By Richard Stearns
InterVarsity Press (2021)
Hardback, 264 pages
Reviewed by NATHAN C. CLINE
Richard Stearns is a model of leadership success. As CEO of multiple secular companies and one of the world’s largest Christian ministries, he outlines the importance of an individual’s values superseding the drive for success in his book Lead Like it Matters to God. More important than outcomes and success is a leader’s faithfulness and motive behind the work. The call to leadership is on every individual on different scales, and outstanding leadership changes the world.
The first step is to outline the calling of leadership on an individual’s life and the impact that positive, values-driven leadership has on the world. Guided by faithfulness and obedience, leaders embrace a set of biblical standards that focus on individual values and characteristics. Answering the call to internalize the values results in a formula for leadership effectiveness in ministry and corporate work settings. To understand the calling of leadership in a person’s life is to understand God’s purpose and calling on every human and the need for God to activate and unlock a leader’s potential.
Stearns identifies 17 leadership traits found in biblical leaders. The values focus on why a person leads instead of simply providing a guide on how to lead. The traits are surrender, sacrifice, trust, excellence, love, humility, integrity, vision, courage, generosity, forgiveness, self-awareness, balance, humor, encouragement, perseverance, and listening. The design of these transformative values impacts individuals and organizations, pointing people to the life of Jesus as a model for effective leadership.
The challenge of this book is rooted in practically applying those leadership principles, not just defining the values of great leaders. Biblical values redefine success, impact interpersonal relations, and prevent leaders from wasting their lives chasing the wrong things. Leading through biblical principles changes the perspective of the leader and followers, emphasizing who people are becoming instead of what people are accomplishing. Stearns connects the transformational leadership described in his text with leadership principles found in Scripture.
One significant contribution to the conversation on leadership found in the text is the clear mandate to define success correctly. The danger is that many leaders are successful in secondary areas, which distracts from their primary responsibility. Stearns passionately pleads that faithfulness and obedience to God are the primary responsibilities of leaders.
Each chapter contains a leadership principle rooted in a biblical text. One pitfall of ministry leaders is the desire to define success as the world does. Having values and principles communicated with clarity and conviction serves as a clarion call to leaders. The chapters are filled with illustrative stories of success and failure, outlining through personal experience the risks and rewards associated with a leadership calling. The text outlines a practical, biblical model of leadership that leaders of any experience level can put into practice immediately.
I recommend this book to leaders both inside and outside of the church. This book is a notable read for anyone who has a desire to champion values, focus on the “why” of leadership in addition to the “how,” and connect character to their ultimate definition of leadership and organizational success.
Nathan Cooper Cline is a church planter and pastor and serves as the president of the Liberty Church Network. He resides in Winston-Salem, NC, with his wife and two daughters.