Lead Like It Matters to God by Richard Stearns Summary

Lead Like It Matters to God by Richard Stearns advocates values-driven leadership rooted in Christian principles, emphasizing character over success. It outlines 17 core values—including integrity, humility, courage, and love—to help leaders align their work with faith. Drawing from Stearns' experience as CEO of Parker Brothers, Lenox, and World Vision US, the book merges secular and sacred leadership insights to create workplaces reflecting Christ’s character.

This book targets Christian leaders in business, nonprofits, or ministry seeking to integrate faith with professional practices. It’s ideal for executives, managers, and emerging leaders prioritizing ethical decision-making, team culture, and spiritual growth. Stearns’ dual experience in corporate and humanitarian sectors makes it valuable for those navigating secular environments while maintaining Christian witness.

Yes—ranked a Christian Book Award Finalist and Outcomes Conference Book of the Year, it offers actionable frameworks for faith-aligned leadership. Readers praise its blend of personal stories, biblical wisdom, and practical strategies for fostering integrity, generosity, and perseverance in high-pressure environments.

Stearns identifies: surrender, sacrifice, trust, excellence, love, humility, integrity, vision, courage, generosity, forgiveness, self-awareness, balance, humor, encouragement, perseverance, and listening. These values aim to transform workplaces by prioritizing Christ-like character and servant leadership.

Unlike success-driven guides, Stearns prioritizes eternal impact over metrics, advocating leaders to act as “kingdom ambassadors.” While secular books focus on profit or influence, this work ties leadership to spiritual accountability, emphasizing humility, forgiveness, and sacrificial service.

Stearns recounts reducing World Vision’s overhead while tripling revenue, navigating corporate mergers at Lenox, and advocating for global crises like HIV/AIDS. These stories illustrate applying values like courage, vision, and perseverance in complex scenarios.

Yes—chapters on forgiveness, listening, and humility provide tools for resolving disputes, fostering trust, and modeling grace. Stearns argues that Christ-centered values improve team dynamics and organizational health, even in secular settings.

Stearns calls surrender the starting point for Christian leadership, urging leaders to relinquish control to God. This posture shifts focus from personal ambition to divine guidance, enabling decisions rooted in faith rather than fear or ego.

The “balance” value encourages leaders to prioritize family, health, and spiritual disciplines alongside professional goals. Stearns warns against burnout, advocating boundaries and self-awareness to sustain long-term impact.

Some may find its overtly Christian framework less applicable to interfaith teams. However, its principles—like integrity and excellence—remain universally relevant. A few reviewers desire more tactical steps for implementing values in secular corporations.

Yes—an 8-session companion guide provides discussion questions, reflection prompts, and exercises to apply the 17 values. Groups use it to explore topics like “vision vs. courage” and “generosity vs. forgiveness,” fostering collaborative growth.

Amid global crises and workplace polarization, Stearns’ focus on hope, reconciliation, and ethical leadership resonates deeply. The book equips leaders to address modern challenges—like AI ethics or remote team dynamics—with timeless biblical values.