Lead Like It Matters to God

Lead Like It Matters to God Plot Summary

Introduction

Richard Stearns embodies one of the most remarkable leadership transformations in modern American business history. From his humble beginnings in a struggling family to the executive offices of luxury brands and ultimately to the helm of one of the world's largest humanitarian organizations, Stearns' journey illustrates how purpose can triumph over prestige. His story unfolds against the backdrop of late 20th century America, where corporate success was often measured solely by financial metrics and market dominance. What makes Stearns' narrative particularly compelling is not merely his professional achievements, but his willingness to abandon them at the height of his career. When he walked away from his role as CEO of Lenox, the prestigious china and crystal company, to lead World Vision, he embraced a radical redefinition of leadership that prioritized service over status. Through his journey, readers discover the profound tension between worldly success and spiritual calling, the transformative power of faith-driven leadership, and the extraordinary impact that occurs when one's professional talents are aligned with deeper purpose. His story challenges conventional wisdom about what constitutes a successful life and career.

Chapter 1: Humble Beginnings: Breaking Free from Family Struggles

Richard Stearns was born into a family where financial security was an elusive dream. His father, a used car salesman with only an eighth-grade education, struggled with alcoholism, which eventually led to bankruptcy and the disintegration of the family. When Stearns was just ten years old, his parents separated, and he, his mother, and his sister found themselves moving from one rental home to another, constantly battling financial insecurity. The family upheaval left young Richard with deep-seated feelings of instability and insecurity that would follow him into adulthood. Despite these challenging circumstances, Stearns developed remarkable resilience and determination. His older sister instilled in him the belief that education could provide an escape route from their difficult circumstances. From an early age, Stearns committed himself to academic excellence, harboring dreams of attending an Ivy League university. To support his educational aspirations, he took on a succession of jobs—delivering newspapers, bagging groceries, selling popcorn at a movie theater, and even cleaning toilets at a nursing home. Through these early experiences, he developed a strong work ethic and learned valuable lessons about responsibility and financial management. The transformative power of education became Stearns' North Star. When the time came to apply for college, he set his sights on Cornell University, just fifty miles from his home in Syracuse. Though his mother laughed at his ambition, saying neither she nor his "drunken father" could afford such an education, Stearns was undeterred. He applied anyway and was accepted with several crucial scholarships that made his dream possible. For a young man from his background, Cornell represented not just an education but a doorway to a new world of possibilities. Cornell proved to be both a challenge and a crucible for Stearns. Coming from a disadvantaged educational background, he found himself academically unprepared compared to his more privileged peers. The first year was especially difficult, but he studied relentlessly, knowing that failure was not an option. This period shaped his character, teaching him how to think critically, reason effectively, and perform under pressure—skills that would serve him throughout his career. He graduated with a degree in neurobiology and animal behavior, though he soon realized this field offered limited career opportunities without further specialized education. Determined to secure gainful employment, Stearns applied to several business schools, hoping to earn an MBA. Though initially waitlisted at the prestigious Wharton School, his persistence paid off. He called the admissions office weekly until finally, he received not only an acceptance letter but also a substantial scholarship. This pattern of perseverance in the face of obstacles would become a defining characteristic of his leadership approach. Stearns arrived at Wharton with long hair and casual attire, standing in stark contrast to his older, more polished classmates. Yet this outsider status didn't prevent him from excelling and laying the groundwork for his future corporate success.

Chapter 2: Finding Faith: The Transformative Path to Christianity

Richard Stearns' journey to faith began unexpectedly during his senior year at Cornell when he met his future wife, Reneé, on a blind date. Their meeting was a clash of worldviews—Stearns had become essentially an atheist after four years at Cornell, believing religion was merely a crutch for the weak, while Reneé was a committed Christian actively involved in Campus Crusade for Christ. During their date, she shared her faith using a small booklet called The Four Spiritual Laws, a common evangelistic tool at the time. While Stearns was initially dismissive, one particular page caught his attention—it depicted two diagrams showing life with either "self" or "Christ" on the throne, resulting in either chaos or order. The concept of surrendering control struck a nerve with Stearns. He had navigated his difficult childhood and college years by taking control of his own life and refused to surrender that control to anyone, including God. Though he rejected Reneé's invitation to faith that night, their relationship continued to develop over the following months. However, their fundamental difference in beliefs eventually became a breaking point. In November of his first semester at Wharton, Reneé made the difficult decision to end their relationship, believing she could never marry someone who didn't share her deepest convictions. Devastated by the loss, Stearns found himself on an unexpected intellectual and spiritual quest. He began reading extensively about Christianity, working through dozens of books on Christian apologetics, philosophy, and comparative religion. This wasn't a casual exploration but an intense academic pursuit, fitting for someone with his analytical mind. After months of study and reflection, he returned to the central question that had challenged him during that first conversation with Reneé: Who did he want on the throne of his life? The intellectual journey had led him to an emotional and spiritual crossroads. One day in his dormitory at Wharton, after finishing C.S. Lewis's book "Miracles," Stearns experienced a profound moment of surrender. He acknowledged that Jesus truly was who he claimed to be—the Son of the living God—and committed himself to God's purposes for his life. He made a simple but life-changing prayer: "Not my will but thy will," promising to go where God called him to go and to be who God wanted him to be. This conversion experience fundamentally altered the trajectory of his life, though the full implications of this surrender would unfold gradually over the coming decades. With his newfound faith, Stearns reconnected with Reneé, and they married sixteen months later, just after they both graduated. His spiritual transformation didn't immediately change his career ambitions, but it did begin to shape his values and perspective as he entered the corporate world. Though he couldn't have foreseen it at the time, this act of surrender was the first step in a journey that would eventually lead him from the executive suite to humanitarian service, demonstrating how faith can dramatically reshape one's definition of success and purpose.

Chapter 3: Corporate Success: Leading with Values at Parker Brothers and Lenox

Stearns' corporate career began at Gillette, where his first assignment involved promoting deodorants and shaving cream—hardly the glamorous start one might expect for a future CEO. After two years, he moved to Parker Brothers Games in Salem, Massachusetts, where his career truly took flight. The company, famous for games like Monopoly, Clue, and Risk, provided Stearns with a playground for his creativity and leadership abilities. His advancement was remarkably swift; within seven years, he was promoted to president and CEO at just thirty-three years old. His wife jokingly referred to him as "business boy," and it seemed he had achieved the American dream through sheer determination and talent. However, his first taste of corporate leadership came to an abrupt end less than two years after becoming president, when Parker Brothers changed ownership and he was summarily fired. This unexpected setback was traumatic for Stearns, triggering the same feelings of insecurity and failure that had haunted him since childhood. In his haste to regain his footing, he quickly accepted a position with the Franklin Mint, only to be fired again just nine months later. This double dismissal forced Stearns into a period of deep reflection about his identity, purpose, and relationship with God. During this wilderness period, Stearns spent significant time in prayer and Scripture reading. Without the distractions of work, he had uninterrupted time to reassess his priorities and realign his ambitions with his faith. He came to a profound realization about his purpose: God had created him "to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this life"—a lesson from his childhood catechism that suddenly took on new meaning. This insight transformed his understanding of work; any job was simply a context in which to fulfill this greater purpose. His career was not his identity but merely the setting in which he would serve God. Nine months after his second firing, Stearns was hired by Lenox, the prestigious American maker of fine china and crystal. Though leading a china company hadn't been his childhood dream, he approached this new opportunity with gratitude and a renewed sense of vocation. Starting in a smaller division, he brought his leadership skills and fresh perspective to the company. Over the next eleven years, he steadily advanced through the ranks to eventually become CEO of the entire company. Under his leadership, Lenox regained its market leadership position from Japanese competitor Noritake, increasing market share from 26 to 45 percent. At Lenox, Stearns began to integrate his faith with his leadership in more intentional ways. He focused on creating a positive work environment that valued people and fostered integrity. Though he didn't openly proselytize, he kept a Bible on his desk and strove to treat employees with respect and care. He worked to reshape the company's culture around a higher purpose: "Enriching people's lives through beautifully designed and crafted products." This shift in focus from merely selling dishes to enriching lives gave employees a renewed sense of pride and meaning in their work. Through his leadership at Lenox, Stearns demonstrated that corporate success and values-based leadership could coexist, laying the groundwork for his eventual transition to humanitarian work.

Chapter 4: The Divine Calling: Trading Success for Significance at World Vision

After eleven successful years at Lenox, Stearns received an unexpected phone call that would radically alter the course of his life. An executive recruiter contacted him about the CEO position at World Vision, one of the largest Christian humanitarian organizations in the world. His immediate reaction was dismissive—he knew nothing about global poverty, had no nonprofit experience, no theological training, and no fundraising skills. On paper, his background in luxury goods and toys seemed utterly incompatible with leading an organization dedicated to serving the world's poorest people. Moreover, taking this position would require a 75 percent pay cut, selling his dream home, and uprooting his family of seven to move across the country to Seattle. When the recruiter asked if he was "willing to be open to God's will" for his life, Stearns found himself in a situation reminiscent of the rich young ruler in the Gospels. The question forced him to confront whether he had truly surrendered everything to Christ, as he had professed years earlier in his Wharton dormitory. Like that biblical figure, Stearns initially felt his face fall at the prospect of leaving behind his wealth, status, and security. The decision represented not just a career move but a profound spiritual test: was he willing to sacrifice the success he had worked so hard to achieve? After much prayer and internal struggle, Stearns made the difficult decision to accept the World Vision position. His choice wasn't made with great enthusiasm or joy but out of a sense of obedience to God's calling. He and Reneé sold their beautiful fieldstone farmhouse, packed up their five children, and moved to Seattle. At World Vision, Stearns' first day in his new corner office contrasted sharply with his confident beginning at Lenox. Instead of feeling like he had "arrived," he felt completely inadequate for the task ahead of him. Overwhelmed by the responsibility of leading an organization on which millions of children depended for life itself, he broke down in prayer, acknowledging his helplessness and total dependence on God. Over the next twenty years, Stearns would travel nearly three million miles, visiting some sixty countries and witnessing firsthand the most challenging problems facing humanity: extreme poverty, famine, disease, conflict, ethnic hatred, human trafficking, and genocide. His corporate experience, which had seemed irrelevant, proved invaluable as he applied his leadership skills to grow World Vision's impact dramatically. Under his guidance, the organization's revenue tripled while overhead costs were reduced by a third, allowing millions more people to receive clean water, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Perhaps the most significant challenge Stearns tackled at World Vision was the global AIDS pandemic. Despite resistance from some conservative Christian constituents who viewed AIDS as punishment for immorality, Stearns led World Vision to become a major responder to the crisis. He traveled extensively to raise awareness, launched major campaigns, and even influenced U.S. policy, helping to secure support for PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), a landmark initiative that has saved millions of lives. This work exemplified Stearns' courage in challenging his own constituency to embrace a more compassionate response to human suffering, regardless of its causes.

Chapter 5: Leadership Principles: Values Over Results in Every Setting

Throughout his unique career spanning both corporate boardrooms and humanitarian frontlines, Stearns developed a distinctive leadership philosophy that placed values above outcomes. In stark contrast to the prevailing business mentality that focuses primarily on results, Stearns came to believe that God cares more about how leaders lead than about the success they achieve. This perspective wasn't theoretical—it emerged from his experiences navigating the intense pressures of both corporate performance expectations and the urgent demands of global humanitarian crises. Central to Stearns' leadership approach was the conviction that character and integrity must form the foundation of any leader's influence. At Lenox, he famously had a humbling experience on his first day as CEO when he clogged his executive bathroom and had to sneak down the hallway in search of a plunger. He later reflected that God was sending him a clear message: "Okay, Mr. Bigshot, yes, you're the CEO now, but just remember that you are no different and no more special than anyone else who works here." This incident became a personal reminder about the dangers of pride and self-importance that can accompany leadership positions. Stearns identified seventeen core leadership values that he considered essential: surrender, sacrifice, trust, love, excellence, humility, integrity, vision, courage, generosity, perseverance, forgiveness, self-awareness, balance, humor, encouragement, and listening. Rather than viewing these as abstract virtues, he applied them as practical tools for daily leadership decisions. For example, at World Vision, when he discovered that employees were accumulating thousands of pumpkin seed packets that donors had sent back in response to a fundraising campaign, rather than sending them to African farmers as promised, he used the incident to reinforce organizational integrity. In an all-staff meeting, he declared, "Integrity always trumps revenue. The ends never justify the means." Perhaps most notably, Stearns championed the principle that a leader's primary responsibility is the well-being of the people entrusted to their care. He often used the metaphor of a coach or orchestra conductor whose job is to bring out the best in players or musicians. This people-centered leadership approach manifested in his willingness to listen to diverse perspectives before making decisions. At World Vision, when contemplating a significant reorganization, he held approximately thirty one-on-one discussions with leaders from multiple levels and departments, followed by broader town halls to gather additional input. This collaborative process not only produced better decisions but also created widespread buy-in for the changes. The culmination of Stearns' leadership philosophy was his redefinition of success itself. He frequently quoted Mother Teresa's profound observation: "God did not call me to be successful. He called me to be faithful." This statement challenged the achievement-oriented culture that permeates both business and ministry contexts. For Stearns, faithfulness to God's purposes—not external metrics of success—became the true measure of leadership effectiveness. This counter-cultural perspective enabled him to maintain his moral compass through both the triumphs and failures of his leadership journey, ultimately producing a legacy that transcended conventional measures of accomplishment.

Chapter 6: Global Impact: Confronting AIDS and Poverty with Courage

When Richard Stearns first witnessed the devastating impact of AIDS in Africa, the experience shook him to his core. On his inaugural overseas trip as World Vision's president, he encountered three orphaned boys living alone in a mud hut after losing both parents to AIDS. For someone who had been selling luxury china just two months earlier, this reality was both shocking and transformative. AIDS was ravaging communities across sub-Saharan Africa, killing adults in their prime and leaving millions of children orphaned. Yet in America, particularly among Christians, there was deafening silence about this crisis. Stearns returned from that trip determined that World Vision would tackle the AIDS pandemic head-on, despite significant obstacles. When he convened a meeting with his leadership team to outline his intentions, he was met with uneasiness rather than enthusiasm. His vice president of marketing voiced the concern directly: "Rich, World Vision is a G-rated ministry, and this is an R-rated issue. Our donors and church partners will never support this." Market research confirmed these fears—a survey revealed that only 3 percent of evangelical Christians would "definitely" be willing to donate to help children orphaned by AIDS, while 52 percent said they probably or definitely would not help. Undeterred by these findings, Stearns made a bold decision. At the conclusion of their meeting, he declared: "This is our 'Esther moment,' and I believe God will withdraw his hand of blessing from World Vision if we fail to do the right thing at such a time as this." His leadership team rallied behind this moral clarity, and World Vision launched what they called the Hope Initiative. They focused strategically on "orphans and widows in their distress" (a direct biblical reference from James 1:27), emphasized prevention through abstinence and faithfulness teachings, and partnered closely with African churches and pastors. To shift American Christian perspectives, Stearns embarked on an eighteen-city tour, speaking in churches, holding donor events, and engaging with media outlets to raise awareness. World Vision introduced a specialized child sponsorship program called Hope Child specifically to support orphans and vulnerable children affected by AIDS. Despite criticism from some conservative Christian leaders who opposed helping those they viewed as having committed sexual sins, Stearns remained steadfast in his conviction that this response embodied Christ's compassion for the suffering. The impact of World Vision's work under Stearns' leadership extended far beyond AIDS. During his twenty-year tenure, the organization dramatically expanded its reach and effectiveness in addressing global poverty. World Vision pioneered innovative approaches to community development, providing clean water to millions, improving health outcomes for vulnerable children, enhancing food security through agricultural programs, and creating economic opportunities through microfinance initiatives. Through its child sponsorship model, the organization fostered long-term, sustainable development in communities across the globe. Stearns also became an influential voice on the global stage. His advocacy helped shape U.S. foreign policy on humanitarian issues, contributing to the passage of President Bush's PEPFAR initiative (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), which became the largest single foreign assistance program since the Marshall Plan. By the time he retired from World Vision in 2018, Stearns had helped transform not only the organization itself but also how American Christians engaged with global issues of poverty and injustice. His courage in confronting difficult issues, willingness to challenge his constituency's preconceptions, and steadfast commitment to serving the most vulnerable exemplified how faith-based leadership can create lasting global impact.

Chapter 7: Legacy of Faithfulness: Modeling Christ-Centered Leadership

As Richard Stearns reflects on his remarkable journey from corporate leadership to humanitarian service, his legacy centers not on personal achievements but on the transformative power of faithfulness. Throughout his career, Stearns consistently reframed the concept of success through the lens of his faith. Whether in the boardrooms of Parker Brothers and Lenox or in the field operations of World Vision across sixty countries, he measured his effectiveness not by conventional metrics but by alignment with Christ's values and purposes. This fundamental shift in perspective—from worldly success to godly faithfulness—forms the cornerstone of his enduring influence. Stearns' leadership approach demolished the artificial wall between faith and work that many Christians construct. He demonstrated that being an "ambassador for Christ" wasn't limited to explicitly religious settings but extended to corporate environments, humanitarian organizations, and every sphere of influence. At Lenox, his faith informed decisions about product development, marketing strategies, and employee relations. At World Vision, his business acumen enhanced the organization's operational excellence and strategic focus. By integrating these seemingly disparate worlds, he showed that faith-driven leadership can be both principled and pragmatic, compassionate and competent. Perhaps Stearns' most significant legacy lies in how he embodied servant leadership. Unlike many who acquire power and position, he consistently used his authority to elevate others rather than himself. When confronted with the AIDS crisis, he risked his reputation and organizational support to advocate for those who had no voice. In executive meetings, he created space for diverse perspectives and listened intently to contrary opinions. His leadership style wasn't about asserting dominance but about empowering his team to fulfill their potential and purpose. This approach not only proved effective in achieving organizational goals but also profoundly impacted the lives of those he led. The ripple effects of Stearns' influence extend far beyond the organizations he directly led. Through his speaking, writing, and mentoring, he has shaped a generation of emerging leaders across business, nonprofit, and ministry sectors. Many who worked under his leadership at World Vision have gone on to become CEOs of other ministries and organizations. His commitment to developing others ensured that his values-centered leadership approach would multiply through those he influenced. Rather than building a cult of personality, he focused on cultivating a community of purpose-driven leaders who would carry forward the work of bringing positive change to a broken world. At the heart of Stearns' legacy is a profound theological insight that he often expressed using Mother Teresa's words: "God did not call me to be successful. He called me to be faithful." This statement captures the essence of his leadership philosophy—that our primary responsibility is not achievement but obedience to God's purposes. By prioritizing faithfulness over success, Stearns modeled a leadership approach that offered freedom from the relentless pressure to perform and produce results at any cost. His life demonstrates that when leaders focus first on being faithful to God in their values and conduct, they may indeed achieve remarkable outcomes, but more importantly, they fulfill their true calling as Christ's ambassadors in the world.

Summary

Richard Stearns' extraordinary journey from selling luxury china to leading humanitarian efforts across the globe embodies a profound truth: true leadership is measured not by the heights of success achieved but by the depth of service rendered. His transformation from corporate executive to servant leader offers a powerful counternarrative to our culture's obsession with achievement, wealth, and status. By walking away from career advancement and financial prosperity to embrace a calling that aligned with his deepest values, Stearns demonstrated that the most fulfilling path is often the one that prioritizes purpose over prestige, faithfulness over fame, and impact over income. The enduring wisdom of Stearns' life can be distilled into this essential insight: when we align our professional talents with transcendent purpose, we discover a dimension of leadership that transforms not only organizations but lives—including our own. His example challenges us to examine our definitions of success, to integrate our deepest values into our daily work, and to view our professional positions—whatever they may be—as platforms for meaningful service rather than personal advancement. For those struggling with the tension between career ambitions and deeper callings, Stearns offers hope that these seemingly competing priorities can be reconciled through courageous choices and faithful persistence. His legacy reminds us that the journey from success to significance begins with a single step of surrender and unfolds through daily decisions to lead with values that truly matter.

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Richard Stearns

Richard Stearns is the president of World Vision United States, an international Christian relief and development organization.

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