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

© 2018 by Peter Greer and Chris Horst

Published by Bethany House Publishers

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Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

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Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Ebook edition created 2018

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-1497-0

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2011

Scripture quotations labeled KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations labeled MESSAGE are from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Cover design by LOOK Design Studio

Authors are represented by Wolgemuth and Associates.

I grew up in a West African village that had no word for competition. For me to win at the expense of another’s loss was simply inconceivable. And so it should be in the building of God’s Kingdom. Impossible? Read how it’s being done in outstanding ministries across the globe!

—Dr. Wess Stafford, president emeritus, Compassion International

"I love the African quote, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ It applies especially well to the power of community in Kingdom work. 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, World Vision U.S., and author of The Hole in Our Gospel

"Rooting for Rivals is a must-read for everyone who agrees that ‘no man walks alone.’ Clear concepts and challenging discussion questions will provide every organization with a roadmap to improving their effectiveness not only through partnerships but by strengthening their teams’ support of the organizational mission and reliance on one another."

—Atul Tandon, CEO, Opportunity International

"Peter Greer and Chris Horst have done it again—their collaboration has produced another provocative volume, this one designed to challenge the dominant paradigm of competition, which hinders the flourishing of many ministries and nonprofit organizations. Written with candor, humor, and wisdom, Rooting for Rivals is a must-read for anyone who seeks to lead in a manner characterized by humility, generosity, and grace. During these times of discord and division in the church and society, Greer and Horst provide a welcome roadmap for cooperation and bridge building."

—Kim S. Phipps, president, Messiah College

Greer and Horst urge unity in ministry. Their ‘seven deadly sins’ analytical framework challenges the reader to understand those factors that drive us apart and limit success, and those that pull us together and catalyze ministry efforts. This is good, substantive thinking that constitutes a meaningful addition to the literature.

—Paul Lowell Haines, EdD, JD, president, Taylor University

"Rooting for Rivals is a convincing and convicting call to leave behind the mindset that we compete against one another within the Kingdom of God. Peter Greer and Chris Horst present a revolutionary understanding of what it means to advance the mission of God. This book is a must-read for every leader who wants to honor the Lord."

—D. Michael Lindsay, president, Gordon College

"Our culture is turbo-charged with competition—unfortunately, even Christians competing with each other. Rooting for Rivals thoughtfully, biblically, and unapologetically pushes against this perspective. Our King expects that we will steward with courage and humility the gifts God has entrusted to us, while opening the door for others to flourish."

—Dan Wolgemuth, president/CEO, Youth For Christ USA

I have experienced firsthand the ‘rooting’ from Peter and HOPE. Peter and I have had the chance to be the nonprofit pitching at the same time to some generous Kingdom-minded friends. . . . What he has lived out, and modeled, is collaboration and Kingdom. All nonprofits need to live this out—it is good for the Kingdom, and it is good for our generous friends.

—Eric Scofield, chief development officer, Young Life

"Generosity, humility, and integrity foster unity! From my experience, when organizations and leaders align with these Christlike attributes greater collaboration, efficiency, and impact are the outcomes . . . 1+1=3 . . . the Kingdom advances and God is pleased! Rooting for Rivals helps us understand there is great truth in the proverb ‘The the world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller’!"

—J. Todd Peterson, NFL Kicker 1993–2005; illumiNations host, and chairman emeritus, Seed Company

"Throughout the world today we need to build not just strong organizations, but strong gospel ecosystems. And this requires a spirit that is generous, collaborative, and willing to grow fruit on other people’s trees. Chris Horst and Peter Greer embody a ‘rooting for rivals’ spirit in their work and leadership. Rooting for Rivals is a valuable contribution to leaders intent on making a long-term impact in their cities."

—Jeff Haanen, CEO, Denver Institute for Faith & Work

"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.

"Peter and Chris have captured the heart of donors in Rooting for Rivals. We want the ministries we support to work well with others to maximize the impact of scarce resources for the Kingdom. Every nonprofit leader should read this book and follow its call to action."

—Greg Brenneman, executive chairman, CCMP Capital; Emmy Award-winning author of Right Away and All at Once; and former chairman, Burger King and Continental Airlines

With solid research, engaging stories, and theological acumen, Peter and Chris present a kingdom-shaped vision for leading Christian organizations in a distinctly Christian way. In a time when many faith-based groups are facing legal and financial pressures, it is my hope that the cooperative spirit they envision in this book takes off and proves to be a source of fruitfulness and abundance for Christian institutions in the century to come.

—Katelyn Beaty, author of A Woman’s Place and editor at large, Christianity Today

"Rooting for Rivals is full of practical and compelling guidance for effective partnership in and out of the church—a reminder that the scriptural counsel to look not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others applies even when those interests are closely aligned."

—John Inazu, author of Confident Pluralism

This book is a must-read for any who would dare to sacrifice personal ambition for the sake of the Kingdom. In a society where narcissism is the new normal, Greer and Horst call us back to the mind of Christ, to leadership in humility.

—Daniel Rice, author, and founder, #Gospel

While people would naturally think rivalry is confined to nonprofits, there is often just as much among foundations and donors. Everyone wants to back a winner, and sometimes we unintentionally encourage ministries not only to compete but to become rivals. We are part of the problem. We need this book!

—Fred Smith, president, The Gathering

Dedicated to the leaders who believe in a world of abundance, not scarcity.

And to our HOPE International colleagues, clients, partners, and donors. We are privileged to serve alongside you. Thank you for loving and serving in the way of Jesus.

You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

Jesus, THE MESSAGE1

Contents

Cover    1

Title Page    3

Copyright Page    4

Endorsements    5

Dedication    7

Epigraph    8

Foreword    11

Introduction    17

Part One: Why We Root for Rivals    27

1. Our Uncommon Unity    29

2. Kingdom over Clan    45

3. Abundance over Scarcity    55

Part Two: How We Root for Rivals    69

4. Seven Vices vs. Seven Virtues    71

5. Pride vs. Humility    86

6. Greed vs. Generosity    105

7. Gluttony vs. Temperance    123

8. Lust vs. Love    142

9. Envy vs. Contentment    156

10. Vengeance vs. Grace    170

11. Sloth vs. Steadfastness    190

Conclusion    211

Notes    217

Acknowledgments    233

About the Authors    235

Books by Chris Horst and Peter Greer    238

About HOPE International    239

Back Ad    240

Back Cover    241

Foreword

It’s not about you."

I wish I had embraced this piece of wisdom sooner as a young campus minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. I was not well-known among my colleagues for being a team player. I liked being a pioneer, a lone ranger, a one-man show. I liked figuring things out on my own and being a trailblazer for a new generation of nonwhite missionaries. It worked for me, and my name quickly rose in national prominence.

Fresh out of college, I didn’t want to serve an existing InterVarsity chapter, so I planted a new one on the Harvard campus. And because the results exceeded expectations, I quickly solo-planted another chapter at Boston University, and eventually in three other states. I wrote papers, manuals, and a book that detailed how to effectively do campus ministry, without consulting any peers. One of the biggest discipleship moments of my early marriage came when my wife, Nancy, and I were asked to co-direct a summer program in Vietnam. "Co-direct? What’s that?"

Intentionally working alongside others was not my top priority. I sincerely wanted to serve the Lord. I urgently wanted to rescue lives being lost and to transform campuses needing renewal. I earnestly wanted more students to follow Jesus into world missions. But, deep down, something else was true—maybe even more true: my ministry was all about me.

My work. My gifts. My reputation. My success. I needed to learn that this wasn’t the way God intended for His Kingdom to operate. So God sent me to an unreached country halfway around the world for four years, so I would see how He was using other workers to accomplish His purposes. To discover how much I needed them. To wonder if I was as much their mission field as the people in that country.

As I began repenting of my selfishness, pride, and independence, I began learning to embrace the upside-down Kingdom values that Jesus proclaimed—humility, generosity, and interdependency. As I began dying to my own name, I began living to see only Jesus’ name being lifted high.

The idol of me and mine is deeply ingrained in all of us and our individual organizations. Its fingers are wrapped tightly around the generous, joyful life God wants us to live, and it squeezes a little tighter each time it feels threatened. Let others work with you to accomplish God’s mission? You’ll look weak or unnecessary if you let others help. Cheer for those you’re competing with? You’ll never get your time in the spotlight. Help someone become more successful than you? You and your ministry will be supplanted. Is that what you want?

Those questions will always persist. But after twenty years in campus ministry, and with each step into a new leadership role, I’ve shed more and more of my lone-ranger tendencies and embraced the importance of generous collaboration. I’ve learned a key lesson for any leader in faith-based work: Building the Kingdom of God is a team sport, not a competition. We’re better together, not apart.

It would be easy for my fellow campus ministry leaders to look at one another as competitors. After all, we are doing similar ministry, driven by similar goals, and sometimes working at the same campuses. We might assume that there are only so many students to go around and perhaps, if we were being honest, so few donors to go around. We could easily adopt an us vs. them mentality.

According to the values of the world, we should be competitors. We should view one another with wary skepticism, as threats to our individual success and possible disruptors of what we individually want to do. Yet the values of the world don’t dictate how we view one another; the values of God’s Kingdom do. We aren’t competitors in a limited marketplace. We’re partners in God’s mission! When this truth captivates our hearts, it pushes out any sinful tendencies toward selfishness, pride, and independence.

Twice per year, Nancy and I join the presidents of five other campus ministries, along with their spouses, for a weekend of fellowship. I treasure these times. We carry each other’s burdens, pray, and cheer each other’s successes. We invest in each other by sharing what we’re learning in our own leadership challenges. We have become friends and partners. In recent years, our commitment to partnership has also led to growing friendship and partnership among our key leaders. Vice presidents of operations, leadership development, fundraising, field ministries, and marketing meet annually in their respective groups to share best practices, new ideas, and common struggles. On the surface, it seems like a risky idea: Why would we share our most intimate struggles or our most successful strategies? Can you imagine two professional sports teams taking a joint retreat in the middle of the season? Or the CEOs of Microsoft and Apple taking a break from their battles for marketplace dominance to encourage one another and swap ideas?

We do this to model our commitment to the apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:7, 9 (NIV): Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. . . . For we are co-workers in God’s service. We do this because we’re on the same team. We’re servants of God’s mission. When one of us succeeds, we all win, because Jesus’ name is lifted up on campus.

It’s not about me. Embracing this truth has prepared me to lead InterVarsity toward a new season of generosity and partnerships. As I write this, there are over one thousand college campuses with no discernible student ministry. Millions of students lack the opportunity to hear the gospel or to join a Christian community on campus. In the past, we might have waved a halfhearted Good luck! to our peer organizations while trying to reach them by ourselves. No longer. It’s not about planting organizational flags or making organizations great but about advancing God’s mission and declaring God’s name to be great on these unreached campuses. We’re working together to mobilize intercessors. We’re designing platforms to give away our best ministry insights and tools to anyone who wants to minister on campus. We’re sharing technology and working together on legal challenges. We’re asking one another: What would happen if we stopped caring who was bigger, or better, or the most well-known? What could we accomplish if we stopped competing and started partnering? What needs to happen so that every corner of every campus hears the gospel?

When Peter and Chris invited me to write this foreword, I marveled at God’s sense of humor. It wasn’t that long ago that I wasn’t even aware of other workers, much less rooting for them. Today, I find myself in roles that are primarily about advocating for and helping others advance their missions. As president of InterVarsity and as a trustee of Fuller Seminary, I steward ministries that develop and prepare the next generation of leaders for other organizations and the Church. As a trustee of a Christian foundation, I channel financial resources to other ministries. As a senior leader, I invest much of my time mentoring younger men and women to accomplish their calling.

I urge you to study this book and take it to heart. Rooting for Rivals is a call to a fresh vision for our organizations and churches. It’s a road map to embedding a spirit of humility and generosity in our hearts and in those of the teams we lead. And it’s a field guide to the sins that bedevil our best attempts to partner and mire our ministries in lone-ranger thinking. You will find parts of it challenging or convicting. I certainly have. But I suspect you’ll also find, like I have, a renewed passion for God’s people to work together as one body in Christ.

You’re in good hands. God has used Peter and Chris’s book Mission Drift to equip thousands of faith-based organizations, including InterVarsity, for better Kingdom service by keeping them Mission True—radically focused on Christ and His mission and deeply committed to keeping the gospel as the center of their work.

For as long as I’ve known them, I’ve benefited from the deep wells of wisdom and humility that God has dug in their hearts. I’m grateful for their long history of leadership and for their willingness to share the lessons