, the gospel-shaped heart magnifies the beauty and worth of Christ by being satisfied in him above everything else. God is most glorified in the gospel-shaped heart because the gospel-shaped heart is most satisfied in him.”
Using scripture: Ephesians 4:18, and John 3:19-20 – these verses insinuate that the deepest problem that humans have is not ignorance of light, but rather hatred of the light and a darkened mind.
The remedy for hatred of light and a darkened mind is new birth – talked about in 1 Peter 1:23, 25. This new birth frees us from our old ways, and gives us a new heart and mind.
“the gospel-shaped mind is the mind that has been set free from bondage to deception and distortion, and can now see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ for what it really is” (see 2 Corinthians 4:4)
At the end of the day, we are created to treasure God and in this it will draw our heart, mind, and thus actions closer to our King. I challenge you to ask yourself how you are drawing near to the throne, how you can begin to have knowledge shift from your head to your heart, and how you can praise God for new birth in Him.
Again, I highly recommend the desiring God article, it will really make you think, and just be so in awe of how Jesus renews. 🙂
I think you made a very important when you said, “[the] deepest problem that humans have is not ignorance of light, but rather hatred of the light and a darkened mind.” It reminded me of Thomas Aquinas’ “Student Prayer”, which says,
“Creator of all things,
true source of light and wisdom,
origin of all being,
graciously let a ray of your light penetrate
the darkness of my understanding.
Take from me the double darkness
in which I have been born,
an obscurity of sin and ignorance.
Give me a keen understanding,
a retentive memory, and
the ability to grasp things
correctly and fundamentally.
Grant me the talent
of being exact in my explanations
and the ability to express myself
with thoroughness and charm.
Point out the beginning,
direct the progress,
and help in the completion.
I ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.”