Jesus is the central focus point of the good news

I love Andy Stanley’s Path Principle: Direction, not intention, determines destination.

When we evangelize in a post-Christian, postmodern world, we need to understand the people we’re trying to reach. Aaron Pierce describes this as sharing Jesus with the young, deconstructed, and non-religious.

A week ago, I attended the annual Faith at Work gathering with the SALT Christian Network team, along with representatives from more than 90 businesses across the Twin Cities. During the event, Aaron shared teaching from Not Beyond Reach, the book he co-authored with Chip Ingram.

This is a teaching diagram called “The Two-Sided Funnel.” It presents an evangelism and discipleship framework centered on Jesus as the focal point.

At the center is JESUS, representing the core message of the gospel. The funnel shape indicates that many issues exist around a person’s spiritual journey, but not all issues should be addressed at the same time.

Left side of the funnel (before faith in Christ):
The question at the top left asks:

“What is obscuring or distorting their view of Jesus and the Cross?”

This side focuses on barriers that prevent someone from seeing or trusting Jesus clearly. Examples listed are:

• Lies
• Idols
• Misconceptions
• Hurts
• Confusion

The idea is that when sharing faith, the immediate goal is not to solve every life issue or theological question. Instead, identify the primary obstacle blocking that person’s understanding of Christ.

Examples:

• Intellectual skepticism (“How do I know Christianity is true?”)
• Emotional wounds (“Christians hurt me”)
• Cultural idols (success, money, autonomy)
• Religious misunderstandings (“I must earn salvation”)

These issues funnel inward toward Jesus because removing those distortions helps a person see Him more clearly.

Right side of the funnel (after conversion / discipleship):
The bottom right question asks:

“What should be addressed after someone trusts in Jesus and makes Him Lord of their life?”

This side addresses issues that matter, but are typically secondary to salvation. Examples listed:

• Moral behavior
• Political ideology
• Non-salvific theological doctrines

These are important discipleship topics, but the diagram argues they should usually be addressed after someone comes to faith, not as prerequisites.

Examples:

• Lifestyle habits
• Political beliefs
• Denominational debates
• Secondary doctrines (end times views, spiritual gifts, church governance)

Core principle:

Do not confuse evangelism with full discipleship.

In simple terms:

• Before faith: Remove barriers to seeing Jesus.
• At conversion: Bring the person to Jesus and the cross.
• After faith: Teach obedience, theology, and transformation.

Why this matters:
Many Christians unintentionally create unnecessary barriers by demanding agreement on secondary issues before someone understands the gospel.

The funnel suggests asking two diagnostic questions:

1. What is keeping this person from trusting Jesus?
2. What can wait until after they know Him?

This is a prioritization framework. It helps keep the gospel central while avoiding distraction by peripheral issues.