When I first heard the title of Richard Stearns’ book—The Hole In Our Gospel—a thought crept into my mind. When I read on the back cover the phrase “to walk with the poorest of the poor in our world,” I was convinced: I just knew this book was going to be a guilt trip.
I couldn’t have been more wrong!
“The idea behind The Hole In Our Gospel is quite simple. It’s basically the belief that being a Christian, or follower of Jesus Christ, requires much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world,” writes Stearns as he introduces his book.
Using his life as a personal example, and presenting a stark but realistic picture of the suffering humanity in the world today, Stearns challenged me to look outside my own paradigm. I’ve seen the infomercials about sponsoring a child, and I keep abreast of the latest calamities in the world, but Stearns presents these sobering facts in a way that made me want to do something. Stearns quoted his friend Gary Gulbranson, “It’s not what you believe that counts; it’s what you believe enough to do.”
The other thing I wrongly assumed from the cover of this book was that the problems facing us were so huge, that even if I got involved little would change. Instead, Stearns showed me practical ways to help.
Far from being a “downer” or a guilt-trip, I found this book to paint an exciting picture of what was possible if I would just get involved. I could begin to imagine a world in which humanity was better off because I was in it.
Don’t shy away from this book just because it’s written by the president of World Vision: you will not read a single “commercial” or appeal to donate to World Vision or sponsor a child. But you will be changed. You will be challenged. On the closing page, Stearns asks a poignant question: “And when you close this book, what will you do now?”
I’m going to get involved.
July 13, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Great review although at times I did feel the guilt for sliding into the ‘good church’ thinking that showing up on Sunday, singing some worship songs, and then dropping something in the plate as it goes by was being a good, mature, Christian. Wow, there is so much more to life in and for Christ!
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July 14, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Yes… I want to do more, more, more for Christ!
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July 13, 2009 at 9:58 pm
way to ruin the ending 🙂
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July 14, 2009 at 12:04 pm
You are cracking me up, Sarah!
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January 28, 2010 at 8:56 am
Wow, I like your post !
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