Hole in Our Gospel: What does God expect of Us? The Answer that Changed my Life and Might Just Change the World

Written by Richard Stearns

Narrated by Tommy Creswell

This is a story of how a corporate CEO faced his own struggle to obey God whatever the cost, and his passionate call for Christians to change the world by actively living out their faith. Using his own journey as an example, Stearns explores the hole that exists in our understanding of the Gospel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ChristianAudio.com
• Release date: Mar 10, 2009
• ISBN: 9781596440289

Richard Stearns

Richard Stearns went from success to significance when he left the corporate world behind to become president of World Vision U.S. in 1998. After 20 years as the longest-serving CEO of the Christian relief and development organization, he plans to retire in January 2019. Stearns holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. His professional career included leadership roles at Gillette, Parker Brothers Games, The Franklin Mint, and Lenox Inc., where he became president and chief executive officer in 1995. Stearns brought corporate best practices to World Vision, where he inspired a culture of outcome-focused management. His lasting legacy is his leadership in calling on the Church in America to respond to some of the greatest needs of our time, notably the HIV and AIDS pandemic and the global refugee crisis. Stearns and his wife, Reneé, have five children and five grandchildren and live in Bellevue, Washington.

Reviews for Hole in Our Gospel

[jmcdbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rated: B+Outstanding work by Richard Stearns, former head of World Vision US. He builds a very personal and factual case for aggressively attacking the problems of poverty worldwide. In is compelling for me. I saw the people of poverty up front and personal when I went to Kenya. We must awaken first world Christians to step up their help as Christ has call us to do. I recommend this book to everyone.

[delenburg-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Recommended for the mission minded.

[bness2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A little preachy in spots, but an eye-opening book, especially if one has never looked at the spread of poverty on earth. Americans truly do have it better than everyone else, and insulated with our inward-looking religious tendencies, we can often forget the needs of the rest of the world. This book is a good reminder that central to the gospel is care for the poor and suffering of the world. What was most of Jesus' ministry composed of? This book provides a clear answer to that.

[highlander6022 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just fabulous. So many others have already discussed the content of the book, so I will only add, simply, that I challenge you to read this book and not come away changed.

[elosoblanco · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book really opened my eyes. It completely changed the way I look at certain parts of the Bible, and it really helped refocus me and change many of my wordly financial priorities.

If you're a church leader, or someone who is simply looking for a book that will make you think, I suggest you pick this book up, now.

[hoosiers80 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I finished reading The Hole In Our Gospel some time ago. I was unsure of the best way to review this because there is much good and bad in the book. The author Richard Stearns heads the World Vision organization which I support with my money. I understand an appreciate his goal for this organization which he pushes with this book. The cause of helping the afflicted and poor is a noble cause, and I agree with the premise of the book that Christians should be doing a better job of this. My problem is that he declares that this is a forgotten part of the Gospel. That is where the book goes terribly wrong. The Gospel is given properly in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. It is about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ for our sins according to Scripture. The book pushes our works to the poor as part of the Gospel by using many verses taken out of context. Faith comes from the preaching of the Gospel and our works are not part of it. If the book would have kept from making the message the Gospel, it would have been a wonderful book. But with the adding to of the Gospel done, it unfortunately makes the book not recommendable.

[cherylselby_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Richard Stearns shares his journey in service to the Kingdom of God and encourages the reader to join him in plugging the hole in our gospel. He displays our service to Jesus Christ in realistic manner, effectively removing all doubts as to God’s ability to use us to bless others. He encourages the reader to ‘take up his cross, and follow’ in a manner that is inviting and non-threatening.This book has opened my eyes to the reality of the world we live in, and my own neglect of my service to the Kingdom of God. I knew we were spoiled living in the USA, but I had no idea just HOW spoiled we truly are. Richard Stearns has made many of the scriptures that used to be just ‘reading material’ a fresh new reality in my life and my walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. I know it is no accident that the Lord put this book in my hands and His timing is always perfect. I am excited to see what the Lord has planned, how I am going to be used to bless others in this world we live in! Thank you Richard Stearns, for inspiring me, and opening my eyes – I once was blind, and now I see!

[pastorjeffmyers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book seriously messed me up!Richard Stearns in the president of World Vision US. In THE HOLE IN OUR GOSPEL, Stearns tells how he came from being a high-earning CEO to be the president of World Vision. He also masterfully shares the greatest problems/needs around the world and does a great job discussing why the world at large tends to ignore those in the greatest need and what we as the Church should be doing to help.If you want to carry on with life as usual, the DO NOT read this book! This book will increase your heart for missions, increase your compassion for "the least of these", and will cause you seriously re-evaluate your own lifestyle of consumerism.One of the most inspiring parts of this book is when Stearns details how he came to Christ and then wrestled with God's calling to lead this non-profit. It's an honest story of doubt and the the "chasing" that God often does when we resist his purposes for our lives. I can't recommend this book highly enough!

[mels_71_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as part of the Book Review Bloggers program with Thomas Nelson. Richard Stearns is president of World Vision U.S. and in this book he puts out a call to Christians to embrace the whole gospel and get serious about bringing God’s love to a world that is full of injustice. Stearns has managed to avoid what could easily have become a depressing, guilt inducing read to produce an inspiring call to action and self-examination. His honest appraisal of his own attempts to avoid God’s call on his life and his ongoing struggle to really care about the plight of the poor coupled with stories of ordinary people making a difference through small actions encouraged me. “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God” is a prayer by Bob Pierce founder of World Vision and it’s a prayer we should be praying today. There’s plenty that breaks God’s heart and Stearns uses personal stories to put faces to the statistics – have some tissues handy. A definite recommendation if you don’t mind being challenged in your comfort.

[avolyn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is so wonderful! The story starts out with some background on Richard and his life and then goes on to tell how he was called to work for World Vision. He emphasizes the call to action that is at the core of Christian faith that many other books do not address. It is true that works will not get you into heaven alone but Richard explains the purpose in which we were put on this earth. This is a fantastic book and I know it will inspire whoever reads it to start living life differently. I hope that this book gives each reader a new set of eyes to view the world. This book is such a blessing. Thank you, Richard.

[lauranav_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rich Stearns presents reasons for why he believes we have a “hole in our gospel” if our faith has no outward expression, specifically changing the world we live in where we see poverty and suffering. He begins the book describing his journey from disadvantaged youth to president of a luxury goods corporation to president of World Vision and how his faith grew and he grew until he was able to accept the job at World Vision. These chapters challenge us to evaluate our lives and see if we are living for Christ, even in our jobs and lives as they are right now. He isn’t saying everyone has to go work for a charity organization, but that wherever our job, we should be working for God’s glory. That includes caring about the poor and needy.Then he hits the hard part - the statistics that reflect real people. He works to convey the magnitude of the issues without losing our interest in the personal reality. Then he can get into the joyful news that we can all make a difference. He addresses a section to the Church and the critical question of why the church hasn’t reached out more. This is not aimed at pastors, but the members, all of us who have failed to stand up and address the disparity between rich and poor in this day and age.I think he’s telling us that if we give and it doesn’t hurt (isn’t a sacrifice) we haven’t really lived our faith. We are commanded to reach out to the homeless and help the widows and orphans in their distress. We are committing sins of omission in all the things we do not do. Is the church more comfortable holding to the traditions of men than in challenging the injustices in the world? We need faith and works, salvation and social reform.The purpose and method of the book is clear and well done. I recommend it, with a warning - you will be convicted, even made uncomfortable by what he says. That’s good news, and you can live out the whole gospel.

[drt_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The next book I read was The Hole in Our Gospel: What Does God Expect of Us? The answer that changed my life and just might change the world by Richard Stearns. Richard Stearns, the head of North American World Vision, talks about what he sees as a “hole in our gospel.” I do not believe it is a hole in the Gospel as he said but think it is definitely the peripheral issues that require focus from us Christians. He touches on the progress of his reluctant transition from the secular world as the CEO of Lenox to the nonprofit World Vision ministry. He did a good job, in my opinion, laying out the disparity of the U.S. vs. the poor of the world and encourages the reader to join him in plugging the so-called “hole”. I did like the play of words that he uses, “Hole” vs. “Whole.” I appreciate his desire to service Jesus Christ and doing what Jesus wants from us in realistic way. He points out how we often use excuses to not do as God is calling us to do and encourages us, maybe attempts to guilt us into seeing what he’s saying about it and it works to some degree. I kept coming back to Jesus’ words about the poor “always being with us.” I am not making excuses for giving my money away to the hungry or any other charity really I’m not and I know that we are not all eyes, ears, or a nose in the body of God. I really liked this book a lot. It will be fun to think a lot more about and figure out what God will have me do. I see it as an important topic that needs to be discussed and acted upon. God has blessed me beyond measure and I am to bless others for sure. We have been saved by grace through faith-that is the Gospel. The works portion shows our faith but I do not see that as the gospel or “good news” really. There were some contradictions in this book, I noted as I read but am unable to remember what they were as I write this OP. I don’t have a problem with people making money and do not believe Christians need to be poor to show we are really Christians like some might believe. I now know that the author, in 2005 made $376,000 for World Vision but he used to make almost 1 Million a year working for Lenox. I think it would be difficult to adjust to the cut and makes me wonder how I would respond? The money is all God’s and He just allows my family and I to have/use. I know I have a LONG way to go to give it over to God and understand that I cannot do it all myself. I understand I have been rambling but there is SO much this book brings up. I think the author’s heart was in the right place but not sure if it was more of a ploy for people to give (and yes there is a need, a HUGE need). I believe we need compassion and use God’s funds as we ought. I’m having a difficult time rating this book, it had a lot of great things to say and some questions I’m still wrestling with that will take some time I’m sure. I’ll give this book a 4 out of 5 stars just because it’s valuable but I’d love to have dinner with him to discuss it all but I want to rate it lower on the 5 point scale but will not right now.

[thornestaff · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Christians: If you read only one book besides the Bible this year, this should be the one; you cannot read this without rethinking your Christian commitment and lifestyle and hopefully making some significant changes.