Thursday, July 16, 2009

"The Hole in Our Gospel"--a book review

What does discipleship mean and how can we become disciples of Christ in the world around us? These questions are addressed in Richard Stearns' book "The Hole in Our Gospel." As President of World Vision U.S., Stearns has discipled and ministered to people in need throughout the world. He calls us to do the same, to fill the hole in our Gospel, too.

Stearns explains in great detail how he came to be President of World Vision U.S. and readily admits his reluctance at accepting the position. Time and again he tried to run from this calling, but he discovered that if God wants you in a certain place at a certain time, He will put you there! A terrific lesson that everyone should embrace.

The overall gist of this book is to spur Christians into action; to not just say we are Christians but to live the life a Christian is called to live. It's one thing to pity the poor; it's another thing to jump in and help the poor.

I thoroughly enjoyed Richard Stearns call to action--how he used poignant scripture references mixed with personal stories to illustrate his points--and it did inspire me to reconsider the areas of my life that lack true discipleship. The only minor fault I cite is the length of the book. Stearns' points could have been reached in 100 less pages.

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