I just started reading The Hole in Our Gospel: What Does God Expect of Us? by Richard Stearns, president of World Vision. I hope to post much more in the coming days, but so far it looks to be a gem. Here is a short bit from the introduction:
I write this book from a very biased perspective. I believe that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And if Jesus was willing to die for this troubled planet, maybe I need to care about it too. Maybe I should love the people who live on it more. Maybe I have a responsibility to do my part to love the world that Jesus loves so much.
The idea behind The Hole in Our Gospel is quite simple. It’s basically the belief that being a Christian, or follower of Jesus Christ, requires much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world.
If your personal faith in Christ has no positive outward expression, then your faith — and mine — has a hole in it.
According to James it doesn’t just have a hole iin it…it’s dead.
I think this is an area where God is really telling us Western Christians it’s time to wake up. But are we?
I haven’t seen that bok yet, but I’ll keep an eye out for it.
“It’s basically the belief that being a Christian, or follower of Jesus Christ, requires much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world.”
Are you saying that salvation includes both? I do believe that ‘true’ saving faith will be followed by major transformation…which would include a relationship with the world…however, slavation is solely based upon the grace of God.
The church definetly needs to be out in the world showing the world Christ by our love and actions.
with a quote like that you can be assured I will be purchasing a copy of this book … AMEN!!! and AMEN!!!