Last Sunday, I had the honor of appearing with Pastor Bill Hybels at Willow Creek Community Church’s services. Thankfully, it wasn’t up to me to preach to the thousands of people gathered, I was just there to answer Bill’s questions about my book!
Our friendship goes back 11 years, beginning when Bill helped recruit me to World Vision. With hindsight, we can both see how he was part of God’s plan for my life (see chapters 2 and 3—especially Bill’s question to me on p. 45).
I was tremendously humbled Sunday, when he said that he wants “every single person” at his church to read my book, promising they will “hear a story of total surrender.” Even more humbling, two Willow Creek donor families stepped up to fund 10,000 copies to distribute after services.
Bill’s sermon focused on Luke 12, where the rich man with the bumper crop decides to build bigger barns to hold it all. God tells him he’s foolish because he will die that night. Bill asked the congregation: “Are we multiplying our resources to get more for ourselves, or are we leveraging our resources to serve the kingdom of God?”
In fact, Willow Creek Community Church is a model for sacrificial service. They just completed a 5-Day Challenge where they ate and drank similar portions to what the world’s poor consume, and they donated funds to hunger and water projects worldwide.
Such sacrifice always reminds me of another great parable that Jesus told, of the rich young ruler. In Mark 10:21, Jesus tells the man he lacks one thing: being able to give up everything he has to serve the poor and follow him. We may judge the rich young ruler harshly until we realize that we are holding something back from God. We all have something dear that we don’t want to sacrifice. (See chapter 3, “You Lack One Thing,” for further thoughts on this.)
Bill ended his sermon with a challenge: “When was the last time you formally declared to God, ‘I will do your bidding no matter what it costs me or where you lead me?’ ”
For me, the sacrifice is more than worth it. I’ve found myself richer in spirit and closer to God. How about you?
Mr. Stearns,
I was one of the blessed to receive a copy of your book from Willow Creek during your visit. I can see now after finishing your book why Pastor Hybels felt compelled to make sure this book was available to anyone who would read it. You can trust in me that I will do my part in spreading the good news of the gospel, the whole gospel, to each and every community I can reach. Thank you for new life you have given me through your words and Gods. To you I am forever grateful!
Rebecca Thompson
Willow Creek/Promiseland
Hello Mr Stearns,
My wife and I were at the 9am at Willow this past Sunday.Wow! She cried and I was almost there! You are truly an inspiration. Yours is the only book we’ve ever read together at the same time. Thank you so much for sharing with us. We are so grateful.
God bless you,
Paul