James Choung is director of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's San Diego Division. His book True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In (IVP, 2008) introduces an evangelistic tool called "The Big Story." The four-circle diagram explains the gospel in four phrases: designed for good, damaged by evil, restored for better, and sent together to heal. LeadingOutreach.com asked Choung about his diagram and why he believes the church must share a broader gospel message.

How are the four circles of "The Big Story" different from The Four Spiritual Laws?

The Four Spiritual Laws was a great tool a generation ago. It was really an attempt to help nominal Christians. It was an invitation back into a relationship with God through Jesus, but it seemed to make everything about the individual. "The Big Story" tries instead to recapture a more communal, social focus. It also emphasizes transformation more than decision and the "mission life" more than just the afterlife.

We hope that, through these shifts, ...