The Hole in Our Gospel

The Hole in Our Gospel: The Answer That Changed My Life and Might Just Change the World

I recently finished a book the book The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns, President of World Vision US. This is a book that has rocked my spirit and has really challenged my thinking about reaching out in the name of Jesus. The main question that drives this book…”What does God expect of me?”

Stearns stated in the opening chapter of the book, “Christianity is a faith that was meant to spread – but not through coercion. God’s love was intended to be demonstrated, not dictated. Our job is not to manipulate or induce others to agree with us or to leave their religion and embrace Christianity. Our charge is to both proclaim and embody the gospel so that others can see, hear, and feel God’s love in tangible ways. When we are living out our faith with integrity and compassion in the world, God can use us to give other a glimpse of His love and character. It is God – not us – who works in the hearts of men and women to forgive and redeem. ”

Stearns was a godly husband and father to 5 children and was the President of Lenox China before giving up his Jaguar, large home, and large salary to become the President of World Vision. He went from living the country club lifestyle to sitting in grass huts in Uganda feeding children who are starving. Why? Why did he give up the American dream?
He told the story of a pastor friend who went through the Bible literally cutting out with scissors, all the verses on poverty and then when he preached on poverty, he held his ragged, tattered Bible in the air and said “Brothers and sisters, this is our American Bible; it is full of holes…here are all the Biblical texts we ignore.”

Stearns goes into full detail about the epidemic of poverty in our world that American Christians just simply ignore. 26,500 children will die today due to causes related to poverty – whether it’s starvation, dirty water, ravages of war, disease or AIDS. That’s the equivalent of 100 jet liners crashing just today! He knows how Americans value our airplanes and hate to see one crash – so he compares the statistic to a plane wreck.

What does God expect us to do about all this poverty? Richard reminds us of Matthew 25 where Jesus speaks of judgment day. Jesus says that the criteria for dividing the sheep from the goats will be:
“When I was hungry you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

If you are want a fresh perspective of how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus, I recommend this book…but a word of caution. This book will move you toward action. This is a book that will make you want to be action in living out the “whole” gospel. I finished the book praying the pray that World Vision founder Bob Pierce prayer, “Lord, break my heart with the things that break the heart of God”

Pastor Greg