What If?
I am entrigued by a new book that will be available on March 10th, which is written by Richard Stearns the president of World Vision. The Hole in Our Gospel asks the question, what if? What if each of us decided with renewed commitment to truly embrace the good news, the whole gospel, and demonstrate it through our lives—not even in big ways, but in small ones? What if we each said to God, "Use me; I want to change the world"?
There are now 2 billion people on earth who claim to be Christian. That's almost one in three. Have we changed the world? Certainly, but our critics would be quick to point out that the changes have not always been good. So have we changed the world the way God intended? Have we been effective ambassadors for the good news that we call the "gospel"? The Lord's Prayer, repeated in churches the world over, contains the phrase "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10 KJV). Do we believe what we pray? The whole gospel is a vision for ushering in God's kingdom—now, not in some future time, and here, on earth, not in some distant heaven. What if 2 billion people embraced this vision of God transforming our world—through them? Imagine it. Indeed, what if even 2,000 people took their faith to the next level—what might God do?
Two thousand years ago, the world was changed forever by just 12.
It can happen again.
(borrowed, in part, from World Vision 2009. More information about this book can be found online at www.theholeinourgospel.com)
There are now 2 billion people on earth who claim to be Christian. That's almost one in three. Have we changed the world? Certainly, but our critics would be quick to point out that the changes have not always been good. So have we changed the world the way God intended? Have we been effective ambassadors for the good news that we call the "gospel"? The Lord's Prayer, repeated in churches the world over, contains the phrase "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10 KJV). Do we believe what we pray? The whole gospel is a vision for ushering in God's kingdom—now, not in some future time, and here, on earth, not in some distant heaven. What if 2 billion people embraced this vision of God transforming our world—through them? Imagine it. Indeed, what if even 2,000 people took their faith to the next level—what might God do?
Two thousand years ago, the world was changed forever by just 12.
It can happen again.
(borrowed, in part, from World Vision 2009. More information about this book can be found online at www.theholeinourgospel.com)
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