Peter Greer

Peter Greer is no stranger to doing good. As president and CEO of HOPE International, he has invested his life in addressing both physical and spiritual poverty through microfinance. However he also knows the shadow side which can accompany good doing. When people give their life in service through activism, missions or ministry, they may end up serving from the wrong center. Some serve to earn salvation. Some give their life to a cause to prove their own worth. The Christian response should show more be to serve out of a response of overflowing gratitude for all Christ has done on our behalf. Unfortunately, we often louse that up and end up casting more shadow than light.

In The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good Greer shares his own journey of ways he’s ‘done good’ but from the wrong motivation. At one point he devoted his life to ministry but ended up giving ‘leftovers’ his wife and family. He had bought into a sort of Christian Karma which declared if ‘I do this for God, God will do (fill in the blank for me). He has used the wrong measuring stick in defining success and has compared himself to others. The lessons he’s learned along the way help us be aware of where our ministry might have slid into the danger zone.

Greer shares lots of stories of where ‘doing good’ can be dangerous for our souls. He isn’t trying to talk us out of doing good, but to examine our internal motivations. So he turns over the idea of ‘doing good’ and points to the places of possible danger. We’ve all heard the stories of the Christian leader who blows up and blows it. Greer gets us to examine our own hearts in action before our own life falls off the rails. The fact that he does it with humor and grace is an added bonus.

Much of the advice in this book is practical good advice like: have friends you are accountable to, listen to feedback, being authentic and humble, don’t take photos of nursing gorillas or tell a room full of ministry supporters that you welcome them with open legs (a language error, in case you were wondering). These should be obvious and basic. Unfortunately life in ministry can sometimes reflexively fall into the category of ‘doing important tasks’ without doing the hard work of self reflection which should accompany ministry. Greer’s book provides a good diagnostic tool for Christian ministers.

I enjoyed this book and give it four stars. It is a good read for active minded people who like to ‘get involved’ in ‘helping others.’ Greer’s recommendations will help us do that from a healthier place.

Thanks to Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. show less

I really have to admit that as well written and engaging as this book is, it is a difficult book to read. Not because of the words, or formatting, or ideas, it's because, for a person whose cherishes attempting to do good and who feels that it is the best thing for the future of the world, every sentence convicts me of what I perceive as my own ulterior motives for doing good. Even the blurbs on the cover do that:

"With a flaky smile plastered on my face, I could only see the photos as show more incriminating evidence of an unhealthy heart condition. Captured on film, I recognized myself as playacting for people far away, not thinking about loving the people in front of me."

So, as a Lenten project this year, I'm hoping to do a meditative re-reading of the book, to learn more about myself. But about the book.

Peter Greer has written this book of his own hard-won experience. His written word IS engaging, and reads like a conversation, but is this type of chariity a problem? I would posit that it is, if only for those who tie their charity to their spirituality or faith. People who don't approach it from that perspective probably won't get as much from it. The book isn't about hurting others with our charity, but hurting ourselves. Mr. Greer ventures into the spiritual because, well, look at the title. It's what he's discussing from the start. From a purely secular perspective his thesis won't make sense, and how he discusses it may not appeal to everyone, but to those who approach doing good from a spiritual or religious position it is convicting. I really value this book, as simple, or as non-applicable as it might seem.

I gave the book 4 stars. That's because of how it touched me personally. I can really only review it from that perspective. He's done a good job with this book, I hope he didn't put himself in any spiritual danger as a result! :-) show less

Sadly, even when you do good deeds there is a possibility that you will be doing them for the wrong reasons. Even if it’s for the right reasons, the good you do may come at the detriment of other areas in your life. Peter Greer (with the help of Anna Haggard) writes about his experiences running non-profits in The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good and along the way, he discovers how to live a more meaningful, honest, and spiritual life all while trying to make the world a better place.

Greer show more lays out facets of doing good that can lead to personal and spiritual danger. One should not justify moral lapses in the course of trying to accomplish great deed; these small lapses will lead to bigger ones later on. One should always be mindful to balance good deeds with good relationships; do not sacrifice your marriage or friendships because you’re devoting yourself to a good cause. One should not bask in the pride of doing good deeds; this approach only serves to alienate others. On and on he goes. Each chapter focuses on a different perspective of how doing good can actually interfere with a fulfilling life. All of Greer’s lessons come from a Christian perspective and incorporate Biblical passage to help explain the struggles of doing good.

The best thing about this book is that all the writing comes from a place of truth. Greer’s honest appraisal of his life and works leads give him a good place to start when talking about hubris, philanthropy, and altruism. He has made almost every misstep listed in this slim volume, but with the help of his family, his friends, and his faith, he strives to better himself while also bettering the world. This makes for a pretty effective spiritual gut-check. If you’re looking for a helping hand while also helping others, then this book should fit the bill. show less

I liked this book ok. Peter Greer is an engaging and honest writer, and I think he covered the gamut of ways that you can get tripped up while doing good spiritual service. I don't think I really read anything new here that I was never aware of before, though. And I would have liked to have seen some more in depth discussion of some of the topics. All in all, a good overview, but a rather light coverage of the topic.