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VIP: How to Influence with Vision, Integrity, and Purpose
The Bible says that God has “assigned to you an area of influence” (2 Corinthians 10:13). The question is what will you do with it?
In his newest book VIP, O.S. Hawkins takes readers through what it takes to create a life of Vision, Influence, and Purpose. Through inspirational stories, biblical examples, and charged challenges towards greatness, O.S. Hawkins illuminates a path for you to uncover what it is going to take for you to become a VIP.
Following the great success of his books The Joshua Code and The James Code, VIP is the next step on your journey toward the life God has for you.
- GenresLeadership
125 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2016
11 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 11, 2018
Hawkins does a great job at being concise and straight to the point in his book, however, sometimes he’s a little too short on some things. I thought it was a great book about how to influence with a Christ-like attitude, but, at times, it felt like I was just reading random stories of a guys life. I really liked what he had to say about “God’s purpose for your life” because I’ve been struggling with that concept lately, and he brings an interesting insight to the table, but, as I said before, he could have added more to this very brief section. Overall, I liked what he had to say and some of it really hit home with me, but the majority of the book is either stories of his life or long passages of scripture (not a bad thing, just a bit much when it’s every other page) and I felt like he could have contributed so much more to certain sections to make it a more well-rounded book.
November 22, 2021
Can't beat free on audible 🎉
Highlights my 👂 heard ⤵️
low paying clients can suck up a lot of time
VIP equals very influential person
where there is no vision the people perish
King Solomon the wisest of all men ever
a task without a vision is pure drudgery
I have a vision far enough to see across an entire ocean
the integrity of the upright guides them king solomon
no one knows you better or loves you more
the way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas
my glittering Jewel
might need to plead out to a few fraud charges
I'm audience testing my material
Highlights my 👂 heard ⤵️
low paying clients can suck up a lot of time
VIP equals very influential person
where there is no vision the people perish
King Solomon the wisest of all men ever
a task without a vision is pure drudgery
I have a vision far enough to see across an entire ocean
the integrity of the upright guides them king solomon
no one knows you better or loves you more
the way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas
my glittering Jewel
might need to plead out to a few fraud charges
I'm audience testing my material
July 1, 2024
It was a good read and somewhat inspiring. I felt the arguments were a bit contrived and narrow focused but didn't disagree with any of the major points. It is a good reminder that we need to be a person of vision, integrity and purpose in order to maximize our influence and impact in the world.
June 14, 2016
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by BookLook/Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.]
When I received this book and started flipping through it, I was immediately a bit discouraged because the book was written by a writer whose track record is not very good, namely for his claiming to find “codes” in various books of the Bible [1]. Fortunately, this book appears better than his previous works, but all the same one gets the same feeling reading this book that many people get when listening to soulless pop music from the 1980’s, in that instead of solid biblical truth from a piano or organ that one is getting something slightly less real out of a Yamaha synthesizer instead. Although the author, like John Maxwell [2], claims to have been a pastor for a long time, this is the sort of book that is really written in order to appeal to the desires for place and position that many people have, especially those of a business persuasion who claim at least nominal Christianity but no profound biblical knowledge. This book is perfect as a very light book—it comes in at less than 120 small pages—for a lightweight audience, although it should be stated that the author’s points are good ones, lest it be thought that I was finding fault with the author’s argument rather than his superficial presentation.
The book is a short one, and well-organized and efficient in its presentation. At times, the book can be too efficient, as when it states without biblical warrant or historical accuracy that “Joseph influenced two of the world’s most progressive nations because he held to his vision of leadership (20).” Several unwarranted assumptions are made here: that the family of Israel was a nation at the time of Joseph’s youth, that both this proto-nation and Egypt were progressive, and that it is a good thing to be progressive. None of those assumptions seems to be true. When a single sentence of a book requires that much textual criticism, perhaps the book was too short to give the full explanation of what the author was trying to say, since his short and epigrammatic statements cannot be trusted in support of a point that seems particularly trivially obvious: that leaders are people of influence and not only office, and that to be an influential person one has to have vision, integrity, and purpose. These three points make up the majority of this book, which begins with an introduction, contains one chapter on the V, I, and P of the book’s title, and then contains a conclusion as well as a heartwarming epilogue about the most important people in the author’s life, which is easily the best part of this book, a lengthy and touching acknowledgements section that is worthy of emulation for other writers. The book’s royalties are donated to Mission: Dignity, which helps provide assistance to retired pastors, a worthy mission to encourage and support.
In reviewing a book like this, it is hard not to see this as a slightly expanded version of a fairly superficial sermon message that a minister would give and think himself clever for writing. Take a familiar TLA (three letter acronym), revise the letters to suit one’s message, find a few bible verses and stories to illustrate each of the points, and then put them all together and think of it as a daring and original work, and one has this sort of book. Unfortunately, Hawkins is not knowledgeable enough about the Bible to make this a truly deep and meaningful book, and one has to wonder what the intended audience of this book is. One can easily imagine this book being directed at Christian businesspeople who wish to find biblical encouragement as to their own interests and vocation but wish to be godly businesspeople. One could see a book like this as an encouragement of sorts to readers who desire to have power and influence but lack the offices to feel powerful, so that such people lead the right way and acquire the right perspective before attaining positions of official influence. These are good purposes, and one would hope that readers would take the right moral lessons from this book, even if it is the wonder bread of biblical business consulting works. There is much better material on Christian living to be found, with greater biblical accuracy and understanding, but if all one wants is a light snack, this book will do. You can do much worse.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
[2] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
When I received this book and started flipping through it, I was immediately a bit discouraged because the book was written by a writer whose track record is not very good, namely for his claiming to find “codes” in various books of the Bible [1]. Fortunately, this book appears better than his previous works, but all the same one gets the same feeling reading this book that many people get when listening to soulless pop music from the 1980’s, in that instead of solid biblical truth from a piano or organ that one is getting something slightly less real out of a Yamaha synthesizer instead. Although the author, like John Maxwell [2], claims to have been a pastor for a long time, this is the sort of book that is really written in order to appeal to the desires for place and position that many people have, especially those of a business persuasion who claim at least nominal Christianity but no profound biblical knowledge. This book is perfect as a very light book—it comes in at less than 120 small pages—for a lightweight audience, although it should be stated that the author’s points are good ones, lest it be thought that I was finding fault with the author’s argument rather than his superficial presentation.
The book is a short one, and well-organized and efficient in its presentation. At times, the book can be too efficient, as when it states without biblical warrant or historical accuracy that “Joseph influenced two of the world’s most progressive nations because he held to his vision of leadership (20).” Several unwarranted assumptions are made here: that the family of Israel was a nation at the time of Joseph’s youth, that both this proto-nation and Egypt were progressive, and that it is a good thing to be progressive. None of those assumptions seems to be true. When a single sentence of a book requires that much textual criticism, perhaps the book was too short to give the full explanation of what the author was trying to say, since his short and epigrammatic statements cannot be trusted in support of a point that seems particularly trivially obvious: that leaders are people of influence and not only office, and that to be an influential person one has to have vision, integrity, and purpose. These three points make up the majority of this book, which begins with an introduction, contains one chapter on the V, I, and P of the book’s title, and then contains a conclusion as well as a heartwarming epilogue about the most important people in the author’s life, which is easily the best part of this book, a lengthy and touching acknowledgements section that is worthy of emulation for other writers. The book’s royalties are donated to Mission: Dignity, which helps provide assistance to retired pastors, a worthy mission to encourage and support.
In reviewing a book like this, it is hard not to see this as a slightly expanded version of a fairly superficial sermon message that a minister would give and think himself clever for writing. Take a familiar TLA (three letter acronym), revise the letters to suit one’s message, find a few bible verses and stories to illustrate each of the points, and then put them all together and think of it as a daring and original work, and one has this sort of book. Unfortunately, Hawkins is not knowledgeable enough about the Bible to make this a truly deep and meaningful book, and one has to wonder what the intended audience of this book is. One can easily imagine this book being directed at Christian businesspeople who wish to find biblical encouragement as to their own interests and vocation but wish to be godly businesspeople. One could see a book like this as an encouragement of sorts to readers who desire to have power and influence but lack the offices to feel powerful, so that such people lead the right way and acquire the right perspective before attaining positions of official influence. These are good purposes, and one would hope that readers would take the right moral lessons from this book, even if it is the wonder bread of biblical business consulting works. There is much better material on Christian living to be found, with greater biblical accuracy and understanding, but if all one wants is a light snack, this book will do. You can do much worse.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
[2] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
April 2, 2020
must read. thought provoking. insightful. focused. a delightful way to find your wonder.
April 21, 2023
Great for young leaders in youth ministry to read and be empowered
February 25, 2016
Culture preaches that we should strive for importance. We long to be a VIP—Very Important Person. We get caught up in the pursuit of wealth, status, power, and fame. We want to be “liked” on Facebook. But is that the best way to live?
Author O. S. Hawkins takes a counter-cultural approach by encouraging people to pursue influence rather than importance. Just as each person has a unique fingerprint and DNA, he believes that God has designed each of us with a unique sphere of influence. But to have the greatest impact possible, we need to become a VIP, a person of Vision, Integrity, and Purpose.
According to Hawkins, a person of influence is a person of:
Vision—They cast a vision of what God wants them to be, where he wants them to go in life, and how he wants them to get there, and others get caught up in the flow.
Integrity—A person of integrity is authentic from the core to the crust. There is no difference between their private life and their public life.
Purpose—A person of influence knows why they exist, and they marshal all their energy to achieve that purpose.
The author weaves together numerous passages of Scripture to flesh out his concepts. He also includes the examples of several people who demonstrate these qualities. The strength of the book is that it motivates the reader to want to live this kind of life. The weakness of the book is that the author does not address how to develop these qualities. The assumption seems to be that if the reader is pointed in the right direction and encouraged to start the journey, they can figure out the rest on their own. While the book is encouraging and biblically sound, it is not that helpful. Consequently, it falls short of the goal.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Author O. S. Hawkins takes a counter-cultural approach by encouraging people to pursue influence rather than importance. Just as each person has a unique fingerprint and DNA, he believes that God has designed each of us with a unique sphere of influence. But to have the greatest impact possible, we need to become a VIP, a person of Vision, Integrity, and Purpose.
According to Hawkins, a person of influence is a person of:
Vision—They cast a vision of what God wants them to be, where he wants them to go in life, and how he wants them to get there, and others get caught up in the flow.
Integrity—A person of integrity is authentic from the core to the crust. There is no difference between their private life and their public life.
Purpose—A person of influence knows why they exist, and they marshal all their energy to achieve that purpose.
The author weaves together numerous passages of Scripture to flesh out his concepts. He also includes the examples of several people who demonstrate these qualities. The strength of the book is that it motivates the reader to want to live this kind of life. The weakness of the book is that the author does not address how to develop these qualities. The assumption seems to be that if the reader is pointed in the right direction and encouraged to start the journey, they can figure out the rest on their own. While the book is encouraging and biblically sound, it is not that helpful. Consequently, it falls short of the goal.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
March 3, 2016
We humans love to be important, to be recognized. It's a prideful desire that is part of our inheritance from the fall.
But what if we desire to be a Very Influential Person? Using 2 Cor. 10:13, 15 (ESV), Hawkins argues that God has given each of us a specific area of influence where no one can be as effective as we can.
Continuing the use of VIP, he suggests we become people of Vision, Integrity, and Purpose. He writes of the importance of vision in one's life and tells stories of people who inspired others with their vision. Our culture needs people of integrity, he says. He explains how it must be rooted in our private world and will then be reflected in our public world. While every Christian has the general purpose of glorifying God, God wants to reveal a specific purpose for each of us. We must be in relationship with God, sensitive to the Spirit, and know the Word for us to know our individual purpose. Living this kind of life is following the example of Jesus.
Hawkins includes stories of people who have influenced his life in the last quarter of the book.
This little book might be a nice gift for graduation or as one contemplates a career change. It is very readable and encourages us to be influential in those particular areas God has chosen for us.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
But what if we desire to be a Very Influential Person? Using 2 Cor. 10:13, 15 (ESV), Hawkins argues that God has given each of us a specific area of influence where no one can be as effective as we can.
Continuing the use of VIP, he suggests we become people of Vision, Integrity, and Purpose. He writes of the importance of vision in one's life and tells stories of people who inspired others with their vision. Our culture needs people of integrity, he says. He explains how it must be rooted in our private world and will then be reflected in our public world. While every Christian has the general purpose of glorifying God, God wants to reveal a specific purpose for each of us. We must be in relationship with God, sensitive to the Spirit, and know the Word for us to know our individual purpose. Living this kind of life is following the example of Jesus.
Hawkins includes stories of people who have influenced his life in the last quarter of the book.
This little book might be a nice gift for graduation or as one contemplates a career change. It is very readable and encourages us to be influential in those particular areas God has chosen for us.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
March 12, 2016
About the Book:
The Bible says that God has assigned to you an area of influence (2 Corinthians 10:13). The question is what will you do with it?
In his newest book VIP, O.S. Hawkins takes readers through what it takes to create a life of Vision, Influence, and Purpose. Through inspirational stories, biblical examples, and charged challenges towards greatness, O.S. Hawkins illuminates a path for you to uncover what it is going to take for you to become a VIP.
Following the great success of his books The Joshua Code and The James Code, VIP is the next step on your journey toward the life God has for you. "
My Review:
By today's standard we have a lot to achieve and very little time to do it in. So goes the fast paced life that is portrayed all around us. But we not only see it, we live it. O. S. Hawkins is a beloved author that has given us many great commentary and writings that suggest that we strive to be better than our former selves but in a more realistic way that goes not only against the norm but also against society and their need to be in control. Instead he suggests that God be in control of our motivations.
His latest was both inciteful and encouraging. Very well researched and perfect for today's world and those of us striving for greatness but not our own---God's greatness.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author.
The Bible says that God has assigned to you an area of influence (2 Corinthians 10:13). The question is what will you do with it?
In his newest book VIP, O.S. Hawkins takes readers through what it takes to create a life of Vision, Influence, and Purpose. Through inspirational stories, biblical examples, and charged challenges towards greatness, O.S. Hawkins illuminates a path for you to uncover what it is going to take for you to become a VIP.
Following the great success of his books The Joshua Code and The James Code, VIP is the next step on your journey toward the life God has for you. "
My Review:
By today's standard we have a lot to achieve and very little time to do it in. So goes the fast paced life that is portrayed all around us. But we not only see it, we live it. O. S. Hawkins is a beloved author that has given us many great commentary and writings that suggest that we strive to be better than our former selves but in a more realistic way that goes not only against the norm but also against society and their need to be in control. Instead he suggests that God be in control of our motivations.
His latest was both inciteful and encouraging. Very well researched and perfect for today's world and those of us striving for greatness but not our own---God's greatness.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author.
May 26, 2016
I was interested and curious about this little book when I saw it Thomas Nelson's website. So I took a chance, and it was a good call.
VIP: How to Influence with Vision, Integrity, and Purpose is not a quick read. It is a book that is designed to read a portion, research the passages mentioned, and let it stew and marinate in the mind.
Each of us carry a narcissistic flair within. We want to be important. We want people to like us. We want to influence others.
In this book it shows us how to find that sphere of influence that God had assigned just for us.
O.S. Hawkins uses a combination of life stories, Biblical stories, history, and literature to prove his point in each category. He really takes a different approach to the well known acronym, VIP. He challenges the reader to live not in pursuit of importance but to influence others toward eternal significance.
This wasn't a quick read; I did find it tedious and a book to read as though I was studying a course, which in a way was what it was like. After quickly reading through it, I will now go through it piece by piece, day by day, making notes, highlighting, and applying what I have read.
This makes a great gift and I recommend it as a different type of nonfiction book. Not quite a devotional, not quite a memoir or biography, but definitely an outstanding "self-help" book.
***I received this book through Thomas Nelson's Booklookbloggers in exchange of an honest and complete review***
VIP: How to Influence with Vision, Integrity, and Purpose is not a quick read. It is a book that is designed to read a portion, research the passages mentioned, and let it stew and marinate in the mind.
Each of us carry a narcissistic flair within. We want to be important. We want people to like us. We want to influence others.
In this book it shows us how to find that sphere of influence that God had assigned just for us.
O.S. Hawkins uses a combination of life stories, Biblical stories, history, and literature to prove his point in each category. He really takes a different approach to the well known acronym, VIP. He challenges the reader to live not in pursuit of importance but to influence others toward eternal significance.
This wasn't a quick read; I did find it tedious and a book to read as though I was studying a course, which in a way was what it was like. After quickly reading through it, I will now go through it piece by piece, day by day, making notes, highlighting, and applying what I have read.
This makes a great gift and I recommend it as a different type of nonfiction book. Not quite a devotional, not quite a memoir or biography, but definitely an outstanding "self-help" book.
***I received this book through Thomas Nelson's Booklookbloggers in exchange of an honest and complete review***
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews