The Hole in Our Gospel: What Does God Expect of Us? The Answer That Changed My Life and Might Just Change the World  is a powerful book by Richard Stearns showing how the evangelical church has been practicing an incomplete Gospel.  Notice that he does not say there is a hole in the Gospel, rather the missing component is from us.  Stearns chronicles his journey from a wealthy CEO to becoming president of World Vision.  He was challenged by the prayer of World Vision founder Bob Pierce who said, “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.”

Stearns gives an excellent perspective on our money and possessions:

1.  It’s not our money – it all comes from God.

2.  We are not entitled to it but entrusted with it.

3.  God expects us to use it in the interest of His kingdom.

If a tithe is defined as giving 10% to the church or nonprofit ministries only about 5% of American households tithe.  Stearns doesn’t pull any punches as he confronts one of the most common reasons why we are reluctant to give to those in need – we don’t think we’re rich.  He states, “If you make $50,000 per year, you are wealthier than 99% of the world!  Does this shock you?  Remember, of the 6.7 billion people on earth, almost half of them live on less than two dollars a day.  If you don’t feel rich, it’s because you are comparing yourself to people who have more than you do – those living above the 99^th percentile of global wealth.  It’s also because we tend to gauge whether or not we are wealthy based on the things we don’t have.”

If you want to see how wealthy you are check out the Global Rich list – it may surprise you!  Do you feel that you’re too small to make a difference?  Just spend an evening in a tent with a mosquito and you’ll discover size doesn’t matter.  May the words of Jim Elliot encourage your heart, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”  “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  – Jesus