Bill and Amy Stearns Reviews

Added March 29, 2005

2020 Vision

Amazing Stories of What God is Doing Around the World

Authors: Bill and Amy Stearns
Publisher: Bethany House
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: January 1, 2005
Genre: Nonfiction: Religion/Christianity/Missions
Format: Trade Paperback
Price: $12.99
ISBN: 0-7642-0016-X
Reviewer: Phillip Tomasso III

2020 Vision, by Bill and Amy Stearns, has a definite target audience, Christians. The book, designed to challenge Christians, forces the reader to do more than just contemplate Christ's Great Commission-to go out to the ends of the earth and preach the Good News. Unless a person reading the book is already actively involved in out-reach ministries, the chapters contained within should cause the believer's heart to stir uncomfortably. I say this because, and as it is softly referred to in the book, many Christians are simply content with reading their Bible, going to church and attending Bible studies. They are happy to listen to Christian music, and read Christian books on Christian Living. Occasionally they may talk about God, but what about the Great Commission?

The focus of the book is geared toward Christians working through missions to reach the un-reached people groups of the world with the Gospel, the Good News. This is important because Jesus said it is our job to do this, to get this task done. But people are reluctant to do this kind of work. The book explains that to do so would require people to step out of comfort zones. Not many people enjoy stepping out of a comfort zone. To give up the comforts of a 9 - 5 job, a home with central air, two cars, a church where you regularly attend and are known and respected, in order to travel to Africa, or India with little more than the clothes on your back is not very appealing. Not to mention, your job will no longer be 9 - 5, your home will most certainly not have central air, and it is up to you to help start a church in a village where those you are trying to reach may be more interested in killing you than to listing to your rendition of the Good News.

I like how the chapters are designed in the book. Each chapter starts with showing a map and highlight an area of the world where the Gospel has yet to be shared, and then telling a vignette based on true stories from missionaries working in the field (with names and places changed to protect their identity in case they are in an area where their very lives would be in jeopardy if anyone knew they were attempting to spread Christianity). After the vignette, the authors incorporate relative stories, or verses from the Bible to effectively tie it all together with the reader in mind, hoping to provide insight and revelation to the reader who might be struggling with identifying their purpose in life. (This is not to be confused with Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life. The Stearns have a much different purpose for their book, though most Christian books have that "similar" thread on our purpose in life). The last part of each chapter has assignments for the reader to complete-whether it is digging through additional Bible verses, praying, or writing things out in a notebook. This causes the book to be more than a book. Instead 2020 Vision is an interactive tool that could easily be used in a small group or youth group setting.

However, I found the last few chapters of the book to be the meat. They are the climactic chapters of the book. The authors share amazing numbers and statistics about those saved, and those not saved, about those reached, and those still not reached. The ultimate challenges are then presented. What will you, the reader, a Christian, do about Jesus' command to preach the Good News to all ends of the earth? That is a stirring question. And once it is asked, there is no pretending it hasn't been asked. Powerful. There are a number of resources by means of websites, address, emails and other relative books-so a reader has somewhere to turn, and respond, and react after finishing reading 2020 Vision. This is very helpful.

In the veins of K.P. Yohanan's The Road to Reality and Revolution in World Missions, Bill and Amy Stearns have written a novel that demands attention. I applaud their faith, and their life works. I also applaud the simple way in which they presented so much information. Their chapters are clearly written, and concise. The vignettes are well told and entertaining. And their message is strong and sobering. The book is not a fast read. It can't be. You don't pick it up and breeze through it. There is too much information, too much that requires prayer time, to just read it in one sitting. I read a chapter a day. It was, even then, a little too much to take in. Regardless, I not only enjoyed the book, I learned from it. I learned about opportunities to grow as a Christian, and I was forced to look into my own heart-though oftentimes a frightening experience, it is always a worthwhile exercise. Thank you Bill and Amy Stearns.

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