Thanks for visiting me here but Iʻve recently taken my pen over to a different hosting space so come say hello.
JesseGiglio.com
23 July 2009
27 June 2009
The Hole In Our Gospel : Review
Iʻve been to Africa. Held AIDS orphans in my arms. Iʻm involved with the church full time. Iʻve seldom been able to reconcile the two.
Richard Stearnsʻ The Hole In Our Gospel is about that. About the realigning of our faith so that those two things are one in the same.
The social justice movement as of recent has had many books, many voices and many names. Yet itʻs been a Tribe thatʻs been void of something; a fatherly voice. In The Hole In Our Gospel Richard Stearns writes as someone who is humbly taking lead, not because heʻs comfortable or qualified (heʻd say he isnʻt) but because heʻs right and because he cares and because he calls the movement by itʻs rightful name, the Gospel.
As youʻd expect from the President of World Vision, this book is a heavy hitter. Itʻll actually push other books on your shelf around. Iʻm serious, maybe just go ahead and put your other books away for while. Stearns addresses the global state of poverty with passion and patience, story and statistic but without guilt or manipulation. This is less about criticizing the church and more about inspiring. Thatʻs not to say you wonʻt feel a sting with lines like, "If weʻre in Godʻs game, we need to put the American dream to death, because Godʻs game is different all together" or scriptures such as "if anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"
The Hole In Our Gospel is for everyone. Pastors, activists, questors and those who just suspect there must be more to living than we oft encounter (i.e. pastors). Itʻs for you and me because weʻre both human and hurting people need us. Not just to care but to do.
We need this book not because weʻre in the dark about poverty but because weʻre in the dark as to what we should be doing about it.
The Hole In Our Gospel is a motivator. Personally and communally. Redirecting a faith that has often been pointing in the wrong direction. Reminding us that children dying from drinking water or the lack there of is simply not acceptable and that itʻs not someone elseʻs problem.
Itʻs ours. Itʻs mine. And itʻs yours.
