Table of Contents

Introduction
1. Leadership Changes the World: Joining the Revolution
2. The Plans I Have For You: A Bit of Autobiography
3. Surrender: Not My Will but Thy Will
4. Sacrifice: Career Suicide
5. Trust: He's Got This
6. Excellence: It's How You Play the Game
7. Love: What's Love Got to Do With It?
8. Humility: The Executive Toilet
9. Integrity: Who You Are When No One Is Watching
10. Vision: Seeing a Better Tomorrow
11. Courage: Do Not Be Afraid
12. Generosity (Greedlessness): The Toxicity of Money
13. Forgiveness: I'm Sorry
14. Self-Awareness: Know Thyself
15. Balance: All Work and No Play
16. Humor: If We Don't Laugh, We'll Cry
17. Encouragement: Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant
18. Perseverance: Hang in There
19. Listening: Bees Do It
20. Taking God to Work

Postscript
Acknowledgments
Notes

About the Author

Richard Stearns is president emeritus of World Vision US, where he served as president for twenty years, traveling more than three million miles as an advocate for the world's poor. Before leading the Christian relief and development organization, he was a corporate CEO at both Parker Brothers and Lenox. His bestselling book The Hole in Our Gospel was named the 2010 Christian Book of the Year. Among the honors Stearns received for his humanitarian service are five honorary doctoral degrees, the Julia Vadala Taft Outstanding Leadership Award from InterAction, and the Christian Leadership Alliance's highest honor. Rich and his wife, Reneé, have five adult children and six grandchildren, and live in Bellevue, Washington.

Reviews

"I was a raving fan of Rich Stearns while he was president of World Vision US. Now I know why, after reading his book Lead Like It Matters to God. Through the ups and downs of his career, Rich trusted God and as a result the good Lord guided him along the way. In studying the seventeen values and leadership qualities he believes are essential for Christian leaders to embody, I learned, as Rich did, that even though I fall short of perfection, if I trust God, I still can learn to lead like it matters to him. If you read this book, I know that will happen to you too. Then watch the careers and lives of the people around you soar."--Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager and Servant Leadership in Action

"In Lead Like It Matters to God, Rich Stearns is extremely transparent as he shares his lifelong experiences. It is impossible not to be significantly influenced by his stories. The lessons he learned on his quest to be a values-driven leader in a success-driven world are highly relatable and inspiring. I appreciate how each chapter carries a refreshing dose of humility. His desire to know, love, and serve God reminds us that a life surrendered to Christ is missional in every way and in every assignment. This book is a gift to all leaders, wherever you are in your transformational journey."--Tami Heim, president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance

"Lead Like It Matters to God is a leadership book like no other. A class all by itself. The theme throughout the book of a leader's character is paramount. Character is the core of leadership coupled with the values Jesus taught, clothed in excellence and love. The line 'Surrender is the place where your leadership begins' captures the depth of the level of leadership discussed. This entire book weaves Rich Stearns's experiences from many years of leading in the secular business world and the Christian global nonprofit world with lessons learned, principles to practice, questions to ponder, and examples of both success and failure. A book for these times!!! A book for now and future leaders who will join God in changing the world for good."--Jo Anne Lyon, general superintendent emerita, The Wesleyan Church

"Richard Stearns has written a remarkably helpful book that lays out the key biblical values of leadership faithfulness. As I read Rich's book, I couldn't help but think of Proverbs 16:31, 'Gray hair is a glorious crown; it is found in the ways of righteousness.' While Rich may actually have gray hair, Lead Like It Matters to God is a treasure trove of wisdom from a seasoned leader who has sought to model biblical fidelity in the businesses and organizations he has led. Enjoy learning leadership not from a theoretician but a practitioner."--Ed Stetzer, Wheaton College

"There are, it has been said, two sets of virtues or values. The résumé virtues relate to a job well done, and the rewards are more external--recognition, success, popularity, achievement, material benefits. The eulogy virtues signify a life well lived, and the rewards are more internal--a sense of purpose fulfilled, of benefits to others, of spiritual well-being. Rich Stearns in his remarkable career has experienced and valued both sets, which is why this honest and personal reflection on leadership is so important. In an age that values what is seen and temporal, Rich Stearns points us to what is unseen and eternal."--Leighton Ford, Leighton Ford Ministries

"Whether you are a first-time leader or an experienced leader, the challenge of leadership is ever present and ubiquitous. Wherever you are on the leadership spectrum, the key is leading yourself first. Lead Like It Matters to God very quickly recalibrates an understanding of leadership that does not focus on what we produce as leaders but on who we are. Rich Stearns's years of leadership experience and acumen help leaders at all levels calibrate their foundation of leadership that is values-based and internal, before moving to the external. Engaging with this book will not just help you increase your leadership influence--it will help you become the leader God created you to be!"--Tom DeVries, CEO of the Global Leadership Network

"Few leaders have walked among both the corridors of power and the most vulnerable with the integrity and humility of Rich Stearns. For far too long, many leadership tomes and conferences have focused on values that have nothing to do with the character of Jesus. In Lead Like It Matters to God, Rich reminds us that God's metrics for leading have more to do with faithfulness and fruitfulness than the twin temptations of success and pride. Servant-leaders from churches to government will be challenged and inspired. It's an idea whose time has come!"--Gabriel Salguero, pastor, The Gathering Place, and president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition

"In Lead Like It Matters to God you will find brilliant answers. Rich doesn't provide five new methods for brilliant hiring or seven ways to personal motivation. Instead, his brilliant book is about something almost forgotten in our seminaries, leadership seminars, and even in our pulpits--Christian virtues. The only way to be genuinely happy in our leadership lives is to give ourselves to something significant. And what is more significant to God than to develop the Christian virtues he's given us? It is possible to do ministry for God in a way that isn't honoring to God. Rich has written a path for making sure we get the right things--right!"--Ray Johnston, lead senior pastor, Bayside Church

"This leadership book is unusual because the author uses some of his own setbacks and failures to teach essential leadership virtues. Many leadership authors only share the glossy side of winning at leadership. Yet we often learn most from our mistakes. In Lead Like It Matters to God, Rich Stearns turns the world's version of leadership upside down to posit that who you are is more important that what you achieve. The mixture of powerful story illustrations from Stearns's real-world victories and defeats animate the book, drawing you in so quickly that you can't put it down. You will be instructed with timeless wisdom from Scripture and this experienced leader's life. If you are a person who leads teams in the corporate or nonprofit world, a new graduate or new employee, a pastor or professor, this book is for you. And if you've faced hard calls, been weary or afraid, this book will be God's voice of encouragement to you today."--Shirley Hoogstra, president, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

"Sit down and read Rich Stearns. It's like a privileged conversation with a wise mentor who really cares about you. Aristotle wrote that why is the most important question. In a world full of how books, Rich answers why Christian leadership matters."--Leith Anderson, president emeritus of the National Association of Evangelicals, author of Leadership That Works

"The book Lead Like it Matters to God is a much-needed text for leaders and aspiring leaders who see themselves as kingdom ambassadors in the marketplace. Richard Stearns eloquently describes how a believer's ultimate mission is to know, love, and serve God in whatever environment or position one finds him- or herself. In a climate of political and social unrest, riddled with division and scandal, Stearns gracefully highlights seventeen foundational principles or 'critical values' necessary for developing today's 'change agents' who are called to bring healing and restoration to the places where they live and work. This book is both timely and needed for such a time as this."--John K. Jenkins Sr., senior pastor, First Baptist Church of Glenarden, Maryland

"By now, many should be familiar with the typical leadership book strategy. Big principles. Impressive research. Tales of successful endeavors. And . . . be like the guru. This book is different . . . and refreshing. I'm not suggesting that Richard Stearns isn't accomplished, but behind big titles he shares from a deep place of vulnerability and humility. This, in itself, is so countercultural. Additionally, Lead Like It Matters to God isn't just about leadership but also about discipleship. In other words, while it will clearly speak to leaders, it will also resonate with anyone who desires to grow as a follower of Christ. In a culture that often obsesses about success at all costs, Richard Stearns has given both the church and the larger culture an important and timely resource."--Eugene Cho, president, Bread for the World, author of Thou Shalt Not Be a Jerk: A Christian's Guide to Engaging Politics