In this episode, Peter Greer – husband, father, president and CEO of Hope International, and recently co-author of Rooting for Rivals – joins Jedd Medefind for a rich conversation in generosity and the deeper choices that help grow us into the kind of people that can sincerely “root for rivals” amidst the long, hard work of justice and mercy.
In this episode, we'll explore:
- What it looks like to “root for rivals” – not merely parrot clichés like “partnership” and “collaboration,” but truly promote the good of others, even competitors.
- Why leaders must acknowledge and receive God’s grace before we can give grace.
- The importance of cultivating humility and “boasting” in our weakness.
- Key choices we need to make if we want to cultivate a vibrant family life while facing demanding work.
- Simple steps to bring the priorities of leadership back into a healthy balance.
- Rules for technology that help us ensure it doesn’t replace the human interaction we desperately need
- Hard questions Peter asked his wife…that you can ask your spouse, too.
Key Quotes
“When I boast in my weakness, it is so clear that this good that is happening, this is not from my intelligence, it’s not from my strength, but let me tell you the story of Jesus.”
“I want to be someone that has this integrity of what we do externally matches what is not just happening internally in our heart, but also under our roof and the people that are closest to us.”
“What the world needs most from Christian leaders…is not just effective leadership skills. It needs wholehearted leaders. People who can bring that presence of Jesus – the love, the attentiveness, the gentleness, the calm.”
Resources and Guests
Peter and his wife, Laurel, live in Lancaster, PA, with their three children, Keith, Lilianna, and Myles.
Prior to joining HOPE, Peter worked internationally as a microfinance advisor in Cambodia, technical advisor for Self-Help Development Foundation in Zimbabwe, and managing director for Urwego Community Bank in Rwanda.
He received a B.S. in international business from Messiah College and an MPP from Harvard’s Kennedy School.
As an advocate for the Church’s role in missions and alleviating extreme poverty, Peter has been a speaker at a number of conferences, and he has been featured by Christianity Today, World, Forbes, CNN, and RELEVANT.
He has also written Rooting for Rivals: How Collaboration and Generosity Increase the Impact of Leaders, Charities, and Churches (with Chris Horst), The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good (with Anna Haggard, 2013), Mission Drift (with Chris Horst, 2014; selected as a 2015 Book Award Winner from Christianity Today), Entrepreneurship for Human Flourishing (with Chris Horst, 2014), Stop Helping Us (2014), Watching Seeds Grow (with his son Keith, 2014), The Giver and the Gift (with David Weekley, 2015), 40/40 Vision (with Greg Lafferty, 2015), Created to Flourish (with Phil Smith, 2016), and The Board and the CEO (with David Weekley, 2017).
Currently, Peter serves as the entrepreneur-in-residence at Messiah College and as a Praxis Venture Partner.
Jedd has seen (and experienced!) that lives are turned upside-down when Christians begin to reflect God’s heart through adoption, foster care and service to orphans worldwide. This kind of love transforms not only vulnerable children, but also those who open hearts and homes to them. Churches begin to look different, too, as the entire community pulls together for children who’ve known great hurt. Finally, the change touches even onlookers, who encounter the Gospel not only in words, but made visible before their eyes.
Desiring to spur this kind of transformation through the Church, Jedd serves as President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans.
Through CAFO, more than 225 respected organizations unite in shared initiatives, along with a wide network of churches. CAFO’s membership works in tandem to inspire and equip families, churches and organizations for effective service to vulnerable children and families — from adoption and US foster care, to aid and empowerment programs worldwide.
Prior to his this role, Jedd served in the White House as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, leading the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In this post, he oversaw reform efforts across the government to make community- and faith-based groups central partners in all Federal efforts to aid the needy, from prisoner reentry to global AIDS. As described by the Harvard Political Review, these reforms “fundamentally changed the government’s strategy for improving the lives of the downtrodden…”
Previously, Jedd held a range of posts in the California State Legislature. He also helped establish the California Community Renewal Project, which strengthens nonprofits in some of the state’s most challenged communities. He has worked, studied and served in more than thirty countries, with organizations ranging from Price-Waterhouse in Moscow to Christian Life Bangladesh.
Books written by Jedd include Upended and Four Souls. He also writes articles and op-eds for publications ranging from the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post to Comment Magazine, and engages radio interviews with both faith-based and mainstream outlets, from NPR and Al Jazeera to Moody Radio. Jedd’s most recent book, Becoming Home, offers a brief-yet-rich exploration of how families and communities can embrace vulnerable children with wisdom and love through adoption, foster care, mentoring and more.
