The Hole in Our Gospel...

I just finished reading The Hole in Our Gospel by World Vision CEO Richard Stearns.  Stearns tells a powerful and compelling story of the events that lead him from being the President and CEO of the Lennox China Company to his current role at World Vision.  But it's about more than just his transition.  Stearns spends the first third of the book skillfully interweaving his own story with the story of people in need from all over the world.  The middle section gives one of the best summaries I have ever read about the scope of world need as well as some of the good news of what is currently happening to address that need.  In the final section of the book he takes a hard look at the church of Jesus Christ, calling us to begin to focus on taking action to address the need in our world.  

What do I think of the book?  This is the point where I should put together some eloquent phrases to tantalize your literary taste buds - a time to create in you a hunger to read the book. But instead of doing that let me just say this.  Everyone I know who calls themselves a follower of Jesus needs to read this book.  Several times.  And not read it as a way to feel more spiritual, but as truth and challenge to be integrated into life.  Stearns is hard on the North American church...but with good reason.  He believes that Jesus has called us to love the poor and needy, a claim that is hard to deny.  He has added fuel to mental fires that have been burning in my head for the past several years.  While I can't say I always liked what he writes, I can say that I think he is right.

You should read this book.  

It's that important.