Home Podcast Rich Stearns: World Vision Is the Emergency Room of the Planet

Rich Stearns: World Vision Is the Emergency Room of the Planet

Rich Stearns

Rich Stearns is the president of World Vision United States, a Christian relief charity based in Federal Way, Washington.  He is the former CEO of Parker Brothers Games and Lenox. Rich holds a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Following the calling he felt from God, he resigned from Lenox in 1998 to lead World Vision U.S., after more than 20 years in corporate America.

Key Questions for Rich Stearns:

– Why does World Vision focus on a long term view of helping those in need?
– What are some of the most important leadership lessons you’ve learned over the years?

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Key Quotes from Rich Stearns:

“You can characterize our work as talking about relief and development. Most people understand emergency relief, it’s kind of like the emergency room of the world. A little bit like the world’s firefighters we rush into the traumas of our world…we try to help people in their desperate hour of need.”

“World Vision has become one of the largest relief providers in the world. In fact last year we responded to more than 150 humanitarian disasters all over the world.”

“We like to say we don’t give people handouts we give people a hand up.”

“Communities that are poor have been poor for centuries so the causes are deeply ingrained in the culture. The solutions are also long term.”

“Water wells and schools are important but they’re not nearly as important as what goes on between the two ears of the people who live in the community. How they are working to solve their own problems.”

“A church that is ready to go the long haul with a community is the church that will see change and impact.”

“World Vision is one of the few organizations that wants to say goodbye.”

“Our goal should be to have the communities we work with be fully functioning and no longer need our help.”

“Leadership is like trying to drive a car in a blizzard at night with no lights or windshield wipers.”

“As a leader, surround yourself with wise, godly, smart people and give them permission to disagree with you.”

“Never believe that the outcome of your ministry depends on you.”

Links Mentioned by Rich Stearns in the Show:

World Vision

Matthew 25 Challenge

Rich Stearns on ChurchLeaders:

Arbiter for the Poor: Rich Stearns and World Vision

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Jason serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at PastorServe, a ministry committed to strengthening the Church by serving pastors through personal coaching and church consulting. He also hosts FrontStage BackStage, a podcast and YouTube show, that helps pastors embrace healthy, well-balanced leadership as they develop a sustainable rhythm for life and ministry. Prior to joining the PastorServe team, Jason served as Vice President of Ministry Mobilization at Outreach, Inc., and as the Executive Director of the National Back to Church Sunday movement. Additionally, Jason served for nearly two decades in pastoral leadership, primarily as a lead pastor, in several contexts, including church plant re-launch, multisite church, multiethnic urban church, and an established suburban church. His experience as a lead pastor has provided numerous opportunities to coach and mentor pastors across the country. Jason and his beautiful wife, Monica, are the proud parents of six children and live on Anastasia Island, Florida. @jasondaye