Hole in Our Gospel

Prior to reading The Hole in Our Gospel, I had never felt completly changed and inspired by a book. This autobiography aims to capture readers and open their eyes to the needs of those suffering. Richard Stearns opens his heart to his own spiritual journey, one that included landing the role of president of World Vision. Richard Stearns takes readers on an incredible journey into the life of those who are stricken with poverty and disease. Using tragic real life stories and jaw dropping statistics, he opens our eyes to the issues at hand. He takes us with him to meet the people who are stricken with poverty and disease. In addition, Stearns makes a point that both the Church and individuals have incredible resources to make a change, yet very little is actually done. He reminds us of the sin of omission and that many of us would rather pretend that the problems do not exist rather than reach out to help. The reality, however, is that as Christians, we must live out our faith through public action. It is what Jesus taught us, yet many of us have turned our religious life into a private, personal relationship with God. Stearns makes the point that we must live out our beliefs. A book on poverty could easily come across as a lecture, or a guilt trip, but Stearns has written an incredible book that is both informative and motivating. He gives readers the practical tools to move forward in discipleship and truly make a difference. For those of us not confident in our abilities, Stearns opens our eyes to a world of possibilities. As I was reading, a huge smile came across my face when I read this line “He created all of us for a purpose and envisioned our lives at the very beginning of time itself. He gave us a unique personality and a set of aptitudes and placed us each in a particular family. Day by day, He brings key people into our lives and provides life experiences that shape us. God does all of this with His purpose in mind, tailored to the individual- you and me”. How could you not be inspired by that statement? Personally, that sums up my faith, it makes me excited and ready to live my life for God. This book changed the way I view the world, it changed the way I view my own faith. In closing, I will again quote Stearns. “All of us have something God can use, even if it’s only a stick. The question is whether we will offer whatever stick we have to His service.” Because of reading this book, I know that I have the ability, awareness, and access to help my neighbors. Will you join me on this journey? What is your first step?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”