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Disruptive Compassion: Becoming the Revolutionary You Were Born to Be
Your invitation to move beyond pity, helplessness, and outrage, and your playbook for making a difference right where you are. As the daily newsfeed full of suffering and injustice scrolls by, it's all too easy to question what one person can really do to enact the profound change the world needs. Like moviegoers, we often watch and witness with care, but assume the script has already been written. Disruptive Compassion dares to make a bold you possess the power to provoke real and meaningful change. Why? Because God has empowered you to rewrite the story of tomorrow. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus created a model for revolutionaries that has been followed ever since. These principles are just as powerful to guide our journey today. With raw and inspiring stories from the world's most desperate places and his own journey to find meaning, Convoy of Hope founder and CEO Hal Donaldson will take you on a tour along the frontlines of courage and compassion. Let this book be your crash course in what it means to become a revolutionary, as you learn how With principles and insights gleaned from two decades of relief work, Hal reveals what he's learned from the journey and what we can take with us as we join the revolution.
240 pages, Paperback
Published July 9, 2019
27 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 9, 2019
“If I want to do something with my life and make a difference in the world, how do I do that?”
A college student asked Hal Donaldson this question several years ago after Donaldson made a presentation at his university. In the succeeding years, others asked Donaldson the same question. Though they were older than the student — some middle aged, others past retirement — each desired more than to do well; they wanted to do good.
Disruptive Compassion is Donaldson’s answer to their question. It reflects lessons he has learned personally, having grown up poor, and professionally, as CEO of Convoy of Hope. Convoy is a leading Christian compassion ministry whose mission is to “empower others to live with greater independence and freedom from poverty, disease, and hunger.”
But what precisely is “disruptive compassion”? As Donaldson explains, it’s not “code for sanitizing the world or condemning people who don’t measure up to your standards.” That is not the way of Jesus. Rather, disruptive compassion is “a rejection of the status quo and a belief that a tidal wave of love and acts of kindness can heal a wounded world.”
That sounds easy enough, right? Yes, and in a sense it is. The book’s thirteen chapters each contain an imperative for “compassion revolutionaries” to follow:
1. Believe
2. Define the Mission
3. Do Reconnaissance
4. Conduct an Audit
5. Be Authentic
6. Build a Team
7. Pay the Invoice
8. Create Momentum
9. Eliminate Distractions
10. Take Risks
11. Measure Outcomes
12. Persist and Pivot
13. Go
These imperatives, while easy to articulate, are difficult to apply, however. Even to get started, you have to overcome what Donaldson calls “the true enemies of progress”: “doubt, apathy, and blame.” In my experience, this is the hardest threshold to cross because it calls us out of our comfort zone and challenges us to make a difference in our circle of influence.
While the imperative to believe presents a psychological challenge, the remaining imperatives present practical challenges. Where will I focus? What are the resource gaps that I can fill? How has God prepared me uniquely to address these gaps? Who will team up with me? And what costs am I willing to pay to see the mission through? These are some of the hard questions Donaldson asks (and answers) in his book.
Compassion revolutionaries come in all kinds. Some, like Donaldson himself, are full-time visionaries who create organizations, like Convoy of Hope, that become movements of love and kindness. Others excel in their professional careers but leverage their influence and wealth for Kingdom purposes. And still others serve in the army of volunteers that every genuine movement needs. You can read the stories of all kinds of compassion revolutionaries in the book.
The key thing, however, is to seek personally to “make a radical difference through disruptive compassion, wherever you are.” And so, having read the book, I find myself asking a simple question: Today, where can I show love and kindness to a person who needs it, whether through my words or by my deeds? Read this book, and I think you’ll start asking yourself the same thing. Answer it in word and deed and who knows how far your circle of influence eventually may extend!
Book Reviewed
Hal Donaldson, Kirk Noonan, and Lindsay Kay Donaldson, Disruptive Compassion: Becoming the Revolutionary You Were Born to Be (Grand Rapids, MI: 2019).
P.S. To hear my conversation with Hal Donaldson about Disruptive Compassion, please listen to Episode 184 of the Influence Podcast.
P.P.S. If you liked my review, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.
A college student asked Hal Donaldson this question several years ago after Donaldson made a presentation at his university. In the succeeding years, others asked Donaldson the same question. Though they were older than the student — some middle aged, others past retirement — each desired more than to do well; they wanted to do good.
Disruptive Compassion is Donaldson’s answer to their question. It reflects lessons he has learned personally, having grown up poor, and professionally, as CEO of Convoy of Hope. Convoy is a leading Christian compassion ministry whose mission is to “empower others to live with greater independence and freedom from poverty, disease, and hunger.”
But what precisely is “disruptive compassion”? As Donaldson explains, it’s not “code for sanitizing the world or condemning people who don’t measure up to your standards.” That is not the way of Jesus. Rather, disruptive compassion is “a rejection of the status quo and a belief that a tidal wave of love and acts of kindness can heal a wounded world.”
That sounds easy enough, right? Yes, and in a sense it is. The book’s thirteen chapters each contain an imperative for “compassion revolutionaries” to follow:
1. Believe
2. Define the Mission
3. Do Reconnaissance
4. Conduct an Audit
5. Be Authentic
6. Build a Team
7. Pay the Invoice
8. Create Momentum
9. Eliminate Distractions
10. Take Risks
11. Measure Outcomes
12. Persist and Pivot
13. Go
These imperatives, while easy to articulate, are difficult to apply, however. Even to get started, you have to overcome what Donaldson calls “the true enemies of progress”: “doubt, apathy, and blame.” In my experience, this is the hardest threshold to cross because it calls us out of our comfort zone and challenges us to make a difference in our circle of influence.
While the imperative to believe presents a psychological challenge, the remaining imperatives present practical challenges. Where will I focus? What are the resource gaps that I can fill? How has God prepared me uniquely to address these gaps? Who will team up with me? And what costs am I willing to pay to see the mission through? These are some of the hard questions Donaldson asks (and answers) in his book.
Compassion revolutionaries come in all kinds. Some, like Donaldson himself, are full-time visionaries who create organizations, like Convoy of Hope, that become movements of love and kindness. Others excel in their professional careers but leverage their influence and wealth for Kingdom purposes. And still others serve in the army of volunteers that every genuine movement needs. You can read the stories of all kinds of compassion revolutionaries in the book.
The key thing, however, is to seek personally to “make a radical difference through disruptive compassion, wherever you are.” And so, having read the book, I find myself asking a simple question: Today, where can I show love and kindness to a person who needs it, whether through my words or by my deeds? Read this book, and I think you’ll start asking yourself the same thing. Answer it in word and deed and who knows how far your circle of influence eventually may extend!
Book Reviewed
Hal Donaldson, Kirk Noonan, and Lindsay Kay Donaldson, Disruptive Compassion: Becoming the Revolutionary You Were Born to Be (Grand Rapids, MI: 2019).
P.S. To hear my conversation with Hal Donaldson about Disruptive Compassion, please listen to Episode 184 of the Influence Podcast.
P.P.S. If you liked my review, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.
July 22, 2025
In the book, Disruptive Compassion: Becoming the Revolutionary You Were Born to Be, Hal Donaldson instructs the readers that genuine compassion involves disruption. This disruption can make a difference in the lives of others. Changing our daily activities and getting out of our comfort zones can lead to acts of compassion. The book is easy, full of endless examples and stories of personal experiences from Donaldson’s many years of humanitarian work. As the creator of Convoy of Hope, Donaldson is not a stranger to being in the trenches, helping people as much as humanly possible. Becoming a world changer by serving others with compassion and love is closer than you think. It just takes stepping out of the comfort zone and intentionally disrupting routines.
Throughout the book, Donaldson recounts numerous personal experiences and stories of him and others like him demonstrating disruptive compassion. There are many ways to help others: time, money, or simply showing up. It can be as simple as giving the coat off your back, which is what some volunteers did during an outreach.
Leading with disruptive compassion does not occur overnight. When fear and failure surface, stand up and try again. Throughout the book, Donaldson challenges the readers to make a choice to engage in closer proximity to people in their pivotal moments of pain.
The underlying theme of the book is making the choice to be compassionate no matter what the circumstances entail. He charges people to go beyond emotions and produce actions. It is an honest encounter of failure, pride, fear, passion, and compassion. This shows the readers that even with mistakes and hesitation, anyone can make a difference if they take the first step.
Have you ever asked yourself what you can do to help others or make a difference in the world? The answer is easy. Be intentional with compassion. All it takes is one smile, one helping hand, a bottle of water, the coat off your back, one hour of your day. Ultimately, Donaldson reveals the four ways to give: possessions, time, encouragement, and help. He repeatedly proves this with endless stories of people helping people experiencing homelessness, the less fortunate, and those struck by natural disaster.
While the message in the book is inspirational and uplifting, the message as a whole echoes the same sentiments throughout of interrupting the day-to-day routines to engage in compassion for others. Donaldson wanted this book to be a simple, easy read free of the theological jargon, so the overarching message remains at the forefront. He did not like the message to get lost in the theology, so he made it clear by showing that serving, giving, and loving others resonates with people all over the world, in every type of religion or belief.
Disruptive Compassion: Becoming the Revolutionary You Were Born to Be is not a casual read. It is a book created with purpose. If reading about personal encounters that ignite compassion and passion with no action is what you are looking for, then this is not the book for you. Donaldson wants to inspire people to get off the couch, put down the remote, get ready, and do something. Disrupt your routine! Wake up!
Before reading Disruptive Compassion, serving others and helping with compassion was an act I believed I engaged in consistently. After reading the book, I discovered that although my compassion was genuine and honest, my proximity to situations was distant. As Donaldson challenged the readers to stand up and make a difference, I took this as a personal goal to go above and beyond. By placing myself in the middle of situations with children who have undergone trauma, abuse, and neglect, I was able to disrupt my thinking and, first and foremost, show up for little children who did not know what that looked like. I realized my time, love, and encouraging words could change lives. I do not know my next step, but I am certain I will not go back to compassion in the shadows. To make a difference and be a world changer, I have to be close to the pain and suffering. Feeling compassion as I drive by people experiencing homelessness, disasters, or hurting is no longer enough. Action is needed!
If you have not read Disruptive Compassion: Becoming the Revolutionary You Were Born to Be and desire to be filled with disruptive compassion, then get a copy and begin your journey today. Explosive, intentional compassion is what the world needs. Hal Donaldson not only encourages stepping out of one's comfort zone to serve others but also challenges readers to be purposeful in their compassion for others. Have you felt an urge to dive deeper into serving others with purpose? Do you want to fulfill a call to help and make a difference in the lives of others? Are you willing to give more of your time, words, and belongings? If you answered yes to any of these, then this book is a must-read for you!
Throughout the book, Donaldson recounts numerous personal experiences and stories of him and others like him demonstrating disruptive compassion. There are many ways to help others: time, money, or simply showing up. It can be as simple as giving the coat off your back, which is what some volunteers did during an outreach.
Leading with disruptive compassion does not occur overnight. When fear and failure surface, stand up and try again. Throughout the book, Donaldson challenges the readers to make a choice to engage in closer proximity to people in their pivotal moments of pain.
The underlying theme of the book is making the choice to be compassionate no matter what the circumstances entail. He charges people to go beyond emotions and produce actions. It is an honest encounter of failure, pride, fear, passion, and compassion. This shows the readers that even with mistakes and hesitation, anyone can make a difference if they take the first step.
Have you ever asked yourself what you can do to help others or make a difference in the world? The answer is easy. Be intentional with compassion. All it takes is one smile, one helping hand, a bottle of water, the coat off your back, one hour of your day. Ultimately, Donaldson reveals the four ways to give: possessions, time, encouragement, and help. He repeatedly proves this with endless stories of people helping people experiencing homelessness, the less fortunate, and those struck by natural disaster.
While the message in the book is inspirational and uplifting, the message as a whole echoes the same sentiments throughout of interrupting the day-to-day routines to engage in compassion for others. Donaldson wanted this book to be a simple, easy read free of the theological jargon, so the overarching message remains at the forefront. He did not like the message to get lost in the theology, so he made it clear by showing that serving, giving, and loving others resonates with people all over the world, in every type of religion or belief.
Disruptive Compassion: Becoming the Revolutionary You Were Born to Be is not a casual read. It is a book created with purpose. If reading about personal encounters that ignite compassion and passion with no action is what you are looking for, then this is not the book for you. Donaldson wants to inspire people to get off the couch, put down the remote, get ready, and do something. Disrupt your routine! Wake up!
Before reading Disruptive Compassion, serving others and helping with compassion was an act I believed I engaged in consistently. After reading the book, I discovered that although my compassion was genuine and honest, my proximity to situations was distant. As Donaldson challenged the readers to stand up and make a difference, I took this as a personal goal to go above and beyond. By placing myself in the middle of situations with children who have undergone trauma, abuse, and neglect, I was able to disrupt my thinking and, first and foremost, show up for little children who did not know what that looked like. I realized my time, love, and encouraging words could change lives. I do not know my next step, but I am certain I will not go back to compassion in the shadows. To make a difference and be a world changer, I have to be close to the pain and suffering. Feeling compassion as I drive by people experiencing homelessness, disasters, or hurting is no longer enough. Action is needed!
If you have not read Disruptive Compassion: Becoming the Revolutionary You Were Born to Be and desire to be filled with disruptive compassion, then get a copy and begin your journey today. Explosive, intentional compassion is what the world needs. Hal Donaldson not only encourages stepping out of one's comfort zone to serve others but also challenges readers to be purposeful in their compassion for others. Have you felt an urge to dive deeper into serving others with purpose? Do you want to fulfill a call to help and make a difference in the lives of others? Are you willing to give more of your time, words, and belongings? If you answered yes to any of these, then this book is a must-read for you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2019
Hal Donaldson's "Disruptive Compassion: Becoming the Revolutionary You Were Born to Be" is a deeply personal yet practical and relevant book centered around Donaldson's own journey with growing the non-profit organization Convoy of Hope, a faith-based non-profit providing humanitarian and disaster relief worldwide.
"Disruptive Compassion" dares to declare that you, yes you, can spark real and lasting change through acts of kindness and compassion. Yet, Donaldson does a nice job of pointing all of us in the direction of what real and lasting change means and the practical ways in which our difference-making can lean that direction rather than in the direction of short-term change that fails to really be something that lasts.
Donaldson weaves in his own life experiences from childhood forward and, rather refreshingly, avoids the usual high platitudes often found in faith-based writing. In "Disruptive Compassion," he talks frankly about his anxieties, fears, mistakes, and missteps along the way to becoming a revolutionary in his own life and in building Convoy of Hope into the major organization that it is today.
"Disruptive Compassion" does use Jesus as a model for what it means to live as a revolutionary, though the book also makes it clear we're all able to be revolutionary in our own ways. This doesn't mean that Donaldson paints it as an easy journey. He doesn't. He's not hesitant to talk about the level of sacrifice needed at times, though he also writes that the sacrifice is different for each of us according to the mission we have been given.
I will confess that I found that "Disruptive Compassion" meandered a bit in the mid-section, however, it's a book I found valuable even as I examined my own charitable work and even as I finished reading the book while in the hospital experiencing amputation of a limb.
Written in a relaxed, personal style, "Disruptive Compassion" is engaging, warm, relaxed, and seems to reflect the kind of richly human servant leadership that Donaldson himself practices. It's definitely a book I would recommend, especially for the faith-based, faith-driven community leader seeking a foundation upon which to build their ministry.
"Disruptive Compassion" dares to declare that you, yes you, can spark real and lasting change through acts of kindness and compassion. Yet, Donaldson does a nice job of pointing all of us in the direction of what real and lasting change means and the practical ways in which our difference-making can lean that direction rather than in the direction of short-term change that fails to really be something that lasts.
Donaldson weaves in his own life experiences from childhood forward and, rather refreshingly, avoids the usual high platitudes often found in faith-based writing. In "Disruptive Compassion," he talks frankly about his anxieties, fears, mistakes, and missteps along the way to becoming a revolutionary in his own life and in building Convoy of Hope into the major organization that it is today.
"Disruptive Compassion" does use Jesus as a model for what it means to live as a revolutionary, though the book also makes it clear we're all able to be revolutionary in our own ways. This doesn't mean that Donaldson paints it as an easy journey. He doesn't. He's not hesitant to talk about the level of sacrifice needed at times, though he also writes that the sacrifice is different for each of us according to the mission we have been given.
I will confess that I found that "Disruptive Compassion" meandered a bit in the mid-section, however, it's a book I found valuable even as I examined my own charitable work and even as I finished reading the book while in the hospital experiencing amputation of a limb.
Written in a relaxed, personal style, "Disruptive Compassion" is engaging, warm, relaxed, and seems to reflect the kind of richly human servant leadership that Donaldson himself practices. It's definitely a book I would recommend, especially for the faith-based, faith-driven community leader seeking a foundation upon which to build their ministry.
June 13, 2025
this book has been on my shelf for years & I am so glad that I finally picked it up! as an Evangel alumni, I got to partner with and experience Convoy of Hope first hand. this book deepened my respect for the organization and Hal’s leadership. big fan of Convoy!
The primary message of the book is that being a revolutionary doesn’t mean you have to do something seemingly “revolutionary,” but rather, do the next kind thing. it was challenging in that it dismissed no one from the call to disruptive compassion.
I do wish that the book would have either focused on Convoy’s story OR focused more on what we can do as individuals - the book combined the two which almost made it seem like our goal as individuals is to start major relief organizations (which I know what not Hal’s intention when writing).
Takeaways!
pg 49: “We were never asked to play God - that’s His job. We can’t do everything, but that’s not an excuse for doing nothing.”
pg 99: “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” -Herman Melville
pg 102: “Saying ‘I have faith’ was never a synonym for ‘I’m not having a hard time.’”
pg 129: *when asked why they (missionaries) chose to come to Sudan they replied, “We came initially BECAUSE Christians were being killed.” (whoa!!!)
pg 181: “The goal isn’t to avoid failure. The goal is to give success a chance.”
&& lastly, perhaps my favorite part of the book ;)
pg 201: “Some people want to tell you you’re too (fill in the blank) to practice disruptive compassion. Too young. Too weak. Too unimportant. Too scared. Too old. Tell those people to go buy a slurpee and chill out.”
The primary message of the book is that being a revolutionary doesn’t mean you have to do something seemingly “revolutionary,” but rather, do the next kind thing. it was challenging in that it dismissed no one from the call to disruptive compassion.
I do wish that the book would have either focused on Convoy’s story OR focused more on what we can do as individuals - the book combined the two which almost made it seem like our goal as individuals is to start major relief organizations (which I know what not Hal’s intention when writing).
Takeaways!
pg 49: “We were never asked to play God - that’s His job. We can’t do everything, but that’s not an excuse for doing nothing.”
pg 99: “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” -Herman Melville
pg 102: “Saying ‘I have faith’ was never a synonym for ‘I’m not having a hard time.’”
pg 129: *when asked why they (missionaries) chose to come to Sudan they replied, “We came initially BECAUSE Christians were being killed.” (whoa!!!)
pg 181: “The goal isn’t to avoid failure. The goal is to give success a chance.”
&& lastly, perhaps my favorite part of the book ;)
pg 201: “Some people want to tell you you’re too (fill in the blank) to practice disruptive compassion. Too young. Too weak. Too unimportant. Too scared. Too old. Tell those people to go buy a slurpee and chill out.”
August 20, 2019
I was so moved by Hal Donaldson's life testimony and his founding of "Convoy of Hope." This book is a "must-read." If you feel like you have lost hope, I encourage you to read this book and take action. The world wants you to believe you have no power. The world wants you to think there is nothing you can do in the face of oppression and abuse. The world is wrong. YOU can change our world!
Today is the day to boldly stand in Disruptive Compassion. Donaldson’s account of how CNN contacted Convoy of Hope to help distribute 500,000 bottles of water to Flint residents in their water crisis, is just one small example of Disruptive Compassion noted in his book. Donaldson reminds us, “Jesus came to disrupt the status quo and give people hope through love and compassion.”
I have yet to say this about a book and I’ve read many. I am saying it now. Two books are all you need. The Bible and Disruptive Compassion. Buy it now and courageously join the revolution to change our world. It IS possible. Hal Donaldson proved it.
Today is the day to boldly stand in Disruptive Compassion. Donaldson’s account of how CNN contacted Convoy of Hope to help distribute 500,000 bottles of water to Flint residents in their water crisis, is just one small example of Disruptive Compassion noted in his book. Donaldson reminds us, “Jesus came to disrupt the status quo and give people hope through love and compassion.”
I have yet to say this about a book and I’ve read many. I am saying it now. Two books are all you need. The Bible and Disruptive Compassion. Buy it now and courageously join the revolution to change our world. It IS possible. Hal Donaldson proved it.
January 27, 2022
Great read! It's written in a way that anyone can grow and gain motivation to do something to change the world for the better. If you want to go big and start a group, or just do something yourself on a regular basis, do it. It was great to see the internal struggles that Hal Donaldson dealt with as he found his purpose in the world.
October 1, 2019
Compassion the smart way.
I appreciate Mr. Donaldson's grasp of servanthood, giving, and meeting needs through compassion. Being involved in ministry as we are, it is good to read someone else's words reminding us to be smart in our compassion.
I appreciate Mr. Donaldson's grasp of servanthood, giving, and meeting needs through compassion. Being involved in ministry as we are, it is good to read someone else's words reminding us to be smart in our compassion.
April 16, 2025
This book was really good. It challenged me to love when it was inconvenient for me. IT also taught how to build and steward the calling God gives you. This book specifically catered towards nonprofits, but can be applied to your life anywhere.
July 1, 2019
Practical and inspirational. A great book for anyone wanting their life to make a difference by someone who is making a huge difference in the lives of people all around the world.
June 29, 2021
Loved this! Made me excited to start planning for the year and it had so many quotes and exercises that I’ll be using in my own ministry.
August 7, 2021
Rehashed words of others. Author pays himself close to 400k per year for running a charity that feeds the hungry. Seems like a lot of money that could be feeding more people.
February 6, 2023
Inspiring book filled with a lot of stories from Convoy of Hope. A lot of good takeaways. Likely won’t read again but I’m inspired to do more.
November 17, 2025
“Disruptive compassion is a rejection of the status quo and a belief that a tidal wave of love and acts of kindness can heal a wounded world.” ~Hal Donaldson
July 20, 2019
This book is a great road map for those wanting "to become a citizen of the world." It offers insight into how you can find your role in changing the world and what steps to take to make sure you're moving in the right direction. The heart of the book is captured by this quote: "The world doesn't need tweaking. It needs profound change. It needs a revolution marked by disruptive compassion." We all can join the kindness revolution!
September 5, 2021
I am listening to this book for the third time on Audible. I also have the hard copy with lots of underlining in it. It inspires and motivates in a Godly way. With GOD all things are possible. Please read or listen to it. You will want to reread and/or relisten to it, again. So much to soak in.
July 27, 2020
Awesome book on how he started convoy of hope
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews