Yesterday I started reading The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns. It looks to me like it is going to be a long slow read because of stuff like this:
“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 have a personal and transforming relationship with God. It 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. As Johnny Cash sang, “You’re so heavenly minded, you’re no earthly good.” The apostle James felt strongly about this type of person. ‘Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do.’ (James 2:18) In other words, make your faith public.’
‘Embracing the gospel, or good news, proclaimed by Jesus is so much more than a private transaction between God and us. The gospel itself was born of God’s vision of a changed people, challenging and transforming the prevailing values and practices of our world.”
I suspect any pastor/church leader reading this would yell a hearty “Amen!” to Richard’s words. It is a constant struggle to get people to latch onto this idea. We talk a lot about “it’s not about me/you” and heads may shake up and down in agreement, but the real test is when it needs practiced. When people walk out of the building saying, “I didn’t get anything from that today” is that not a sign of immaturity but also that at that point they just aren’t getting it? And when someone is so insistent that Christ-followers live a certain type of life while in the building but then live differently outside are they not missing the point? I also know I am not immune to this dichotomy of living. Paul’s words to Timothy: “Keep a close watch on yourself and your teaching” (I Tim.4:16) are words to me and every church leader. Stearns’ words really hit home to me when he states that God’s vision is of a changed people, who in turn challenge the status quo of the world.
If you are like me you will go back and read and reread that piece of writing again and again. When you do I would like to know what your thoughts are. I hope you will take the time to drop me a line and share your thoughts.
Bill, After we are born of Christ, we’re given that new person. And we must all grow in grace as He works out His purpose in our lives. While we are being stubborn and doing our own thing to please ourselves, God often puts others in our lives that show us a better way. His way. I’m nothing like I was years ago. God works out what He puts in me over time.
We are transformed by the renewing of our minds. That takes a bit of initiative on our part. We must make that effort to be transformed and very often until we are no longer satisfied with who we are and what we are doing (or not doing), we will stagnantly sit in a church pew week after week failing to see it is we whom the Lord is speaking to…not JoeShmoe who isn’t even in the church.
Growing in grace takes time and the time we place on others and even ourselves is not necessarily what God allows as we grow. Don’t you think that His steadfastness and patience with us is evident? Are we not expected to at least have a pinch of His longsuffering patience with others when we look at how long He waits on us? I think sometimes, I’ll never “get” to that illusive “there” and be all He calls me to be. I hate that my stubborness, laziness, and procrastination presses upon Him like it does. But by His grace, He’ll complete in me what He wants. It seems the writer expects a sold-out 5th-gear Christian. Sometimes we run in first and second. selahV
I think what the author was suggesting selahv is that we need to see our faith as more than just a private personal relationship with Jesus but also a public personal relationship. He works for World vision and obviously wants to see Christ-followers who do more than talk a good game. Thanks for your thoughts. I appreciate it. They are valid and a “good thinking thought.”