Rooting for Rivals: How Collaboration and Generosity Increase the Impact of Leaders, Charities, and Churches - Softcover

Peter Greer; Chris Horst; Jill Heisey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764231251 ISBN 13: 9780764231254

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018

Synopsis

Reject Pride of Ownership in Pursuit of a Higher Mission

Christian organizations have come to be known mostly for what we're against. And all too often, that includes being against each other. But amid growing distrust of religious institutions, Christ-centered nonprofits have a unique opportunity to link arms and collectively pursue a calling higher than any one organization's agenda.

Rooting for Rivals reveals how your ministry can multiply its impact by cooperating rather than competing with others, modeling Christlike love and generosity in the process. Peter Greer and Chris Horst explore case studies illustrating the power of collaborative ministry. Writing with vulnerability, they also share their own failures and successes in moving toward a kingdom mindset.

In Rooting for Rivals you'll discover the key to revitalizing your ministry and making an enduring difference in the world.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Greer is President and CEO of HOPE International, a global Christ-centered microenterprise development organization serving throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. A graduate of Messiah College and Harvard University's Kennedy School, Peter writes and speaks on the intersection of faith and international development. More important than his occupation is his role as husband to Laurel and dad to Keith, Lilianna, and Myles. www.peterkgreer.com.

Chris Horst is the vice president of development at HOPE International, where he employs his passion for advancing initiatives at the intersection of faith and work. Chris serves on the boards of the Denver Institute for Faith & Work and the Mile High WorkShop and is a founder of dadcraft.com. He and his wife, Alli, have three children--Desmond, Abe, and June. Chris graduated with a bachelor's degree from Taylor University and an MBA from Bakke Graduate University.

Jill Heisey is a freelance communications specialist. She graduated from Messiah College with degrees in politics and Spanish before landing her dream job as a member of HOPE International's marketing team.
She and her husband, Bryan, are parents to Adelyn and Celia and live in Frederick, Maryland, where Jill spends her days writing anything from books and marketing materials to the ABCs.

From the Back Cover

Reject Pride of Ownership to Pursue a "Kingdom First" Agenda

Faith-based organizations are sometimes known for what we're against--and all too often that includes being against each other. But amid growing distrust of religious institutions, Christ-centered nonprofits have a unique opportunity to link arms across our organizational boundaries and pursue a calling higher than our own agendas.

Rooting for Rivals reveals how your ministry can multiply its impact by cooperating, rather than competing. Peter Greer and Chris Horst explore case studies illustrating the power of collaborative ministry. They also vulnerably share their own failures and successes in pursuing a Kingdom mindset. Discover the power of openhanded leadership to make a greater impact on the world.

"I love the African quote, 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.' I'm grateful to Peter Greer and Chris Horst for celebrating Christ-centered teamwork and collaboration in Rooting for Rivals. This is an essential read for Christian ministry leaders who want to model countercultural unity and generosity in how we obey and serve our Lord."--RICHARD STEARNS, president of World Vision U.S. and author of The Hole in Our Gospel

"In Rooting for Rivals, Peter and Chris have captured God's heart for true Kingdom-minded ministry! They've created an irrefutable case for leaders around the globe to work together for the greater good. The truths in this book have the power to literally change the world!"--MARK MILLER, vice president of high performance leadership, Chick-fil-A, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

Peter Greer is President and CEO of HOPE International, a global Christ-centered microenterprise development organization serving throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. A graduate of Messiah College and Harvard University's Kennedy School, Peter writes and speaks on the intersection of faith and international development. More important than his occupation is his role as husband to Laurel and dad to Keith, Lilianna, and Myles. www.peterkgreer.com.

Chris Horst is the vice president of development at HOPE International, where he employs his passion for advancing initiatives at the intersection of faith and work. Chris serves on the boards of the Denver Institute for Faith & Work and the Mile High WorkShop and is a founder of dadcraft.com. He and his wife, Alli, have three children--Desmond, Abe, and June. Chris graduated with a bachelor's degree from Taylor University and an MBA from Bakke Graduate University. A mere eighty-five nonprofits have endured five hundred years or more. Statistics suggest nearly three of every four newly launched nonprofits will close their doors within a decade. The odds are stacked against survival.

This might seem like an odd case to make in a leadership book. If our organizations will one day vanish, why care about them? Why not focus exclusively on maximizing our own prosperity or trying to secure an enduring legacy? Why not lose hope altogether? For Christians, the answer is clear. Hundreds of years from now, our descendants will likely not know our names, nor those of our organizations. But if we successfully embrace the unity Jesus taught, our descendants will remember what the Church did together.

As Christ's followers, we are not just building temporary organizations but participating in an eternal Kingdom. Your ministry's growth is not the only metric for success for followers of the One whose legacy on earth was defined by self-sacrifice and love for those who could never repay Him. In that light, rooting for rivals--cheering on and coming to the aid of those the world sees as our competitors--doesn't feel all that crazy. It's time we look at ourselves and our organizations in a Kingdom context.

We are part of a movement that has no end. We are on the same team. Let's cheer each other on.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0764231251
• ISBN 13: 9780764231254
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240