Richard Stearns - Unfinished: Filling the Hole in Our Gospel

Praise for Unfinished

I bought ten thousand copies of Rich Stearnss first book, TheHoleinOurGospel, because I wanted everyone in my church to read it. Richs new book, Unfinished, just might challenge everything you thought you understood about your Christian faith. Unfinished is a call to finish the job Christ gave his church to do. If every Christian read this book and took it seriously, the world would never be the same again.

Bill Hybels

Senior pastor, Willow Creek

Community Church; and chairman,

Willow Creek Association

Just when Ive gotten comfortable with my faith, here comes Rich Stearns, reminding me what matters and who God loves and why. Just when my world is the way I want it, Rich reminds me the world is not the way God wants it. Hungry families. Malnourished kids. Just when I dare think my work is done, Rich reminds me that we are just getting started. First in TheHoleinOurGospel, now in Unfinished, Rich gives me a kind, gracious kick. Thanks, Rich. (I think.)

Max Lucado

Pastor and best-selling author

Okay, admit it: sometimes you wonder... dont you? Is this it? The life youre living. Is there more? From his journey in corporate and nonprofit leadershipin very good causesRich Stearns concludes there is, indeed, more. More purpose. More meaning. More life. In Unfinished you will discover how your life can be about more.

Elisa Morgan

Author; speaker; publisher, Fullfill;

and president emerita, MOPS

International

Rich Stearns has done it again! In this winsome, engaging, and challenging book, he calls us back to some of the key issues of what it means to be followers of Christ in a world full of distractions and false gods. This is a book for everyone, about finding the place of our calling in Gods global mission. It is a book about fulfillment, adventure, and a lifetime of transformation. It made me hungry for more of the life God has in store for us.

Dr. Stephen Hayner

President, Columbia Theological

Seminary

Your story can be a part of the Great Story. Rich Stearns knows the story and lives the story. Unfinished may call you to the greatest chapter of your life.

John Ortberg

Senior pastor, Menlo Park

Presbyterian Church; and author,

Who Is This Man?

Insightful and inspirational work from one of the most important evangelical voices of our time. Rich Stearns reminds us about Gods initiative in the world and [shows] that we are privileged to participate in Gods unfolding story in the world. With powerful stories and practical solutions, Unfinished directs us out of our passivity toward an active and authentic faith.

Soong-Chan Rah

Author, The Next Evangelicalism;

and Milton B. Engebretson

Associate Professor of Church

Growth and Evangelism, North

Park Theological Seminary

Unfinished is the book I wish I had written after Halftime. Let me say why. Rich Stearns has lived out this dream like no one else I know, turning his faith into actiontransforming his first-half life of corporate success to following a life aligned with Gods purposes on behalf of the worlds poorest people. If you are a faithful Christian who feels something is still missing in life, this is the book for you.

Bob Buford

Founder, Leadership Network; and

author, Halftime and Finishing Well

The kingdom is both already and not yet, the work of Christ both finished and to be completed. Stearns reminds readers of every Christians responsibility to live on mission, in light of Jesus example and call. Richard shows us by his life, the ministry he leads, and the passion of this book that there is much to be done and we are to be a part of Gods grand plan.

Ed Stetzer

President, LifeWay Research; and

author, Subversive Kingdom

Rich has written another beautiful book. Its an invitation from a good friend to sit together by the fire and have an honest talk about life, passion, purpose, and Jesus. You cant read this book and not have the coals in your faith stirred as you consider once again just how purpose-filled a life following Jesus can be.

Bob Goff

New York Times best-selling

author, Love Does; and founder,

Restore International

Unfinished is a book that challenges Christians to more fully join Jesus in building a new world that he called the kingdom of God. Each one of us has an important role in this mission, as we find our purpose in Gods purpose. I commend it to all who seek a deeper, world-changing discipleship.

Jim Wallis

President and CEO, Sojourners

The Christian life is an outliving of the in-living Christ, and when we are obedient to this, he gives us purpose, meaning, and significance. Unfinished is a book for the church now, a road map to return to the Truth.

John Perkins

Cofounder, John & Vera Mae

Perkins Foundation and Christian

Community Development

Association

The greatest privilege for the follower of Jesus is to be summoned into the gospel work God is accomplishing in the world today. What Unfinished will do is summon you into this very kingdom work to join the many, many whose stories Rich has told so well. We are not called to heroics but simply to respond in ordinary ways to ordinary, needy people around us with the love God gives us for the ordinary. Suddenly, in doing the ordinary kingdom work, we discover we are part of a flash mob of other kingdom workers.

Scot McKnight

Professor of New Testament,

Northern Seminary

In Unfinished Rich Stearns reminds us eloquently that when Jesus preached his gospelthe gospel of the kingdom of Godhe was giving us a call to action. Its not an easy call, for it requires that we enter into the heartache and suffering of the world. But Rich clearly illustrates through Scripture, as well as through his own experiences, that when we enter into that suffering, we find ourselves in the center of Jesus mission and in the center of our own purpose for living. Every disciple of Jesus should read this book.

Lynne Hybels

Willow Creek Community Church

Every generation of Christians needs a wake-up call to remind us of how serious and strenuous are the demands of discipleship. May Rich Stearnss Unfinished be that alarm for our time.

David Neff

Editorial vice president,

Christianity Today

Practicing what he preaches, Rich Stearns challenges us to cast aside our apathy, fears, wrong priorities, or other hindrances and pursue our individual Kingdom assignments with passion and purpose. You cannot read this book and return to life as usual.

Deborah Smith Pegues

International speaker; and best-

selling author, 30 Days to Taming

Your Tongue

Unfinished is a book that you will want to finish! And to live! It is more than one mans moving story and life viewcompelling as these are, and its more than the needs of the worldas urgent as they are. It is a call to each of us to find our true purpose in aligning our lives with Gods great purpose. I believeas has been true with Richs first bookmany will find themselves challenged, changed, and called in a way that will make their lives count for time and eternity.