The Hole in Our Gospel: What Does God Expect of Us? [Hardcover]

Richard Stearns (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2009

WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT OF US? 

Is our faith just about going to church, studying the Bible and avoiding the most serious sins—or does God expect more?

Have we embraced the whole gospel or a gospel with a hole in it?

Ten years ago, Rich Stearns came face-to-face with that question as he sat in a mud hut in Rakai, Uganda, listening to the heartbreaking story of an orphaned child. Stearns’ journey there took much more than a long flight to Africa. It took answering God’s call on his life, a call that tore him out of his corner office at one of America’s most prestigious corporations—to walk with the poorest of the poor in our world.

The Hole in Our Gospel is the compelling true story of a corporate CEO who setaside worldly success for something far more significant, and discovered the full power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to change his own life. He uses his journey to demonstrate how the gospel—the whole gospel—was always meant  to be a world changing social revolution, a revolution that begins with us.

ECPA 2010 Christian Book of the Year Award Winner!

“Read this compelling story and urgent call for change—Richard Stearns is a contemporary Amos crying ‘let justice roll down like waters….’  Justice is a serious gospel-prophetic mandate.  Far too many American Christians for too long a time have left the cause to ‘others.’  Read it as an altar call.”

--Eugene H. Peterson, translator of The Message, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, BC

“Rich Stearns calls us to exhilarating obedience to God’s life-altering, world-changing command to reflect his love to our neighbors at home and globally. The Hole in Our Gospel is imbued with the hope of what is possible when God’s people are transformed to live radically in light of his great love."

--Gary Haugen, President & CEO, International Justice Mission 

“Richard Stearns is quite simply one of the finest leaders I have ever known.... When he became president of World Vision I had a front row seat to witness the way God used his mind and heart to inspire thousands.... His new book, The Hole In Our Gospel will call you to a higher level of discipleship.... Now is the time...Richard Stearns has the strategy...your move!”

--Bill Hybels, Founding and Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, IL

“Rich Stearns has given us a book that makes absolutely clear what God hopes for and expects from each of us.... He reminded me of my personal responsibilities and the priority I must give them and also where life’s true rewards and fulfillment are to be found.”

--Jim Morris, former executive director, United Nations World Food Program

"World Vision plays a strategic role on our globe. As the largest relief organization in the history of the world, they initiate care and respond to crisis. Rich Stearns navigates this mercy mission with great skill. His book urges us to think again about the opportunity to love our neighbor and comfort the afflicted. His message is timely and needed. May God bless him, the mission of World Vision and all who embrace it."

--Max Lucado, author of 3:16—The Numbers of Hope, Minister of Writing and Preaching, Oak Hills Church, San Antonio, TX

“Rich Stearns has penned a passionate and persuasive book aimed at Christians who find themselves absorbed with their own existence, pursuing the American dream of health, wealth and happiness.  Rich traces his own spiritual journey from having it all, to sacrificial living on behalf of those who have nothing.  Not only is Rich eloquent, he’s right.”

--Kay Warren, Executive Director HIV/AIDS Initiative at Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, CA

"An urgent, powerful summons to live like Jesus. Stearns weaves solid theology, moving stories, and his own journey of faith into a compelling call to live the whole Gospel. Highly recommended!"

--Ronald J. Sider, President, Evangelicals for Social Action, Author of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger

“With passionate urging and earnestness, Rich Stearns challenges Christians to embrace the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ by embracing the neediest and most vulnerable among us.  After reading the moving stories, the compelling facts and figures, and Stearns’ excellent application of scripture and his own experiences at World Vision, you will no doubt be asking yourself: What should I do?”

--Chuck Colson, Founder, Prison Fellowship

“This book is a clarion call for the church to arise and answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?"... If you read this book, you will be inspired, but if you do what this book is asking, you will be forever changed. Rich Stearns' book is like a safari for hurting souls that cannot be written in the safety of an office suite.... If you have been feeling something missing or an aching emptiness inside, read The Hole in our Gospel.  It will show you how to fill that void!”

--T.D. Jakes Sr., The Potter's House of Dallas, Inc.

“Rich Stearns’ book is showing us through stories and examples how it is better to see a sermon rather than hear one.  This is an important book for all of us!”

--Tony Hall, US Ambassador and former US Congressman

“This is much more than “just another book” from a Christian leader.  It’s a message to Christendom that we all need.”

--Dr. Tony Campolo, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University, author of Red Letter Christians 

“This book represents a powerful personal story; face to face experiences with the poor which changed the author's life, plus, an insightful scriptural commentary.  As happened with Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision; Richard Stearns' heart has been broken with the things that break the heart of God.   Now, Stearns is using his considerable CEO skills to serve the poor and oppressed.  I highly recommend this book.”

--John M. Perkins, President, John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation & Development, Inc.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stearns, the CEO of World Vision, says Christians have a huge hole in their lives, an emptiness that comes from ignoring the plight of the poor. He details his own quest to fill this hole by leaving Lenox Inc., where he was CEO, to run a not-for-profit that helps feed, clothe, and educate children worldwide. Unlike many evangelical Christians, Stearns believes poverty is explained by something more than choices, and lifting cultures from the systemic causes of poverty requires a multi-pronged approach. This accessible book will make it into the hands of evangelical Christians who may not pick up one of the many ABA books on issues of hunger, access to clean water, malaria and AIDS. Readers of Rick Warren, Jim Wallis and N.T. Wright will find Stearns synthesizing thoughts from them as well as from economists and missionaries.This is a passionate and motivating magnum opus from the leader of one of the most recognized aid organizations in the world. The book is a surprisingly no-holds-barred prophetic voice in the wilderness crying out to rich Americans, "Repent and help your world neighbors."(Mar. 10)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Rich Stearns calls us to exhilarating obedience to God's life-altering, world-changing command to reflect his love to our neighbors at home and globally. The Hole in Our Gospel is imbued with the hope of what is possible when God's people are transformed to live radically in light of his great love." ----Gary Haugen, President & CEO, International Justice Mission<br /><br />"With passionate urging and earnestness, Rich Stearns challenges Christians to embrace the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ by embracing the neediest and most vulnerable among us. After reading the moving stories, the compelling facts and figures, and Stearns' excellent application of scripture and his own experiences at World Vision, you will no doubt be asking yourself: What should I do?" ----Chuck Colson, Founder, Prison Fellowship<br /><br />It's 1998 and Richard Stearns' heart is breaking as he sits in a mud hut and listens to the story of an orphaned child in Rakai, Uganda. His journey to this place took more than a long flight from the United States to Africa. It took answering God's call on his life, a call that hurtled him out of his presidential corner office at Lenox-America's finest tableware company-to this humble corner of Uganda. This is a story of how a corporate CEO faced his own struggle to obey God whatever the cost, and his passionate call for Christians to change the world by actively living out their faith. Using his own journey as an example, Stearns explores the hole that exists in our understanding of the Gospel. Two thousand years ago, twelve people changed the world. Stearns believes it can happen again. "Read this compelling story and urgent call for change-Richard Stearns is a contemporary Amos crying 'let justice roll down like waters….' Justice is a serious gospel-prophetic mandate. Far too many American Christians for too long a time have left the cause to 'others.' Read it as an altar call." -- --Eugene H. Peterson, translator of The Message, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, BC

"Rich Stearns calls us to exhilarating obedience to God's life-altering, world-changing command to reflect his love to our neighbors at home and globally. The Hole in Our Gospel is imbued with the hope of what is possible when God's people are transformed to live radically in light of his great love." ----Gary Haugen, President & CEO, International Justice Mission

"With passionate urging and earnestness, Rich Stearns challenges Christians to embrace the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ by embracing the neediest and most vulnerable among us. After reading the moving stories, the compelling facts and figures, and Stearns' excellent application of scripture and his own experiences at World Vision, you will no doubt be asking yourself: What should I do?" ----Chuck Colson, Founder, Prison Fellowship --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 1st edition (March 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785229183
• ISBN-13: 978-0785229186
• Product Dimensions: 1.5 x 5.9 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (516 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Richard Stearns brought nearly 25 years of corporate experience to World Vision when he became its president in June 1998.

Stearns holds a bachelor's degree form Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. His professional career began in marketing with the Gillette Company. From 1977 to 1985, he held various roles with Parker Brothers Games, culminating in his appointment as president in 1984. In 1985, he became a vice president at The Franklin Mint, then joined Lenox in 1987 as president of Lenox Collections. In 1995, Stearns was named president and chief executive officer of Lenox Inc. As president of World Vision Inc., Stearns is responsible for U.S. operations, which include fund raising, advocacy, and program development.

Stearns and his wife, Renee, have been World Vision supporters since 1984. The couple has five children and live in Bellevue, Washington.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 94 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "Do not fail to do something because you cannot do everything." May 28, 2009

By C. Joseph

Format:Kindle Edition

As I cracked open this nearly 300 page book I found a biography of a man that compelled me. Richard 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?

Richard 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."

Richard 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.

If we hear the story of a child dying in a car accident - we are sad for the family. But if we learn that it is our next door neighbor's child who died we are deeply grieved for the family. And if our own child dies - well - our world is turned upside down. For some reason we place less value on the children dying half way around the world than we do our own children - but GOD DOES NOT!

Oh, this book was so convicting as it told stories of children eating dirt patties with butter to ease their starving bellies. As I imagined the orphans of the AIDS epidemic spending most of their day looking for food and retrieving dirty water - I felt convicted about my own children and how they turn their noses up at their peanut butter and jelly sandwich that doesn't have the crust cut off!

What does God expect us to do about all this poverty? Richard reminds us of Matthew 25 where Jesus speaks of judgement 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."

The righteous ask "when did we see you hungry Lord?" And Jesus replied "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine , you did for me. Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink..." And the righteous went to eternal life.

Wow - did you catch that? - the people who did not feed the hungry or give drink - went to eternal fire! God has a pretty STRONG opinion on what he expects us to do - wouldn't you say??? If you are like me - you spend much of your Christian days trying to do what is right as a mom, wife and servant in the church - avoiding the really bad sins. But this "squeaky clean" approach is not what God is looking at on judgement day. God is not just looking at our faith - but our evidence of our faith - and specifically - how we helped the poor.

I have to admit and be open here - this book completely humbled me - at one point in the book - I literally stopped reading and said out loud "shut up!" and began to cry. I am deeply grieved by my failure in this area.

I have shared much of my reading with my husband and children and I hope to make some strides forward in this area as a family - the task is so overwhelming but this one quote motivates me to try - "Don't fail to do something because you can not do everything."

I recommend this book and also want to encourage you to go to World Vision's website - http://www.worldvision.org - to see if there is anything that you can do to help those in need.

Courtney
www.womenlivingwell.org

58 of 65 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hole In My Gospel April 24, 2009

By Brandon Vogt TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

Recently, I was sent a copy of "The Hole In Our Gospel" to read and review. Written by the U.S. President of World Vision, Richard Stearns, the book journeys into the great problems of the world and analyzes how Christians, specifically in America, relate to them.

Seeing that the book was penned by the head of an international aid organization, I must admit that I began with feelings of skepticism and reluctance. Before beginning the book, I expected a simple, shallow, and guilt-ridden message that would end with a plea for World Vision support. However, this book steers far from that path. Surprisingly, Stearns never directly advocates for the support of a World Vision child. Instead, his chosen path is one in which he walks alongside the reader through many challenging issues, pointing out what he sees along the way. I can imagine no better tour guide than the man who not only leads one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the history of the world, but also one who has set foot in nearly 100 of the poorest countries in the world. Stearns doesn't just lightly suggest the pursuit of justice and care for the poor--he is battling on the frontlines himself.

From the outset of the book, I was comforted with the relative normalcy of Richard's early life. In addition to feelings of apathy and ignorance towards suffering in our American churches, he also shares that for most of his life he was consumed with materialism and the addiction of corporate success. Proclaiming that he is no `Mother Teresa', he sincerely aims to show that he should not be lifted up as an other-worldly wonder-worker. He makes a point that he is an every-man, and it shows through his experiences. This encouragement yields a hope that anyone, no matter where they are in life, can experience a true conversion of the heart.

The book opens by detailing his early life as an incredibly successful young business man, jumping from role to role as a leader of multiple companies. The early parts of the book chronicle his personal journey of enlightenment, one that led him to realize this great `hole' that we American Christians have in our version of the Gospel and our call to fill it. Using many sources and proof texts from the Bible, he walks the reader through the blatant evidence in Scripture that point to this `hole', namely that God is determinedly on the side of the poor.

Stearns sprinkles the book with quotes from many throughout history--from the great thinkers of the past such as St. Teresa of Avila and St. Augustine, to modern world-changers like Mother Teresa, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr., and even from great modern thinkers like Robert Frost, C.S. Lewis, Dallas Willard, Albert Einstein, and Bono. The one thing that becomes clear through this journey is that Stearns sees one uniting string that stretches throughout all of history, one that also weaves throughout our modern life. This string interlaces brilliance and charity, contemplation and action, enlightenment and love, and in fact began with God. He displays a deep harmony between those who understood life at its core and those who cared most for the greatest injustices of their day. As an example Stearns, like me, considers Bono to be one of today's greatest prophets, despite being a pariah amongst many of today's churches. Religious inconsistencies arise when those who care most for the pain in the world don't `fit' in our churches.

Stearns sees one common message that has been proclaimed through different words by different people at different times: God cares for the poor and the downtrodden immensely, and a person claiming to love God should be living a life that reciprocates that care. And he suggests that we in American are coming up way short.

The seriousness of poverty in this world quickly becomes evident, and the lack of response from the American church becomes clear just as fast. Stearns notes that despite the Old Testament mandate to tithe, or give 10%, of one's salary to the church and the poor, American Christians on average give away only 2% of their income to churches or charities. And only 2% of this 2% goes to fund international work--0.04% of American Christian's total income. Understanding that, these statistics become terribly convicting:

* The total annual income of American churchgoers: $5.2 trillion
* Amount available if each of them gave 10% of their salary: $520 billion
* Estimated annual cost to eliminate extreme poverty in the world: $65 billion
* Annual cost for universal primary education for ALL children in the world: $6 billion
* Annual cost to bring clean water to most of the world: $9 billion
* Annual cost to bring basic health and nutrition for the world: $13 billion
* Total to eradicate the world's greatest problems: $93 billion (1.8% of American Christian's income)

We just agreed to push through an $800 billion financial bailout in our country. Stearns opens our eyes to the fact that American's have the potential and the resources to bring billions and billions of people out of extreme poverty at a relatively small cost. American Christians by themselves--even excluding the rest of America and the world!--have enough available resources themselves to end the great problems of this world. So why isn't this happening? That question is left to stir in the minds of readers throughout the book.

Towards the end of the book, Stearns finished by igniting a passionate vision in the minds of readers. He asks the reader to imagine, "how stunning it would be to the watching world for American Christians to give so generously that they:
* Brought an end to world hunger
* Solved the clean water crisis
* Provided universal access to drugs and care for the millions suffering from AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis
* Virtually eliminated the more than 26,000 daily child deaths (20,000 of which are estimated to stem from hunger issues)
* Guaranteed education for all the world's children
* Provided a safety net for the world's tens of millions of orphans"

If this happened, "the global social revolution brought forth by the body of Christ would be on the lips of every citizen in the world and in the pages of every newspaper--in a good way". How would the world see Christians--and especially the One they follow--if we in America put our money where are prayers and Bible claim they lie? What adjectives would the world then use to describe Christians instead of judgmental, hypocritical, and selfish?

This book is not one that leaves the reader filled with guilt and inadequacy but hope and the feeling that one can make a difference. It ends with practical steps one can take to begin joining the fight for the oppressed, but as a whole the book's foremost goal is to transform the reader's heart into one that breaks for the broken.

I really can't recommend this book enough to those who sincerely want to follow Jesus. Richard Stearns delicately, yet directly, calls the church in American to action against all injustice in the world. He recognizes that as people who claim to follow Jesus, "our heart must break for the things that break God's heart."

Be very careful if you decide to read this stellar book; like any encounter with needed truth, you will feel increasingly uncomfortable as you flip through the pages. However, once you catch the vision Stearns paints, you will be invigorated to slam the book shut and begin to change what your small pieces of the world. We all have the opportunity to make an impact, in this country and even in others. As many throughout history have echoed, now is the time to stand up and break the chains of injustice in our world. Let's go."

140 of 168 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Concerns from a Christian Development Worker March 21, 2011

By Christian Development Worker

Format:Audio CD

I know Richard Stearn's intentions are good but the book leaves me with a hole in my stomach:)

My journey in India has taken me through the paradigm of World Vision-like organizations (e.g. Habitat for Humanity, Samaritan's Purse, Gospel for Asia, The Leprosy Mission, etc) and I have seen their problems on the ground. Consequently, I am disappointed Richard Stearns gives a stinging critique of the American church but doesn't adequately address the legitimate criticisms--well known to insiders--of the Christian, multi-national aid industry. Does one really think groups like World Vision are immune to the empire building and wasteful spending (and in many cases, outright corruption) that the American church is susceptible to?

But forget all the issues of corruption and gross inefficiencies suffered by most international Christian organizations. Those are just symptoms of some fundamental problems with many Christian foreign-aid organizations.
1. They have followed secular humanist priorities which view injustice and physical need as man's primary problem when, as Christians, we are to understand these as symptoms of a much deeper spiritual crisis that exists in communities unable/unwilling to care for their own people. With so much emphasis in the secular media on the issues of poverty & injustice it is certainly easier and more lucrative to follow their lead rather than stand as a prophetic voice and point to the spiritual crisis that is the deeper issue and offer the solution of Jesus.
2. At least in the Indian context, their commitments to donors and the consequent program implementation deadlines require the quick application of funds with little regard for taking the time to build synergy with the local church and work with them to address the spiritual problems in the community that have created the symptoms of poverty and injustice in the first place.
3. In some instances, as is the case with World Vision India, their secular and governments partnerships prevent them from addressing the spiritual issues altogether!
4. As a result of points 2 & 3, they have often ignored the role of local church in enabling/empowering them to set the agenda and priorities in their region such that the deeper spiritual issues can be addressed while simultaneously dealing with the community's symptoms in a manner that is sustainable and does not undermine the long-term, spiritual initiatives.

Finally, there seems to be a mutually symbiotic relationship between the Christian aid organization and the American Christian donor that is not good. The donor get's to sacrifice a bit of their wealth and lifestyle (Stearn's bit was to sacrifice his multi-million dollar income for a MEAGER $400,000/year salary at World Vision) in order to
(a) avoid the sacrifice Jesus and the disciples had to make, i.e. the sacrifice of their lives for transforming the world with the gospel;
(b) avoid the guilt associated with living a lifestyle that cannot be reconciled with Jesus' teachings and the poverty they see on TV;
(c) stay in line with the secular humanist's powerfully influential, yet biblically uninformed conviction that poverty and injustice are mankind's worst enemies and can be solved without the God of the Trinity.

In turn, the Christian aid organization gets to receive the donor's dollars with few questions asked...and even take pot shots at the Church and claim it's being prophetic in doing so!

Neither seem interested in each other's transformation. Neither seem interested in transforming communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ and thereby truly helping the community solve their own problems for the long term. Transforming communities through the Gospel takes time and involves face-to-face, relationship based on human interaction that results in discipling people. There is too much human sacrifice involved in that. Governments (such as the Indian government) and the powerful forces that under-gird poverty and injustice will persecute you for it. Furthermore, the secular humanists find that approach abhorrent in the age of pluralism and have a much faster turn-around time in their short-term approach. Consequently their approach seems to set the bar for today's Christian aid organizations.

Bottom line: It's a lot easier all around for rich Christians in America to simply throw money at the world's immediate problems rather than be prophetic and involve sacrificially in addressing the spiritual roots. And, by the way, World Vision is happy to handle that money for you!

Stearn's book was basically an extended argument for supporting World Vision hidden behind a veneer that wreaks of poor ecclesiology. Certainly World Vision will benefit financially from his polemic (and what better book-release timing than in the middle of the US recession). But World Vision's short term gains will not be long term gains for the gospel of Jesus...nor for the communities being reached with this gospel of secular humanist ideology that under-girds many "Christian" foreign-aid programs which bypass the local Church's discipleship mission.