“When God’s grace is working on us and in us, it will also work itself out through us.  The internal renewal of our minds and hearts creates an external propulsion that moves us out in love and service to others.”  page 67

“It is also the answer to your failure to love others, engage the culture, and live missionally.  If the gospel is renewing you internally, it will also be propelling you externally.” page 68

“But that sense of ‘should’ has no motivational power.  It was law, not gospel.  It could show me what I ought to be doing, but it could not change my heart so that I actually wanted to do it.” page 68-69

“Was joyless, mechanical obedience really honoring to Jesus?  Did God intend his commands to feel like drudgery?  When faced with this dilemma, most people settle for either legalism (obey even though you don’t feel like it) or license (don’t obey at all).  But neither of these is gospel!  The gospel of God’s grace is the fuel for mission, and when we run low on that fuel, our love and service to others grinds to a halt”  page 69

“It means that mission is not duty (something we ‘should do’) but a natural overflow of the gospel’s work inside of us.  If you aren’t motivated to love, serve and speak the gospel to people, the answer isn’t ‘just do it,’ the answer is to examine your heart, repent of sin, and discern where your unbelief is short-circuiting the natural outward movement of the gospel.  As the gospel renews your heart, it will also renew your desire to move out in faith into relationships and opportunities God places in your path.” page 69

-From The Gospel-Centered Life by World Harvest Mission.  Download a free sample of chapter 1 here