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Disruptive Generosity: Stories of Transforming Cities through Strategic Giving
It can seem like all you ever hear these days is bad news. Yet in the midst of contentious political posturing and stories of communities in trouble are stories of love, reconciliation, and restoration. Through a variety of innovative programs and initiatives, and flying mostly under the national news radar, Christian business leaders are bringing hope to blighted urban communities in our greatest cities. A Disruptive Generosity shares their inspiring stories.
From Dallas to New York City, from London to Singapore, lives and communities are being changed through strategic stewardship. These stories will challenge marketplace Christians to find innovative ways to use their resources as God's hands and feet in a hurting world.
From Dallas to New York City, from London to Singapore, lives and communities are being changed through strategic stewardship. These stories will challenge marketplace Christians to find innovative ways to use their resources as God's hands and feet in a hurting world.
208 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2017
5 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Mac Pier
18 books3 followersMac Pier is the founder of Movement.org. He helped to birth the Concerts of Prayer Movement in 1988 in New York City. He also co-founded Movement Day in 2010 with Dr Timothy J. Keller. He is the author of nine books including A Disruptive Gospel (Baker Books) and New York Disrupted (Movement Day Publishing). Mac and Marya have been married 40 years and have three children and five grandchildren. Pier has been a Lausanne catalyst since 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 22, 2017
Summary: Thirty-one stories of entrepreneurial business leaders whose strategic stewardship of their lives and their money have resulted in transformed lives and cities across the globe.
Mac Pier is a catalyst and a storyteller and he leverages these skills to host gatherings of Christian leaders in the business world to consider how they might impact their cities and their world. Then he tells the stories of these leaders to encourage others with these aspirations about the difference they can make with their skills and their resources. He serves as founder and CEO of the New York City Leadership Center and has launched the Movement Day conferences. The Movement Day website claims, "Since Movement Day's inception, over 18,000 ministry, church, business, seminary, university and foundation leaders have come to be challenged, inspired, and catalyzed in the advancement of gospel movement."
I reviewed an earlier collection of stories of fifteen leaders by Pier under the title Consequential Leadership back in 2014. He outlines four premises that form the basis of his work in that book:
1. Cities shape culture.
2. Gospel movements change cities.
3. Catalytic leaders launch movements.
4. Mentors and catalytic events shape leaders.
This new book is about catalytic leaders with financial resources who use those resources strategically to launch movements. I think an alternate title of this book could have been The Joy of Generosity because one of the undercurrents running through all the stories in this book is the deep sense of excitement and satisfaction experienced by people as they discovered strategic ways to invest the resources that came from business success to bring healing and renewal to their cities and in other needy situations around the world.
The book consists of thirty-one stories of generous people. It is suggested in the Introduction that you read one of these each day. Each story is connected to a verse in Isaiah focusing on God's vision for the world. The stories are not simply about generous people but about movements in which such people come together, captured by a vision of the opportunity they have for kingdom influence. The stories also underscore relational networks. Pier talks about the book as a kind of relational tree connected by Lausanne Conferences and Movement Days. Each story concludes with succinct "Points for Reflection" and a prayer related to the person or persons he has just profiled (some chapters profile a couple people who come together in a joint venture).
In his chapter titled "Fruitful" Pier tells the stories of two men who served as part of the initial core group that launched the New York City Leadership Center, Lew Bakes and Tony Lembke:
"Lew suggested we follow Christ's disciple model and find twelve investors who would each commit one hundred thousand dollars a year for three years to launch the NYCLC. He was the first one in.
Lew's model inspired other leaders to join the team. Within our first year, we had raised nearly $1 million.
. . .
Tony Lembke was another member of the initial core group that launched the NYC Leadership Center in 2008. He attends The Presbyterian Church at New Providence in New Jersey, led by Jeff Ebert. Jeff invited Tony to a luncheon we had at the Hilton Hotel at 53rd and 6th Avenue, and within a few weeks Tony followed up with me. He wanted to join the core group of investors to launch the NYCLC. Tony felt a strong call to get involved when he heard that the goal was to create a 'tipping point' of Christian grace to the world's most influential city and to bring leadership resources to pastors and Christian leaders in the NYC metro area."
The book is a bracing journey that takes us from New York to Cape Town, to India, South Korea, Singapore, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, and the great cities of America--Dallas, Charlotte, Palm Beach, Phoenix and many others including Columbus, Ohio where I live. From Lydia in the book in Acts, the Clapham Sect that surrounded William Wilberforce to the present day, "gospel patrons" have played a decisive role in accelerating the ministry of the gospel throughout the world. Through generous giving, these gospel patrons disrupt both the status quo of our society's consumption ethic, and the status quo of an alienated, suffering world.
With the recently passed massive tax deductions that benefit the wealthy and corporate world the most, it seems that for believing people who believe wealth is entrusted to us for the glory of God and the good of the world, we've been given a disruptive opportunity. We can take money once given to government, and instead of spending it on ourselves, use it shrewdly and well to advance the only kingdom that endures for eternity. That, it seems to me, is a good kind of disruptiveness!
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Mac Pier is a catalyst and a storyteller and he leverages these skills to host gatherings of Christian leaders in the business world to consider how they might impact their cities and their world. Then he tells the stories of these leaders to encourage others with these aspirations about the difference they can make with their skills and their resources. He serves as founder and CEO of the New York City Leadership Center and has launched the Movement Day conferences. The Movement Day website claims, "Since Movement Day's inception, over 18,000 ministry, church, business, seminary, university and foundation leaders have come to be challenged, inspired, and catalyzed in the advancement of gospel movement."
I reviewed an earlier collection of stories of fifteen leaders by Pier under the title Consequential Leadership back in 2014. He outlines four premises that form the basis of his work in that book:
1. Cities shape culture.
2. Gospel movements change cities.
3. Catalytic leaders launch movements.
4. Mentors and catalytic events shape leaders.
This new book is about catalytic leaders with financial resources who use those resources strategically to launch movements. I think an alternate title of this book could have been The Joy of Generosity because one of the undercurrents running through all the stories in this book is the deep sense of excitement and satisfaction experienced by people as they discovered strategic ways to invest the resources that came from business success to bring healing and renewal to their cities and in other needy situations around the world.
The book consists of thirty-one stories of generous people. It is suggested in the Introduction that you read one of these each day. Each story is connected to a verse in Isaiah focusing on God's vision for the world. The stories are not simply about generous people but about movements in which such people come together, captured by a vision of the opportunity they have for kingdom influence. The stories also underscore relational networks. Pier talks about the book as a kind of relational tree connected by Lausanne Conferences and Movement Days. Each story concludes with succinct "Points for Reflection" and a prayer related to the person or persons he has just profiled (some chapters profile a couple people who come together in a joint venture).
In his chapter titled "Fruitful" Pier tells the stories of two men who served as part of the initial core group that launched the New York City Leadership Center, Lew Bakes and Tony Lembke:
"Lew suggested we follow Christ's disciple model and find twelve investors who would each commit one hundred thousand dollars a year for three years to launch the NYCLC. He was the first one in.
Lew's model inspired other leaders to join the team. Within our first year, we had raised nearly $1 million.
. . .
Tony Lembke was another member of the initial core group that launched the NYC Leadership Center in 2008. He attends The Presbyterian Church at New Providence in New Jersey, led by Jeff Ebert. Jeff invited Tony to a luncheon we had at the Hilton Hotel at 53rd and 6th Avenue, and within a few weeks Tony followed up with me. He wanted to join the core group of investors to launch the NYCLC. Tony felt a strong call to get involved when he heard that the goal was to create a 'tipping point' of Christian grace to the world's most influential city and to bring leadership resources to pastors and Christian leaders in the NYC metro area."
The book is a bracing journey that takes us from New York to Cape Town, to India, South Korea, Singapore, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, and the great cities of America--Dallas, Charlotte, Palm Beach, Phoenix and many others including Columbus, Ohio where I live. From Lydia in the book in Acts, the Clapham Sect that surrounded William Wilberforce to the present day, "gospel patrons" have played a decisive role in accelerating the ministry of the gospel throughout the world. Through generous giving, these gospel patrons disrupt both the status quo of our society's consumption ethic, and the status quo of an alienated, suffering world.
With the recently passed massive tax deductions that benefit the wealthy and corporate world the most, it seems that for believing people who believe wealth is entrusted to us for the glory of God and the good of the world, we've been given a disruptive opportunity. We can take money once given to government, and instead of spending it on ourselves, use it shrewdly and well to advance the only kingdom that endures for eternity. That, it seems to me, is a good kind of disruptiveness!
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
August 29, 2017
Can the wealthy make a difference in the Kingdom of God and influence the spread of the gospel? Pier believes that money can be used in the temporal realm to impact the eternal. He gives us many examples of wealthy people doing exactly that.
There are thirty one stories and Pier suggests reading one a day. He then suggests praying about how God can use us. There are points to remember at the end of each story as well as a printed prayer.
These are stories about people with great personal wealth. People like Mart Green whose father started Hobby Lobby. People like the man who sold his company for a billion dollars. People who establish foundations from their wealth. People who head multi-million dollar companies with thousands of employees. People who own sports teams.
The stories are inspiring in that it is good to know that there are people of great personal wealth who are using that wealth to advance the gospel. The stories are good examples to Christians of great personal wealth, showing how that wealth can be used to advance God's purposes in the world.
I am unclear as to the inspiration these stories might be to the rest of us, those in the middle class or lower. It is good to be reminded that generosity can be exercised at any level of wealth. It is also good to be reminded that God is using people in the business and financial worlds. We may not have the resources of the wealthy but we can use the gifts we have to expand God's Kingdom.
I recommend this book to people of wealth and influence. You will be encouraged and inspired by the stories contained within. I also recommend this book to Christians who feel called to work in the marketplace. These stories will illustrate how God has used many people in a variety of professions.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
There are thirty one stories and Pier suggests reading one a day. He then suggests praying about how God can use us. There are points to remember at the end of each story as well as a printed prayer.
These are stories about people with great personal wealth. People like Mart Green whose father started Hobby Lobby. People like the man who sold his company for a billion dollars. People who establish foundations from their wealth. People who head multi-million dollar companies with thousands of employees. People who own sports teams.
The stories are inspiring in that it is good to know that there are people of great personal wealth who are using that wealth to advance the gospel. The stories are good examples to Christians of great personal wealth, showing how that wealth can be used to advance God's purposes in the world.
I am unclear as to the inspiration these stories might be to the rest of us, those in the middle class or lower. It is good to be reminded that generosity can be exercised at any level of wealth. It is also good to be reminded that God is using people in the business and financial worlds. We may not have the resources of the wealthy but we can use the gifts we have to expand God's Kingdom.
I recommend this book to people of wealth and influence. You will be encouraged and inspired by the stories contained within. I also recommend this book to Christians who feel called to work in the marketplace. These stories will illustrate how God has used many people in a variety of professions.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
April 27, 2019
A collection of stories through the joy of giving.
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it to my local library.
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it to my local library.
September 11, 2017
A Disruptive Generosity was a good read. It wasn’t my favorite book I’ve read in the past year. I’m not even sure it makes the top ten, but it was well written and contained a lot of good stories.
I like the idea and the concept of each day being a short devotional style look into generosity. It was a nice idea to get people thinking about how they can live generously on a daily basis. So, keeping in mind that overall I enjoyed the book, let me tell you what I didn’t like. My biggest complaint was that all of the stories were about people who started giving extravagantly after acquiring wealth, which makes generosity appear unrealistic for someone with a normal income. I think if there had been more stories of “normal” people woven in and out the book would have been much more applicable. The second thing that I thought made it hard to stick with it at times was that each story was a snapshot of someone’s life, so rather than walking away with a good feeling of how someone got from point A to point B of their generous lifestyle, I walked away feeling like the author was name dropping someone new on every page.
Like I said, overall, this was a good book. It did show was extravagant generosity can accomplish, and I love the idea of churches mobilizing cross-denominational lines to further the gospel message. So I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
I like the idea and the concept of each day being a short devotional style look into generosity. It was a nice idea to get people thinking about how they can live generously on a daily basis. So, keeping in mind that overall I enjoyed the book, let me tell you what I didn’t like. My biggest complaint was that all of the stories were about people who started giving extravagantly after acquiring wealth, which makes generosity appear unrealistic for someone with a normal income. I think if there had been more stories of “normal” people woven in and out the book would have been much more applicable. The second thing that I thought made it hard to stick with it at times was that each story was a snapshot of someone’s life, so rather than walking away with a good feeling of how someone got from point A to point B of their generous lifestyle, I walked away feeling like the author was name dropping someone new on every page.
Like I said, overall, this was a good book. It did show was extravagant generosity can accomplish, and I love the idea of churches mobilizing cross-denominational lines to further the gospel message. So I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
August 20, 2017
A Disruptive Generosity is a book that is one which will lift your soul. Do you ever feel as though you hear the negativity around the world and wonder where the good is? Do you feel like you wish you could be more generous with your time, money and resources? Well, you can! This book is great and will transform the way you live and think if you allow the principals of it to settle into your heart. Generosity is a lifestyle and one worth living out. This is a must book for anyone looking to be encouraged by the life style that Christ led and wanting to lead that lifestyle today. The book encompasses testimony after testimony of generous acts. After each chapter, there are points to consider, questions to think about and even prayers. I love that this isn't just a book about testimonies, but one that makes you think. I think this book would be very helpful for college students looking to figure their place in this world. I give this book 4.5/5 stars. A favorable review was not required and I recommend this book.
August 8, 2017
This book was amazing writing and compelling series stories that showing us how modern-day leaders demonstrate the faithfulness of God in their disruptive generosity. God is indeed the Great Choreographer using our modern-day generosity to fulfill his ancient promises. This story was an inspiring road map to experiencing the joy of giving. I highly recommend to everyone must to read this book. “ I received complimentary a copy of this book from Baker Books Bloggers program for this review “.
August 27, 2017
NOT what I was expecting. Too much religion and preachy advice that would benefit anyone who believed in that mythology. I was hoping for some sort of transformative information to share to make a difference. So many quotations pulled from the bible to support the idea of giving and making a change. I think it would work with rich religious people. But how would it help the poor? Definitely not enjoyable. And that is my honest review.
August 19, 2022
It is what it says it is... a collection of stories. I'm not sure what else I was expecting, but the foreword sure made me expect a whole lot more! :)
I got it with a bundle of books and was reviewing it for a sermon on giving, but it was just not for me.
I got it with a bundle of books and was reviewing it for a sermon on giving, but it was just not for me.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews