• The Hole in Our Gospel

  • What Does God Expect of Us?
  • By: Richard Stearns
  • Narrated by: Tommy Cresswell
  • Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (276 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Hole in Our Gospel  By  cover art

The Hole in Our Gospel

By: Richard Stearns
Narrated by: Tommy Cresswell
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.19

Buy for $25.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

The answer that changed a life and might just change the world....

It's 1998 and Richard Stearns' heart is breaking as he sits in a mud hut and listens to the story of an orphaned child in Rakai, Uganda.

His journey to this place took more than a long flight from the United States to Africa. It took answering God's call on his life, a call that hurtled him out of his presidential corner office at Lenox - America's finest tableware company - to this humble corner of Uganda.

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.

Two thousand years ago, 12 people changed the world. Stearns believes it can happen again.

©2009 Thomas Nelson (P)2009 Thomas Nelson

What listeners say about The Hole in Our Gospel

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    190
  • 4 Stars
    47
  • 3 Stars
    32
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    108
  • 4 Stars
    31
  • 3 Stars
    15
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    113
  • 4 Stars
    21
  • 3 Stars
    15
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Your Christian life may not be the same...

This book is actually two volumes woven together: the first volume is the account of urgent global needs and a call to respond to those needs as followers of Jesus Christ. The second volume is the testimony of Richard Sterns, and how God dramatically called him from a very successful, lucrative corporate career to assume the leadership of World Vision. The first volume is compelling, though it does get bogged down in details that are more informational than inspirational. The second volume however, is priceless. It was this section of this book that moved me deeply, learning how one man could sacrifice his "successful Christian life" to make a true difference in the world. The true path to greatness in the kingdom of God is found not by climbing up a ladder of success, but by climbing down a ladder of service. Richard Sterns illustrates that truth vividly here. I recommend this book highly -- just be warned, your Christian life may not be the same again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Everyone in our country needs to read this book!

I, like so many others, knew about global poverty, and suffering but thought of it as "out there somewhere." I also felt helpless to really make a difference. This book has opened my eyes to the reality that it is not someone else's responsibility to "fix it." It is mine. And it is yours. Please read this book. Your world will become so large, and your own problems so small.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Too political

I thought it was a shame the author decided to include global warming, social justice, acceptance of homosexuality and abortion into the church just to improve the public image of the church. The premise of the book is right on, we are to be a giving people as christians and our heart should break for the condition of the world, but stick to the gospel, leave your Jim Wallis liberal bias at home. If you want a book that covers many of the same issues but sticks to the bible and is apolitical you should check out radical by David Platt.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

All hole and no doughnut

I listened to this book as one of many books, in preparation for my first short term mission trip to an impoverished nation. I'm not sure that I would have finished it without that motivation. Here's why.

First, the narrator has a deep, rich voice and reads smoothly with appropriate intonation. He represents well the persona that any high powered executive would want to portray. It was a solid four star performance.

Richard Stearns spends the bulk of the book explaining how he was recruited by World Vision and how far he came down in pay grade to accept his position with them, the extent of the pain and suffering in the majority world, how pathetic North American Christians are at alleviating worldwide suffering and how we should be doing more, like sponsoring children, etc.. He of course quotes Francis of Assisi, "Preach the gospel at all times and when absolutely necessary, use words." This constitutes "the hole."

I believe that the gospel (i.e. God loves us so He sent His son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we can be forgiven and know him personally) is the most critical bit of information any human being can be presented with and that apart from being born again through hearing and accepting the good news that God personally made a way for forgiven sinners to enter Heaven, this life is as good as it gets whether you live in the USA or Malawi. No amount of "being nice" to suffering people will matter without that relationship beginning through a new birth into Jesus Christ. The gospel of Mr. Stearns and World Vision seems to be that we should make people as comfortable as possible on the bus to Hell, unless they happen to ask if they're on the right bus.

The Bible teaches that after the new birth in response to hearing the gospel, there must come growth in a Christian's ability to live a life of active love. I agree with the author, that Christ followers should invest their lives intentionally and sacrificially to ease suffering, care for widows, orphans and the oppressed and work to make this world as good a place as possible in which to live. I don't agree that this work should be done without proclaiming salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone and that this must be done with words. If, for some strange reason, you really don't care for Jesus but choose to listen to this book, you may want to skip the last 12 - 15 minutes. The author does eventually use words to preach, but it comes off as an afterthought.

Just as a hole without a doughnut surrounding it is worthless, so is just being nice without the story of God's love for us through Jesus. I gave the author three stars but I was "being nice."

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Best book ever!!

I recently discovered how much better I comprehend books (and complete them) by using Audible.com; having said that this book is one you'll keep and pass on to your kids. This is a must read for everyone. It dispels the myths and prejudices so many of us grew up with and believed about poverty. It gives solutions that will stand the test of time in an ethical responsible way. Read it, pass it on for generations to come.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A Memoiry look at global poverty

The authors uses his own biography to illustrate how he became away of global poverty and how we the church should address it. This is not a "social gospel" look at Christianity. This is a biblical view of what the church is called to do. Great book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Challenging book!

This book will challenge each Christ-follower reading it (or listening). We live in our comfort and attend our inspiring church services. But, Richard Stearns invades our consciences and shines the light of truth by reminding us vividly of what Christ expects of us regarding the truly needy and hungry of our world.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Compelling

The author causes the reader to rethink their perspectives. How can we be satisfied as church goer's?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A Must Read

Every follower of Christ should read this book. Excellent and moving, I was touched deeply to the core of my soul.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Hole in Our Gospel

A must-read for Christians and non-Christians alike who believe we hold the keys to providing basic needs—water, food, medical aid, education, a means to earn a living—to the world’s hungry and forgotten people.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!