What do you think?
Rate this book
Difference Makers: How to Live a Life of Impact and Purpose
Have you ever wondered if you were made for more?
What is our purpose in this life? Can we really make a difference? Pastor and author Gregg Matte believes we can.
You were made for more than watching. You have a history-changing, difference-making, life-giving, Spirit-empowered legacy to leave. As Jesus works deeply in you and clearly through you, you will be a difference maker.
The first step to being a difference maker is having a difference made in you. Once God has made the gospel difference in your life, you will be ready to go in His name and play your part in changing the world. Are you ready to jump in? Are you ready to make the Difference Maker Declaration?
What is our purpose in this life? Can we really make a difference? Pastor and author Gregg Matte believes we can.
You were made for more than watching. You have a history-changing, difference-making, life-giving, Spirit-empowered legacy to leave. As Jesus works deeply in you and clearly through you, you will be a difference maker.
The first step to being a difference maker is having a difference made in you. Once God has made the gospel difference in your life, you will be ready to go in His name and play your part in changing the world. Are you ready to jump in? Are you ready to make the Difference Maker Declaration?
- GenresChristian
192 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2019
9 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 10, 2019
Fairly good book but not a lot of new information
There are times in our lives when one moment, one event, one decision to act or even not to act, changes the trajectory of our lives – and the lives of others around us. The kind of moments that occur daily, weekly, monthly, yearly – or those moments that only come along once in a lifetime.
In his new book, “Difference Makers: How to Live a Life of Impact & Purpose,” Gregg Matte shows the reader how he or she can change things for the better just by simply deciding to live on purpose instead of running aimlessly and sitting on the sidelines of life.
In his 192-page book, published by B&H Publishing, Matte describes one big moment: Hurricane Harvey, which devastated his city and changed his life, and the lives of others, forever. But he writes that the first step to making a difference is allowing the Lord to make a difference in our own hearts – physically and spiritually (page 8).
Perhaps the most profound chapter is Chapter 10: Difference Makers Worship God All the Time (page 151), which can be the most difficult to do – especially when faced with the unexpected as in the 2015 mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C.
It’s easy to decide to make a difference when life is going our way; it’s another matter to make a difference “even when life doesn’t go the way we hoped it would (page 152).”
However, while Matte makes some good points in his book, there really isn’t anything original, fresh, innovative or groundbreaking that most readers won’t already know or that hasn’t already been written. These are common-sense things every Christian should already be doing.
While I appreciate the heart that went into this well-written and thoughtful book, it’s mostly general information about making a difference when opportunities present themselves – and especially when they don’t.
I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars.
Full disclosure: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, I received this book free through B&H Publishing. My opinions are my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review.
© 2019 by Doug S., M.A.
There are times in our lives when one moment, one event, one decision to act or even not to act, changes the trajectory of our lives – and the lives of others around us. The kind of moments that occur daily, weekly, monthly, yearly – or those moments that only come along once in a lifetime.
In his new book, “Difference Makers: How to Live a Life of Impact & Purpose,” Gregg Matte shows the reader how he or she can change things for the better just by simply deciding to live on purpose instead of running aimlessly and sitting on the sidelines of life.
In his 192-page book, published by B&H Publishing, Matte describes one big moment: Hurricane Harvey, which devastated his city and changed his life, and the lives of others, forever. But he writes that the first step to making a difference is allowing the Lord to make a difference in our own hearts – physically and spiritually (page 8).
Perhaps the most profound chapter is Chapter 10: Difference Makers Worship God All the Time (page 151), which can be the most difficult to do – especially when faced with the unexpected as in the 2015 mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C.
It’s easy to decide to make a difference when life is going our way; it’s another matter to make a difference “even when life doesn’t go the way we hoped it would (page 152).”
However, while Matte makes some good points in his book, there really isn’t anything original, fresh, innovative or groundbreaking that most readers won’t already know or that hasn’t already been written. These are common-sense things every Christian should already be doing.
While I appreciate the heart that went into this well-written and thoughtful book, it’s mostly general information about making a difference when opportunities present themselves – and especially when they don’t.
I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars.
Full disclosure: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, I received this book free through B&H Publishing. My opinions are my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review.
© 2019 by Doug S., M.A.
June 15, 2019
Everyone I know seems to want to make a difference, but most people don’t know how. Part of the reason seems to be that they think to make a difference that they have to be doing something so big that it will change the world. Sometimes we need to remember the lesson of the starfish, and start by making a difference to that one starfish. Sometimes things take off from there, and sometimes we need to change course and start over with something new. And sometimes we just need to wait until God decides that the right time for our idea has come.
Gregg Matte started a bible study when he was in college. It grew and grew, but it took time to get there. He pastors a successful church, and yes, they make a difference, but just how big of a difference they could make wasn’t necessarily evident until Hurricane Harvey hit.
I don’t think I read much of anything new in the book Difference Makers: How to Live a Life of Impact & Purpose (B&H Publishing, 2019) but that’s ok because the ‘Difference Maker Declaration’ that he refers to often, makes up for whatever else might be missing. There are a lot of stories of making a difference, and how important passion is in making that happen, but the declaration says it all:
I was made for more than watching. I have a history-changing, difference-making, life-giving, Spirit-empowered legacy to leave. Jesus, I ask you to work deeply in me and clearly through me as I pray, give, and go in your love. I am a difference maker. In Jesus'' name. Amen
I received a copy of this book from the publisher as a participant in their bloggers’ program; I was not required to write a positive review.
3/5
Gregg Matte started a bible study when he was in college. It grew and grew, but it took time to get there. He pastors a successful church, and yes, they make a difference, but just how big of a difference they could make wasn’t necessarily evident until Hurricane Harvey hit.
I don’t think I read much of anything new in the book Difference Makers: How to Live a Life of Impact & Purpose (B&H Publishing, 2019) but that’s ok because the ‘Difference Maker Declaration’ that he refers to often, makes up for whatever else might be missing. There are a lot of stories of making a difference, and how important passion is in making that happen, but the declaration says it all:
I was made for more than watching. I have a history-changing, difference-making, life-giving, Spirit-empowered legacy to leave. Jesus, I ask you to work deeply in me and clearly through me as I pray, give, and go in your love. I am a difference maker. In Jesus'' name. Amen
I received a copy of this book from the publisher as a participant in their bloggers’ program; I was not required to write a positive review.
3/5
July 6, 2019
I have to admit I was a little disappointed in this book. I like books that inspire me to make a difference. I want to be a difference maker. However, this book covered a lot that I already know. We need to be difference makers, how to be a difference maker and examples of people in the Bible and real life who made a difference are explained in this book. Nevertheless, I think he could have used a lot more Biblical examples. He covers a lot of Bible history that we already know. So this could be a good book for a new Christian. It is subtitled “How to Live a Life of Impact and Purpose,” which got my attention, but I was disappointed in the book as a whole.
This is not to say he doesn't have a lot of good stuff in the book. He talks about the difference maker's disposition, finding purpose in our palace like Esther, running to trouble instead of away from it and that difference makers don't sleep well and worship God constantly. He stresses at the beginning of the book that we need a healthy heart ourselves to make a difference.
It is not written as a devotional or a study book. Just chapters on different topics. Yes, we need to be difference makers in our world. This book just didn't inspire me like I would have liked.
(Please Note: Although a copy of this book was provided to me by B&H and Lifeway, the opinions expressed are my own.)
This is not to say he doesn't have a lot of good stuff in the book. He talks about the difference maker's disposition, finding purpose in our palace like Esther, running to trouble instead of away from it and that difference makers don't sleep well and worship God constantly. He stresses at the beginning of the book that we need a healthy heart ourselves to make a difference.
It is not written as a devotional or a study book. Just chapters on different topics. Yes, we need to be difference makers in our world. This book just didn't inspire me like I would have liked.
(Please Note: Although a copy of this book was provided to me by B&H and Lifeway, the opinions expressed are my own.)
October 23, 2023
Easy to read, well written. Never felt bored reading it, even if most of what I read I knew. Hearing stories from the Houston area hit closer to home being from here. I enjoyed the tone of this book and would definitely read more from Pastor Gregg. Only 4 stars because as I mentioned, a lot of it I knew already and didn't come away with a lot of new information. But for people new into the path of Christianity, it would be a great read.
September 4, 2019
This is a worthwhile and quick read, full of good reminders and examples. It's not extremely groundbreaking. Overall glad I read it and definitely had some key items I need to remember to take my faith to the world every day.
February 6, 2020
3.5 stars.
Did you really have to mention Hamilton?
Did you really have to mention Hamilton?
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews