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Book Review: The Hole In Our Gospel
Richard E. Stearns is president of World Vision, a Christian relief and development organization and one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the U.S. He joined World Vision after leaving a lucrative career in corporate America that lasted a quarter-century. In The Hole in Our Gospel Stearns presents a forceful challenge to the western church, to forsake pursuit of wealth, comfort, and stuff and to fulfill the clear command of Jesus to care for the poor.
Stearns tells us that if our individual faith in Christ has no positive outward expression then our faith has a hole in it. As Christians when we committed our lives to following Christ we also committed to living our lives in such a way that those watching would see a reflection of God’s love, justice and mercy through our actions. God calls you to a place where, as Frederick Buechner said, “your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
Christianity is a faith that was meant to spread. But, God’s love was intended to be demonstrated with our hands not simply explained with our mouths. Our job is not simply to manipulate or convince others to agree with us or to leave false religions and embrace Christianity. Our charge is to both proclaim and embody the gospel so others can see, hear and feel God’s love in a tangible manner.
Stearns takes a very challenging look at us as followers of Christ. Poverty and suffering exist and the gospel’s response is very clear. For many of us the true problem with our faith is that we have ignored, rewritten or lied to ourselves about what the gospel says so that we can remain comfortable. Much of the gospel is about serving the poor and the needy as Christ has called us to do.
Stearns is not an amazingly gifted author nor is he deep theologian. This is his story of personal transformation coupled with a hard to swallow analysis of the state of the world and the condition of the western church and its members. The Hole in Our Gospel is a sound biblical challenge to the way we “do church” in U.S. today.
