by Richard Stearns, President of World Vision
There’s a few books that I read on a regular basis each year that continue to inspire me:
Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster
The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson
A Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech
As I read those books, they constantly remind me of various concepts about God and creativity that I never want to forget. I’ll be adding the book The Hole in Our Gospel to this select group simply because it is one that reminds me of what the church should look like.
I had a difficult time reading this book, not because it was a difficult read, but rather because as I read it various people were brought into my life that I felt I needed to share the book with. I gave my first copy of the book away to a denominational leader because he asked to read it. I loaned my second copy of the book to a friend so that he could read it. I bought a third copy of the book for a visiting speaker. And I finally had to steal my wife’s copy just so I could finish the book.
It’s a humbling and inspiring sense of understanding to know that as you read through this book that there are glaring points of inadequacy that exist in your relationship with God because of the blessings that the American church has received. I found myself time and time again having to put the book down and walk away simply because I was affected and convicted of some of the core values that are missing in my walk as a Christian.
I walked away from this book with the understanding that God is calling me personally not just to do something, but rather to join Him in what he is already doing and to do that which He has created only me to do. It’s that understanding that is provoking many substantial lifestyle changes for my wife and I. It’s not going to be pretty for a while, but I am fully confident that it will be worth it to step alongside God and join Him in the work He is doing.
Thomas Nelson is the publisher of this book. There’s a website for the book that you can go to and learn more about the book and it’s author. And of course, you can purchase the book at Amazon.com – I highly recommend it to you.
