The Hole in Our Gospel Book Review--Pt. 2

Part 2 of The Hole in Our Gospel is called "The Hole Gets Deeper."  In this section of the book Richard Stearns describes how the evangelical church has lost sight of the Bible's big picture or in technical language its metanarrative, suggesting many have "missed the forest for the trees." 

 In chapter 4 Richard describes what he calls "the twin pillars of compassion and justice."  He begins by quoting Micah 6:8--We know what God wants and thinks is good: Act Justly; Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with God--The McBeath Authorized Version.  He then explores Is. 58 and Matthew 25. 

Stearns breaks Is. 58 down as follows:

1. Verses 1-3--An inappropriate and insincere fast. The people of God's "holiness is shallow and insincere", concerned with letter and going through the motions of religious practices that have not change their heart.
2. Verses 3-5--God can tell  their heart has not been changed because their actions are not just.  They exploit workers, quarrel, fight...etc.  Its not about bowing one's head and wearing sackcloth and ashes.
3. Verses 6-7--God describes what he wants from society (his people): loose the chains of justice, untie yokes, set oppressed free, break every yoke, share food with hungry  provide poor with shelter, clothe those who have none...etc.  Stearns goes on to say that breaking every yoke is breaking any system, law, practice, that is unjust whether social, political, personal, economic.
4. Verses 8-11--God describes what a benefit a just society would be like--what he wants his Kingdom People to be like and the impact they would have: Light, Justice, Righteousness, Glory of God.

Next, he explains Matthew 25.  In this passage on the sheep and the goats those who take care of the "least of these" are the ones that inherit eternal life.  Then in Chapter 5, Stearns describes Jesus' 3 greatest commandments for his Kingdom people.

1. Love God
2. Love Others
3. Spread the love revolution around the world by making disciples

 Stearns quotes John 20:21 where Jesus says, "As the Father sent me, so I send you."  If one puts this in the context of Jesus' mission and strategy--we are sent with the "Whole Gospel" not just a truncated academic, head knowledge version.  Indeed, Jesus death and Resurrection or founded on Christ love for the Father and his love for us!

Finally, Richard ends this section of the book by describing the hole in him and his ability to love "the least of these" in this way suggesting that this lack of love was a result of idolatry in his life.  He continues by describing Jonah's experience in the belly of the great fish as Jonah's clinging to the idolatry of what he wanted instead of what God wanted.  Further, we cannot find security in the idolatry of our ways; rather, this security is found in follow God's desires.  None of us are truly capable and equipped--like Moses--but God will equip those he calls to this revolution of love.

Hole in Our Gospel--Book Review Pt. 1

I recently finished the book A Hole in Our Gospel. It is written by Richard Stearn the president of World Vision U.S.   He is a committed evangelical Christian.  The book has had positive reviews a broad spectrum of the evangelical world including notables Luci Swindoll, Kay Warren, Chuck Colson, Bill Hybels...etc.   Part 1 of this review will encompass part 1 of the book called "The hole in My Gospel--and Maybe Yours."

In part 1 of the book Stearn describes the "hole" in much of the "evangelical" worlds gospel--ch1.  Ch. 2 is called "A Coward for God."  In this chapter Richard describes his slow and cowardly realization that there must be "more" to the gospel.  And ch. 3 titled "You Lack One Thing," relates the parable of the Rich Young Ruler to the idea there is a hole in our gospel.

According to Stearn their is a hole in many Christian's "Whole" gospel and goes on define the word gospel as "Glad tidings esp. concerning salvation and the kingdom of God as announced by Jesus."  He continues by suggested that "Jesus' kingdom announcement  is very different than our truncated version of the gospel," that minimizes this life, emphasizes escape to the next life, comes across as little more than a fire insurance policy to keep one out of hell."
the king.

Next Stearn quotes Jesus in Luke 17:21 who says, "The Kingdom is within you."  He goes on to describe the Christian as one who initiates God's kingdom reign, the "first fruits" of the kingdom as the Apostle Paul describes.  As such, the Christian is to challenge the fallen world here and now with God's kingdom ethic.  He then explains that the primary metaphor for evangelism is "the harvest".  There is a lot of prep that goes into a harvest--in fact this is most of the work of the harvest.  One is supposed to prepare the soil, plant, water, week...etc for a wholes season.  Yet, most of our evangelism approaches don't emphasize the amount a relationship it takes to prepare for the harvest.  We rush straight to a 4 Spiritual Laws proclamation of the Good News and forget to prepare the soil through building relationships and helping/serving others. 

Next Richard describes Jesus' mission to spread the "Good News" and who this "Good News" is for.  He begins this section by quoting John 10:10 where Jesus states that "he has come to give life and life to the full."  Stearn believes this is Jesus' mission. Nest Richard describes Jesus announcement of his ministry and mission in Luke 4:18-21:

"And the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

"Then he rolled up the scroll , gave it back to the attendant and sat down.   The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began saying to them, 'Today the Scripture this fulfilled in your hearing.'"

Again Stearn suggest that the Good News Jesus has come to proclaim is more than an "escape from hell".  And that this is Jesus' action plan or strategy for accomplishing his mission to give life and life to the full.  In this passage Jesus strategy can be summarized with the following 4 points.

1. Proclamation of Good News of Salvation--more than escape from hell yet including this escape--even to the poor.
2. This full life includes helping people recover their sight which is a metaphor for a spiritual life that is represented by compassion for the blind, sick and sorrowful--see Is. 61--Jesus is quoting this passage.
3. Social Justice for those oppressed under Rome's occupation (any world's system that opposes God's ways), that includes freedom for the prisoners of that system, releasing the oppressed of that system, and offer God's system which is represented by a Jubilee year of God's favor where slaves are freed, debts are forgiven and land is returned to its original owners. 

It is Stearn's contention that when Christians offer a "whole gospel" that includes these things, we offer people an alternative system to the worlds system.  We offer a system that is based on God's Kingdom Way that is only available to those who place their faith in Christ, Christ's work on the cross, and resurrection where the believer receives new life that is characterized by this way of life. 

Questions:

1. What do you think of Stearn's assumption that their is a "hole" in the Gospel?
2. What do you think of Stearn's definition of the Gospel ans including the "Kingdom of God" or God's Kingdom way?
3. What do you think of the Stearn's suggestion that "The Kingdom"  is within the Christian and that the Christian is the firstfruits of that Kingdom?
4. What do you think of Stearn's assertion that to much of evangelism focus on the reaping of the harvest and not the preparation that goes into the harvest--before reaping can occur?
5. What do you think of Jesus' mission statement and strategy for accomplishing that mission as stated by Stearn?