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Rescuing Ambition
Many think of ambition as nothing more than the drive for personal honor or fame. As a result, ambition—the God-implanted drive to improve, produce, develop, and create—is neglected and well on its way to paralysis.
For some, dreams are numbed. For others, there are no dreams; life just happens. And for those who are dreaming, motives are often confused. One thing is certain: ambition needs help.
Dave Harvey is calling for a rescue. He wants to snatch ambition from the heap of failed motivations and put it to work for the glory of God. To understand our ambition, we must understand that we are on a quest for glory. And where we find glory determines the success of our quest.
Has your God-given ambition been starved and sedated for too long? Are you ambitious? It's time to reach further and dream bigger for the glory of God.
For some, dreams are numbed. For others, there are no dreams; life just happens. And for those who are dreaming, motives are often confused. One thing is certain: ambition needs help.
Dave Harvey is calling for a rescue. He wants to snatch ambition from the heap of failed motivations and put it to work for the glory of God. To understand our ambition, we must understand that we are on a quest for glory. And where we find glory determines the success of our quest.
Has your God-given ambition been starved and sedated for too long? Are you ambitious? It's time to reach further and dream bigger for the glory of God.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
61 people are currently reading
769 people want to read
About the author
Dave Harvey
76 books56 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Dave Harvey is senior pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church (Glen Mills, PA), part of a family of churches called Sovereign Grace Ministries. He received his Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care from Westminster Theological Seminary. Dave lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Kimm, and their four children.
Dave Harvey is senior pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church (Glen Mills, PA), part of a family of churches called Sovereign Grace Ministries. He received his Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care from Westminster Theological Seminary. Dave lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Kimm, and their four children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
January 17, 2011
This is a very fine book. Not only is it solid in its teaching, it is solid in a area that just about nobody addresses. Ambition sanctified is the need of the hour. Ambition unsanctified is a deadly peril.
June 6, 2014
Whether you are an overachiever or a procrastinator, this book gives gospel advice on how to deal with our ambitions.
Harvey begins by explaining that we pursue what we prize (ch. 1). Although ambition is a good thing, the problem is that we are glory thieves, hijacking the honor that is due to God alone (ch. 2). However, we can still demonstrate proper ambition if we understand that we are already accepted by God; we should not be ambitious in order to be accepted (ch. 3). "Approval should inspire ambition" (p. 59). Because of the truths of the gospel, we should get busy (ch. 4)! Ambition takes faith (ch. 5), should stem from deep humility (ch. 6), and will result in genuine contentment (ch. 7). We should be "ambitious to move downward" (p. 104). Harvey also addresses how to respond in the face of failure (ch. 8) and reminds us that godly ambition should find its center in the local church (ch. 9). Ambition takes risks (ch. 10) and looks to the next generation (ch. 11).
Rescuing Ambition provided some very helpful nuggets of advice. My only critique of the book is that it took a meandering path toward its conclusion. Harvey seems to admit that the book takes "some unexpected turns" (p. 156).
Harvey begins by explaining that we pursue what we prize (ch. 1). Although ambition is a good thing, the problem is that we are glory thieves, hijacking the honor that is due to God alone (ch. 2). However, we can still demonstrate proper ambition if we understand that we are already accepted by God; we should not be ambitious in order to be accepted (ch. 3). "Approval should inspire ambition" (p. 59). Because of the truths of the gospel, we should get busy (ch. 4)! Ambition takes faith (ch. 5), should stem from deep humility (ch. 6), and will result in genuine contentment (ch. 7). We should be "ambitious to move downward" (p. 104). Harvey also addresses how to respond in the face of failure (ch. 8) and reminds us that godly ambition should find its center in the local church (ch. 9). Ambition takes risks (ch. 10) and looks to the next generation (ch. 11).
Rescuing Ambition provided some very helpful nuggets of advice. My only critique of the book is that it took a meandering path toward its conclusion. Harvey seems to admit that the book takes "some unexpected turns" (p. 156).
May 30, 2020
Rescuing Ambition by @revdaveharvey came into my hands at just the right time. At twenty-five years old and approaching my last year of seminary, the question of “what’s next?” is something that I face every single day. As I write this, I don’t necessarily have an answer to that question, but I do have a desire to work incredibly hard for the sake of Christ and his Kingdom. At my best, I desire to reach further and dream bigger for the glory of God. This book is tailor-made for people like me (and maybe you as well) on two fronts:
First, Harvey is quick to acknowledge the value of ambition. Far from being the dirty word that its reputation makes it out to be, ambition is something that everyone has. Whatever it is that we ultimately pursue, whether it is our Netflix account or building a large business, is what we have an ambition for. Everyone is always pursuing something. He also helpfully reminds the reader that not every ambition that God gives to us is meant to be realized in this life. We will all fail to accomplish everything we wish to do, we will go to the grave with earthly desires unmet. It is okay for us to have unaccomplished ambitions because our ultimate hope is not in what we do in this life, but it is in what Christ already accomplished for us.
Second, Harvey adds helpful boundaries to ensure that one is pursuing Godly and not selfish ambition. Here are some of the points he makes that stood out to me: ambition finds its healthiest expression in the context of a local church. Ambition that comes at the expense of contentment in Christ is by definition selfish ambition. Ambition that follows the example of Jesus empties oneself for the sake of others rather than puffing oneself up. These and so many more are helping to provide me with the proper boundaries for my pursuits in this life. All in all, Dave Harvey’s Rescuing Ambition was a great read for me as I think about how to make this summer count!
I would especially recommend this book to anyone who is young like me and seeking “to do great things for God.”
First, Harvey is quick to acknowledge the value of ambition. Far from being the dirty word that its reputation makes it out to be, ambition is something that everyone has. Whatever it is that we ultimately pursue, whether it is our Netflix account or building a large business, is what we have an ambition for. Everyone is always pursuing something. He also helpfully reminds the reader that not every ambition that God gives to us is meant to be realized in this life. We will all fail to accomplish everything we wish to do, we will go to the grave with earthly desires unmet. It is okay for us to have unaccomplished ambitions because our ultimate hope is not in what we do in this life, but it is in what Christ already accomplished for us.
Second, Harvey adds helpful boundaries to ensure that one is pursuing Godly and not selfish ambition. Here are some of the points he makes that stood out to me: ambition finds its healthiest expression in the context of a local church. Ambition that comes at the expense of contentment in Christ is by definition selfish ambition. Ambition that follows the example of Jesus empties oneself for the sake of others rather than puffing oneself up. These and so many more are helping to provide me with the proper boundaries for my pursuits in this life. All in all, Dave Harvey’s Rescuing Ambition was a great read for me as I think about how to make this summer count!
I would especially recommend this book to anyone who is young like me and seeking “to do great things for God.”
October 21, 2023
Good book. God declares us righteous, so in faith and humility we are now free to act righteously and work (be ambitious) for the things God has prepared for us to do. Difficulty is working for God's glory and not my own, working as service to others and not for selfish reasons.
June 14, 2011
Dave Harvey’s Rescuing Ambition is very good, in large part due to the nuanced view of ambition it gives. One entire chapter is titled Ambition’s Contentment, describing the patience and wisdom that go along with godly ambition. Another chapter is dedicated to ambition for the church, and not just the church in general or the heavenly church where no one ever offends you, but the lowly local one where we’re called to belong.
The book is about ambition for everyone, and it really ought to be. Not everyone is called into leadership (or else who would follow?), but everyone is called to pursue excellence in everything. Everyone will have some opportunity for leadership in the informal sense since everyone talks to others, is called to friendship, and has opportunities however small for influence.
Harvey relates one story particularly helpful in a book about ambition. Bill Patton was a pastor involved in leadership training and church planting. When something came up in his family that made it clear he needed to step out of leadership, he actually did so, appointed faithful men to replace him, and get this, “publicly committed himself to be an active and enthusiastic member of the church he’d founded–to support this church through the transition and to serve them long into the future. He also dedicated himself to leading his family with gospel humility” (p. 195). In Bill’s own words:
The gospel answers my questions of identity. It tells me I am Go’s nonobservant, his child, a worshiper, and a functioning member of his church. My identity as a pastor was always a secondarily identity. I have not lost my main identity…. I responded to the call to ministry in order to glory God. Being a pastor was never, rightly, my chief end. I do not presently have opportunity to serve as a pastor, but I do have daily opportunities. to fulfill my main purpose in life. Asking the question, “How do I glorify god now?” wonderfully liberates me.
True ambition isn’t selfish ambition, what Thomas Watson called the mother of all schisms. The local church needs leaders and members who are committed to the mission of the gospel, one that goes beyond personal circumstances and hopes. Such commitments enable the biblical qualifications for leadership to be upheld and relieves the pressure that is felt when “indispensable” men become disqualified, the kind that Charles de Gaulle said fill our graveyards. True ambition has courage and takes risks, but it is also selfless and humble.
The book is about ambition for everyone, and it really ought to be. Not everyone is called into leadership (or else who would follow?), but everyone is called to pursue excellence in everything. Everyone will have some opportunity for leadership in the informal sense since everyone talks to others, is called to friendship, and has opportunities however small for influence.
Harvey relates one story particularly helpful in a book about ambition. Bill Patton was a pastor involved in leadership training and church planting. When something came up in his family that made it clear he needed to step out of leadership, he actually did so, appointed faithful men to replace him, and get this, “publicly committed himself to be an active and enthusiastic member of the church he’d founded–to support this church through the transition and to serve them long into the future. He also dedicated himself to leading his family with gospel humility” (p. 195). In Bill’s own words:
The gospel answers my questions of identity. It tells me I am Go’s nonobservant, his child, a worshiper, and a functioning member of his church. My identity as a pastor was always a secondarily identity. I have not lost my main identity…. I responded to the call to ministry in order to glory God. Being a pastor was never, rightly, my chief end. I do not presently have opportunity to serve as a pastor, but I do have daily opportunities. to fulfill my main purpose in life. Asking the question, “How do I glorify god now?” wonderfully liberates me.
True ambition isn’t selfish ambition, what Thomas Watson called the mother of all schisms. The local church needs leaders and members who are committed to the mission of the gospel, one that goes beyond personal circumstances and hopes. Such commitments enable the biblical qualifications for leadership to be upheld and relieves the pressure that is felt when “indispensable” men become disqualified, the kind that Charles de Gaulle said fill our graveyards. True ambition has courage and takes risks, but it is also selfless and humble.
July 21, 2025
Okay, nothing wrong with this book I guess, but just written in a way that I felt like I never really got the point of the book. The author's argument got lost in all the words and just wasn't super clearly organized. I think that he had some great points, great ideas, but it just wasn't very impactful because of the way that it was presented. I didn't disagree with it, just thought it could've been explained better.
December 5, 2018
I originally bought this book thinking it could help me understand why I was going to work for 8-hours a day, 5 days a week, doing things of varying amounts of usefulness for the last decade of my life.
Am I wasting my time working for this company?
How can I possibly be doing anything important in Christ's kingdom if all I'm doing is making little websites for small companies?
Instead of answering those questions, God used this book to focus my mind. Now, when I step on the discontent scale, I can see that I'm at least 30 pounds lighter.
All my life I've had some sort of untamed ambition lurking behind everything I did. I wanted to have this or that important job. I wanted to be a great musician and tour the world. I wanted to create just one great work of art, and get just a little bit of recognition. Please God? Just 10 to 20 devoted fans is all I'd ever ask for. I assumed I'd be famous one day.
All the while, I also had no actual drive to do anything except for when I was really bored or under some kind of tight external deadline. No, the irony didn't escape me, but I still had no idea what to do to get out of that rut.
The key thing I've gained from this book is a feel for when I'm starting to nurture my own glory. Then, having killed that sin, the goal is to figure out what God would have me do instead. Rescuing Ambition covers various ways Godly ambition can manifest, culminating in the final chapter about seeing future generations take the lead after us.
Am I wasting my time working for this company?
How can I possibly be doing anything important in Christ's kingdom if all I'm doing is making little websites for small companies?
Instead of answering those questions, God used this book to focus my mind. Now, when I step on the discontent scale, I can see that I'm at least 30 pounds lighter.
All my life I've had some sort of untamed ambition lurking behind everything I did. I wanted to have this or that important job. I wanted to be a great musician and tour the world. I wanted to create just one great work of art, and get just a little bit of recognition. Please God? Just 10 to 20 devoted fans is all I'd ever ask for. I assumed I'd be famous one day.
All the while, I also had no actual drive to do anything except for when I was really bored or under some kind of tight external deadline. No, the irony didn't escape me, but I still had no idea what to do to get out of that rut.
The key thing I've gained from this book is a feel for when I'm starting to nurture my own glory. Then, having killed that sin, the goal is to figure out what God would have me do instead. Rescuing Ambition covers various ways Godly ambition can manifest, culminating in the final chapter about seeing future generations take the lead after us.
Read
May 1, 2012Dave Harvey thinks well, writes well, tells good stories and cites people of substance and insight. I have long appreciated Dave’s integrity, wisdom and perspective. Were I not afraid of feeding his ambition for greatness, or my ambition to write a memorable endorsement, I would add that Rescuing Ambition is biblical, honest, witty and sometimes amusing. I’m happy to recommend this fine book on an important and overlooked subject.
October 24, 2014
One of my top ten most influential books. Read it twice.
August 18, 2019
So good! This helped me to think through the kind of motivations I should have for the decisions I make and to recognize selfish ambition in my life.
February 11, 2025
The idea driving this book is that people often settle for selfish ambition - power, status, money, fame, etc OR they settle for a false humility that silences all ambition.
However, what we are called to is godly ambition.
I found this book as a helpful “third way” approach. We don’t need to silence ambition, but we do need a sanctified ambition. Ambition that focused on gods purposes.
Aligning our ambitions with God’s ambitions is the secret sauce.
I appreciate the author calling to attention “selfish ambition” but also a false sense of humility that is just as preoccupied with the self as the former. I think for many younger leaders, this is the limp. We hear about the power hungry pastors that just build their own platforms. But what about the leaders that are habitually scared to do great things for the wrong reason? Should they not go for it?
I think this paradigm is really helpful. Would recommend as a read for any leader wrestling with motives and the call of God on their life.
Be ambitious!
However, what we are called to is godly ambition.
I found this book as a helpful “third way” approach. We don’t need to silence ambition, but we do need a sanctified ambition. Ambition that focused on gods purposes.
Aligning our ambitions with God’s ambitions is the secret sauce.
I appreciate the author calling to attention “selfish ambition” but also a false sense of humility that is just as preoccupied with the self as the former. I think for many younger leaders, this is the limp. We hear about the power hungry pastors that just build their own platforms. But what about the leaders that are habitually scared to do great things for the wrong reason? Should they not go for it?
I think this paradigm is really helpful. Would recommend as a read for any leader wrestling with motives and the call of God on their life.
Be ambitious!
March 26, 2024
The first thing I need to say is that Harvey definitely tried to give a very rounded perspective on ambition and think about different people's circumstances, capacity and gifting, which I was very glad about. It wasn't just a book for type As.
However, my main struggle with this book was that it needed more clarity and more Jesus. Sometimes he was affirming that it's not about what you do, it's about who you are in Christ, but then he'd almost contradict that with his examples or challenges to have grander aspirations for what God can do in your life and in what you can be doing. I understand upholding Gospel assurance as well as bringing challenges is a tricky thing sometimes, but it felt a bit like he flopped between the two.
Sometimes he used examples that almost communicated that faith is rewarded with provision, and we just need to have a bigger view of what God can do. For example, in ch.5 on 'Ambition's Confidence', Harvey use of a story of the burning of a church's thatched roof in Sri Lanka and a lady responding in praise and confidence saying that God must intend to give us a metal roof, is an example of joy in the face of suffering and persecution, but Harvey holds this out as an example of the kind of faith and confidence we need to have in God's promises. But it is incredibly unhelpful. God doesn't promise metal roofing. If calamity comes, the silver lining may not always come in this life. So to challenge the reader to have this kind of 'ambitious' faith and confidence in the Lord delivering, just didn't feel very Biblical or helpful. And then another example in the same chapter seemed to imply that moving away for work would have been a display of unbelief, as if you're not trusting God to provide a job where you are. It's all just very unclear and unhelpful. Also there's this idea he keeps floating around about if we wait patiently enough, God will come through for us. And maybe that's not what he means exactly, but it's definitely the implication of what he says, especially when he talks about God being a 'rewarder'. When he talks about the woman in her forties who longed for a husband and a family, but patiently waited and worked hard to honour the Lord in her circumstances, he says: 'What about Charlotte? Well, she finds herself in her mid-forties and the mother to three small children. In the natural realm, that wasn't supposed to happen. But it has, because God is a rewarder of those who seek him.' (p.96) And so the point becomes: if you long to be married and have a family and you don't, well it's because you don't have enough faith, you're not scoring enough points with God, you need to be more patient, more godly, and he will reward you in time.
Now I know Harvey would object to that statement; I know because the two paragraphs at the end of that chapter say so, that not all rewards come in this life and that sometimes life is hard and gets harder. But his examples and exploration of the topic of faith and rewards is so unclear and unhelpful and not centred on Christ, it's hard to not come away discouraged. And even right up to the end of that chapter it's still not clear what he even means by faith. Is it the 'God will provide a metal roof' kind of faith or is it the kind of faith centred on Jesus and His Gospel? I know which one it should be, but the book doesn't help me in that regard.
And yes, sure God will always come through for us ultimately, but it might not be in the way we hope or expect and it might not be in this life.
And another problem I felt I encountered was when Harvey expounds and applies the Gospel. I think he moves too quickly onto application and what we do, and specifically the application to imitate Christ. For example, when talking of Christ's humility in the incarnation, the first application he makes is we should be humble like Him, not insisting on our rights etc. And the problem is that Jesus becomes our example, rather than our Saviour. I don't mean that you can never make the point about our own humility in response to seeing Christ's, but we should first dwell on Christ's humility, see that in the Gospel and savour Him and celebrate our humble King before we then think about ways we can be humble too. It sort of misses the point to just go 'be more humble'. I am simplifying all this to make my point, but I do think Harvey could have spent longer time lifting our eyes to Jesus.
But Harvey definitely did uphold the Gospel throughout and point us to Jesus at lots of different occasions, but I think overall the lack of clarity sometimes meant I came away feeling discouraged or confused.
However, he applied the Gospel better when he spoke of contentment in ch.7.
And I found these two quotes brilliantly helpful (I just wish the whole book was more consistently like this):
'If our joy is ultimately founded on the it-could-be-worse model, then our contentment is, at best, situational...After all, the feelings will eventually fade, and the contrast will be lost.
'True contentment comes by comparing what we have to what our sins deserve. That means we find it in the gospel.' (p.130)
'In the shadow of failure we find humbling grace. We learn that we're limited. We discover that God is more interested in who we're becoming than in what we're achieving. We find our definition not in our failures or successes but in Christ.' (p.152)
On another note, I was really surprised to see Harvey use the phrase, 'Gee, thanks' (p.164), seen as Gee is short for Jesus.
However, my main struggle with this book was that it needed more clarity and more Jesus. Sometimes he was affirming that it's not about what you do, it's about who you are in Christ, but then he'd almost contradict that with his examples or challenges to have grander aspirations for what God can do in your life and in what you can be doing. I understand upholding Gospel assurance as well as bringing challenges is a tricky thing sometimes, but it felt a bit like he flopped between the two.
Sometimes he used examples that almost communicated that faith is rewarded with provision, and we just need to have a bigger view of what God can do. For example, in ch.5 on 'Ambition's Confidence', Harvey use of a story of the burning of a church's thatched roof in Sri Lanka and a lady responding in praise and confidence saying that God must intend to give us a metal roof, is an example of joy in the face of suffering and persecution, but Harvey holds this out as an example of the kind of faith and confidence we need to have in God's promises. But it is incredibly unhelpful. God doesn't promise metal roofing. If calamity comes, the silver lining may not always come in this life. So to challenge the reader to have this kind of 'ambitious' faith and confidence in the Lord delivering, just didn't feel very Biblical or helpful. And then another example in the same chapter seemed to imply that moving away for work would have been a display of unbelief, as if you're not trusting God to provide a job where you are. It's all just very unclear and unhelpful. Also there's this idea he keeps floating around about if we wait patiently enough, God will come through for us. And maybe that's not what he means exactly, but it's definitely the implication of what he says, especially when he talks about God being a 'rewarder'. When he talks about the woman in her forties who longed for a husband and a family, but patiently waited and worked hard to honour the Lord in her circumstances, he says: 'What about Charlotte? Well, she finds herself in her mid-forties and the mother to three small children. In the natural realm, that wasn't supposed to happen. But it has, because God is a rewarder of those who seek him.' (p.96) And so the point becomes: if you long to be married and have a family and you don't, well it's because you don't have enough faith, you're not scoring enough points with God, you need to be more patient, more godly, and he will reward you in time.
Now I know Harvey would object to that statement; I know because the two paragraphs at the end of that chapter say so, that not all rewards come in this life and that sometimes life is hard and gets harder. But his examples and exploration of the topic of faith and rewards is so unclear and unhelpful and not centred on Christ, it's hard to not come away discouraged. And even right up to the end of that chapter it's still not clear what he even means by faith. Is it the 'God will provide a metal roof' kind of faith or is it the kind of faith centred on Jesus and His Gospel? I know which one it should be, but the book doesn't help me in that regard.
And yes, sure God will always come through for us ultimately, but it might not be in the way we hope or expect and it might not be in this life.
And another problem I felt I encountered was when Harvey expounds and applies the Gospel. I think he moves too quickly onto application and what we do, and specifically the application to imitate Christ. For example, when talking of Christ's humility in the incarnation, the first application he makes is we should be humble like Him, not insisting on our rights etc. And the problem is that Jesus becomes our example, rather than our Saviour. I don't mean that you can never make the point about our own humility in response to seeing Christ's, but we should first dwell on Christ's humility, see that in the Gospel and savour Him and celebrate our humble King before we then think about ways we can be humble too. It sort of misses the point to just go 'be more humble'. I am simplifying all this to make my point, but I do think Harvey could have spent longer time lifting our eyes to Jesus.
But Harvey definitely did uphold the Gospel throughout and point us to Jesus at lots of different occasions, but I think overall the lack of clarity sometimes meant I came away feeling discouraged or confused.
However, he applied the Gospel better when he spoke of contentment in ch.7.
And I found these two quotes brilliantly helpful (I just wish the whole book was more consistently like this):
'If our joy is ultimately founded on the it-could-be-worse model, then our contentment is, at best, situational...After all, the feelings will eventually fade, and the contrast will be lost.
'True contentment comes by comparing what we have to what our sins deserve. That means we find it in the gospel.' (p.130)
'In the shadow of failure we find humbling grace. We learn that we're limited. We discover that God is more interested in who we're becoming than in what we're achieving. We find our definition not in our failures or successes but in Christ.' (p.152)
On another note, I was really surprised to see Harvey use the phrase, 'Gee, thanks' (p.164), seen as Gee is short for Jesus.
April 19, 2022
Food for thought
I found this book enlightening and helpful to my understanding of God's purpose concerning ambition. Through Scripture, self-depricating humor and real life examples, the author brings to light this important aspect of the Christian life.
I found this book enlightening and helpful to my understanding of God's purpose concerning ambition. Through Scripture, self-depricating humor and real life examples, the author brings to light this important aspect of the Christian life.
August 31, 2023
Good content, though I felt it roamed farther afield and lost its edge. As to form, I'm not a fan of Harvey's writing style.
March 23, 2011
This is a very good book that addresses a little-discussed and much-misunderstood topic: Ambition. "Rescuing Ambition" is at the same time profoundly deep and winsomely accessible. The two chapters on contentment and failure alone are worth the price of the whole book. The modern church has been, and is being, increasingly "feminized." Harvey's expositions and applications of God's Word regarding such topics as desire, glory, ambition, failure, risk and reward are intensely practical and powerful antidotes for much of the aimlessness, apathy and indolence so prevalent in the church today (especially Christian men.)
October 27, 2010
"The true soldier is an ambitious being. He pants for honor, seeks for glory. On the field of strife he gathers his laurels, and amidst a thousand dangers he reaps renown. The Christian is fired by higher ambitions than any earthly warrior ever knew. He sees a crown that can never fade. He loves a King who best of all is worthy to be served. He has a motive within him which moves him to the noble deeds - a Divine spirit impelling him to the most self-sacrificing actions."
--- Charles Spurgeon
--- Charles Spurgeon
August 5, 2010
Ambition should not be a dirty word in the Christian's vocabulary. Godly ambition is different than selfish ambition, and that's what God would have us cultivate in our lives.
This book is an excellent help in understanding how to pursue godly ambition. I would recommend it to pastors and those who serve in their local church, as well as the Sunday morning pew-sitters, who need a vision for serving in their church.
This book is an excellent help in understanding how to pursue godly ambition. I would recommend it to pastors and those who serve in their local church, as well as the Sunday morning pew-sitters, who need a vision for serving in their church.
May 2, 2011
It is one of those books that makes it sound like you are in trouble if you aren't a world leader, out trying to change the world. It is true that all Christians should be leaders in the sense that they live for God. But someone needs to say something for the faithful saint who is in the fifth row near the back, who is faithful in the battle, but not one of the up front leaders. The problem is that only one of them can write such a book and they aren't the kind of guys who write books. Hmmm.
May 2, 2016
I would honestly recommend this book to new and old believers in Christ. The reason this book gave me affirmation was due to the fact that I am in a very ambitious man. Sometimes we need to reflect and look to where our ambitions are pointed to, is it self-seeking glory? Or are we doing all things for the glory of God and enjoying him forever? In Romans 2, God blesses those who are ambitious for His glory with eternal life.
March 1, 2012
An excellent book: careful, thoughtful, nuanced, passionate and full of heart. Highly recommended. Turned out to be a very timely read for me and spoke to several questions I've been struggling with. Harvey's placement of the church as the locus for ambition and action is excellent. I wish my pastor would read this book!
June 26, 2019
Excellent book! It was very convicting and such a help to me this past spring! It relied on this book a lot for a series I put together on ambition.
Want to read
July 29, 2010_Do Hard Things_ for grownups? Works well with our office of kingship...
October 25, 2011
Great call to stop shining your chair with the seat of your pants and do something. Last chapter/"Why I Wrote this Book" was phenomenal.
April 26, 2012
Don't know that I've ever read a book (other than the Scripture) that so immediately and poignantly met a need in my life.
August 31, 2013
Pretty much wrecked me. Now to see if I can put the principles into action in my own life. Pray for me.
April 26, 2018
Dave Harvey thinks ambition has gotten a bad rap. Harvey thinks in the name of humility we have suppressed our passions and dreams. “Humility,” Harvey says, “shouldn’t be a fabric softener on our aspiration. True humility doesn’t kill our dreams; it provides a guardrail for them.”
We need to stoke our aspirations, but only after we make sure they are rightly aligned with God’s aspirations. Quoting the apostle John, Harvey cautions us that the problem isn’t pursuing glory, it’s pursuing the wrong glory (the glory of man, not of God). Echoing this sentiment is Paul Tripp, who says, “You were hardwired by your Creator for a glory orientation. It is inescapable. It’s in your genes.”
Our problem is that, since the fall, that glory-seeking has become curved in on ourselves. Harvey memorably uses himself and tells us all of the ways that this can exhibit itself in our hearts. These are: “Dave the Occasionally Great”: This Dave’s greatness is “hit or miss”; “Dave the Great-in-his-own-Mind”: “This Dave thinks great thoughts—about Dave”; “Dave the Potentially Great”: “This is the guy everybody says could really do something if he put his mind to it”; “Dave the Formerly Great”; This is “back-in-the-day” Dave; “Dave the Comparatively Great”; This is the better-than-average-Dave who judges himself on others; “Dave the Tomorrow-I’ll-Be-Great”: “This Dave has great intentions”; “Dave the If-Only Great”: This Dave just can’t catch a break; “Dave the I’d-Be-Great-If-Others-Would-Just-Notice”: “If he had to choose between some great success that only God noticed and some small success witnessed by others, he’d choose the latter every day and twice on Sunday”; “Dave the I’ll-Be-Great-If-It-Kills-Me”: For this Dave failure is not an option.
Do you see yourself in this host of Daves? I sure do. But there is a better way for us to funnel ambition, Harvey insists. It is not ambition that is not aimed at success as the world defines success. “God defines productivity differently,” Harvey says. “For God, productivity is wrapped up in transformation, in who we’re becoming, not in what we’re accomplishing.”
Instead, success is cruciform: “Godly ambition makes us downwardly mobile.” It is only here that ambition and humility make sense as powerful allies, not foes. It is only here that ambition and contentment kiss. Ambition is always found in the context of the community, not something that pushes the individual away from people. In fact, Harvey asserts, the church is Jesus’ “great ambition. And because we’re committed to Christ, it should be our great ambition as well.”
“So desire great things,” Harvey says in closing, “Dream big dreams. Get out there and get to work. This world is in need of redeemed people ambitious for God’s glory and willing to do something about it. Why shouldn’t that be you?”
Indeed. Why shouldn’t it be us?
We need to stoke our aspirations, but only after we make sure they are rightly aligned with God’s aspirations. Quoting the apostle John, Harvey cautions us that the problem isn’t pursuing glory, it’s pursuing the wrong glory (the glory of man, not of God). Echoing this sentiment is Paul Tripp, who says, “You were hardwired by your Creator for a glory orientation. It is inescapable. It’s in your genes.”
Our problem is that, since the fall, that glory-seeking has become curved in on ourselves. Harvey memorably uses himself and tells us all of the ways that this can exhibit itself in our hearts. These are: “Dave the Occasionally Great”: This Dave’s greatness is “hit or miss”; “Dave the Great-in-his-own-Mind”: “This Dave thinks great thoughts—about Dave”; “Dave the Potentially Great”: “This is the guy everybody says could really do something if he put his mind to it”; “Dave the Formerly Great”; This is “back-in-the-day” Dave; “Dave the Comparatively Great”; This is the better-than-average-Dave who judges himself on others; “Dave the Tomorrow-I’ll-Be-Great”: “This Dave has great intentions”; “Dave the If-Only Great”: This Dave just can’t catch a break; “Dave the I’d-Be-Great-If-Others-Would-Just-Notice”: “If he had to choose between some great success that only God noticed and some small success witnessed by others, he’d choose the latter every day and twice on Sunday”; “Dave the I’ll-Be-Great-If-It-Kills-Me”: For this Dave failure is not an option.
Do you see yourself in this host of Daves? I sure do. But there is a better way for us to funnel ambition, Harvey insists. It is not ambition that is not aimed at success as the world defines success. “God defines productivity differently,” Harvey says. “For God, productivity is wrapped up in transformation, in who we’re becoming, not in what we’re accomplishing.”
Instead, success is cruciform: “Godly ambition makes us downwardly mobile.” It is only here that ambition and humility make sense as powerful allies, not foes. It is only here that ambition and contentment kiss. Ambition is always found in the context of the community, not something that pushes the individual away from people. In fact, Harvey asserts, the church is Jesus’ “great ambition. And because we’re committed to Christ, it should be our great ambition as well.”
“So desire great things,” Harvey says in closing, “Dream big dreams. Get out there and get to work. This world is in need of redeemed people ambitious for God’s glory and willing to do something about it. Why shouldn’t that be you?”
Indeed. Why shouldn’t it be us?
June 9, 2021
This one was not what I expected. I expected this to be a book to stoke my ambition and help encourage me to be ambitious. Actually, I believe really tried to focus on placing guardrails around ambition to make sure that a person's ambition didn't get out of hand. While many people have a negative view on ambition (i.e. it's a bad word for Christians), Harvey pushes back on this. He says, "Ambition is something that God intends for good, but it's easily corruptible." Harvey discusses things like selfishness, impatience, contentment and even memorizing Scripture. While Harvey seemed to jump around a bit throughout the book (something that he acknowledges), I really enjoyed the read. There was a lot of Scripture throughout the book and even though I've heard various opinions on Harvey himself, I thought the book was focused on explaining ambition through the lens of the Bible.
Favorite quotes:
p. 27 - "The depth of my love is seen in the intensity of my pursuit."
p. 55 - "Since Christ lived a perfect life and died a perfect death so that his perfect record of righteousness could be credited to imperfect sinners, the perfect record is what God sees when he looks at us."
p. 106 - "Our willingness to make others a success is a great measure of the purity of our ambition."
p. 117 - "When we become too humble to aspire, we've stopped being humble. Humility should never be an excuse for inactivity. Our humility should harness our ambition, not hinder it."
p. 152 - "In the shadow of failure we find humbling grace. We learn that we're limited. We discover that God is more interested in who we're becoming than in what we're achieving. We find our definition not in our failures or successes but in Christ."
p. 179 - "Risks and uncertainty are daily reminders of how much greater God is than we are. We take risks; God does not."
Favorite quotes:
p. 27 - "The depth of my love is seen in the intensity of my pursuit."
p. 55 - "Since Christ lived a perfect life and died a perfect death so that his perfect record of righteousness could be credited to imperfect sinners, the perfect record is what God sees when he looks at us."
p. 106 - "Our willingness to make others a success is a great measure of the purity of our ambition."
p. 117 - "When we become too humble to aspire, we've stopped being humble. Humility should never be an excuse for inactivity. Our humility should harness our ambition, not hinder it."
p. 152 - "In the shadow of failure we find humbling grace. We learn that we're limited. We discover that God is more interested in who we're becoming than in what we're achieving. We find our definition not in our failures or successes but in Christ."
p. 179 - "Risks and uncertainty are daily reminders of how much greater God is than we are. We take risks; God does not."
January 21, 2024
As someone who often struggles with balancing ambition and spiritual faith, Dave Harvey’s “Rescuing Ambition” was a revelation. Harvey masterfully navigates the complex relationship between personal goals and spiritual fulfillment, offering a perspective that is both deeply insightful and immediately practical.
What sets this book apart is its ability to speak to the reader on a personal level. Harvey doesn’t just preach; he guides. His use of real-life examples, combined with a deep understanding of biblical principles, makes for an engaging and enlightening read. Each chapter resonated with me, helping to reframe my ambitions in a way that aligns with my faith, rather than competing with it.
Moreover, Harvey’s writing style is accessible and engaging. He has a gift for explaining complex spiritual concepts in a way that is easy to understand and apply to daily life. His compassionate approach makes you feel like he is right there with you, walking you through your journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth.
In conclusion, “Rescuing Ambition” is more than just a book; it’s a roadmap for anyone looking to harmonize their personal aspirations with their spiritual life. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to pursue their dreams without losing sight of their faith. Highly recommended!
June 28, 2025
I was about to rate it 3 stars, yet by God's grace, I gained a little patience to continue reading the book, and I never regretted my decision because I came to understand how awesome this book is. Hence, 4 stars!
I like this line:
"It's a paradox: ambition needs to be rescued from the 'me' trap, but God turns the tables and uses holy ambition to rescue us. He delivers us from flimsy security and harmful comforts. He set us free to live for his kingdom"
Are we more ambitious for self or the kingdom of Christ? Are we more willing to sacrifice for our promotion than for the advancement of the gospel? If we are ambitious for ourselves, we are guilty of idolatry, and we should repent. We should take the risk to spread the gospel and become people of God who are consumed and empowered by the gospel through the Spirit, and not like the people of the world who always wants to be the center of their little kingdom of self.
This is a beneficial read, but it takes lots of patience. But all the patience is worth it.
I like this line:
"It's a paradox: ambition needs to be rescued from the 'me' trap, but God turns the tables and uses holy ambition to rescue us. He delivers us from flimsy security and harmful comforts. He set us free to live for his kingdom"
Are we more ambitious for self or the kingdom of Christ? Are we more willing to sacrifice for our promotion than for the advancement of the gospel? If we are ambitious for ourselves, we are guilty of idolatry, and we should repent. We should take the risk to spread the gospel and become people of God who are consumed and empowered by the gospel through the Spirit, and not like the people of the world who always wants to be the center of their little kingdom of self.
This is a beneficial read, but it takes lots of patience. But all the patience is worth it.
May 6, 2017
Have you ever been described as "ambitious"? If so, was it intended as a compliment or a criticism? Is ambition a trait that Christians ought to desire?
Ambition is certainly a topic not often addressed by Christian authors and pastors (Dave Harvey is both). As the book reminds us, this is a word that frequently has a negative connotation for Christians... but should it be that way? The author thinks not.
The problem, Harvey says, is that we have failed to separate "ambition" from "selfish ambition". Ambition, like many other things that drive us (money, sex, etc), is not inherently bad, but it is very prone to being twisted toward selfish, sinful uses. Ambition, simply defined, is merely "a quest for glory". As this book contends, then, we were created for ambition, because we were created to be glory-seekers! The problem is not that we seek glory, but that we so often seek our own glory, rather than seeking God's glory.
The goal of Rescuing Ambition is to do just that: to rescue this God-given drive to pursue His glory from our own vain attempts to glorify ourselves. The world certainly does not make this easy, as our entire culture is geared toward glorifying — being ambitious for — things other than God. Unfortunately, Christians tend to react in one of two ways: We either conform to this worldy culture of selfish ambition, or we seek to crush ambition itself. This results in either pride or passivity.
So Harvey takes readers on a journey through Scripture, and through the personal experiences of many ambitious and godly Christians, to give a holistic concept of godly ambition that is attainable (and in fact commanded) for every Christian. The book moves from the conceptual to the specific, showing us exactly why God created ambition, how it was corrupted, and what we must do to rescue it — both for ourselves and for others.
The path toward ambition's rescue is not an easy one. It requires the courage to take risks, and will inevitably result in some spectacular failures. When we are ambitious for God's glory, our ambition will lead us out of our comfort zones and into the muck and mire of a broken world, building relationships with broken people. However, this ambition, rightly understood, brings with it the promise of several rewards, both earthly and eternal. In fact, "Godly ambition has reward in mind at all times."
The secret to rescuing ambition lies in it's paradoxical path. To become great, we must become small. To live, we must die. To be first, we must be last. This is the opposite of what the world thinks ambition should look like, but it is what the Bible tells us is the key to our eternal joy. When we surrender our pursuit of our own desires, and instead devote ourselves to exalting Christ, we place our futures safely in the hands of the One whose desire is not only perfect, but is for our own well-being!
The result of this kind of ambition is a supernatural contentment in every circumstance. Sometimes we will receive earthly blessings, other times we will face earthly hardships. Take a look, for instance, at this passage from Hebrews 11, the "Hall of Faith":
The passage goes on to say that NONE of these — neither the ones who "became mighty" nor the ones who were "destitute and afflicted" — received their promised reward in this life, but ALL received the inheritance of "something better", which God made available through Jesus Christ. Like these faithful saints of old, and like the apostle Paul, we must learn contentment in every situation. Whether God brings us low, or brings us abundance, we must rely on God's strength to keep our contentment (and our ambition) rooted in the eternal promises of God, rather than on the things this world offers us ( Philippians 4:11-13 ).
Lastly, Harvey's book shows us that our ambition must be directed toward and expressed through the Church. We are not only to seek God's glory on our own, but to work together with Christ's body to magnify the Lord corporately and cooperatively. God has ordained that we are to pursue Him as part of a community of believers. We must be as committed to Christians as we are to Christ himself, serving and worshiping together within a local church body. We must also perpetuate this godly ambition in the Church by "paying it forward". Our ambition for God's glory must extend beyond our own lives as we grab hold of the Church's mandate to disciple and train leaders, raising up future generations to follow and pursue God.
Rescuing Ambition is a much-needed book for Christians today, and for myself specifically. It has been one of the most personally helpful and edifying books I've read in a long time, and I commend it to you wholeheartedly!
"And thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel" ~ Paul, in Romans 15:20
Ambition is certainly a topic not often addressed by Christian authors and pastors (Dave Harvey is both). As the book reminds us, this is a word that frequently has a negative connotation for Christians... but should it be that way? The author thinks not.
The problem, Harvey says, is that we have failed to separate "ambition" from "selfish ambition". Ambition, like many other things that drive us (money, sex, etc), is not inherently bad, but it is very prone to being twisted toward selfish, sinful uses. Ambition, simply defined, is merely "a quest for glory". As this book contends, then, we were created for ambition, because we were created to be glory-seekers! The problem is not that we seek glory, but that we so often seek our own glory, rather than seeking God's glory.
The goal of Rescuing Ambition is to do just that: to rescue this God-given drive to pursue His glory from our own vain attempts to glorify ourselves. The world certainly does not make this easy, as our entire culture is geared toward glorifying — being ambitious for — things other than God. Unfortunately, Christians tend to react in one of two ways: We either conform to this worldy culture of selfish ambition, or we seek to crush ambition itself. This results in either pride or passivity.
So Harvey takes readers on a journey through Scripture, and through the personal experiences of many ambitious and godly Christians, to give a holistic concept of godly ambition that is attainable (and in fact commanded) for every Christian. The book moves from the conceptual to the specific, showing us exactly why God created ambition, how it was corrupted, and what we must do to rescue it — both for ourselves and for others.
The path toward ambition's rescue is not an easy one. It requires the courage to take risks, and will inevitably result in some spectacular failures. When we are ambitious for God's glory, our ambition will lead us out of our comfort zones and into the muck and mire of a broken world, building relationships with broken people. However, this ambition, rightly understood, brings with it the promise of several rewards, both earthly and eternal. In fact, "Godly ambition has reward in mind at all times."
The secret to rescuing ambition lies in it's paradoxical path. To become great, we must become small. To live, we must die. To be first, we must be last. This is the opposite of what the world thinks ambition should look like, but it is what the Bible tells us is the key to our eternal joy. When we surrender our pursuit of our own desires, and instead devote ourselves to exalting Christ, we place our futures safely in the hands of the One whose desire is not only perfect, but is for our own well-being!
The result of this kind of ambition is a supernatural contentment in every circumstance. Sometimes we will receive earthly blessings, other times we will face earthly hardships. Take a look, for instance, at this passage from Hebrews 11, the "Hall of Faith":
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. ~ Hebrews 11:32-38
The passage goes on to say that NONE of these — neither the ones who "became mighty" nor the ones who were "destitute and afflicted" — received their promised reward in this life, but ALL received the inheritance of "something better", which God made available through Jesus Christ. Like these faithful saints of old, and like the apostle Paul, we must learn contentment in every situation. Whether God brings us low, or brings us abundance, we must rely on God's strength to keep our contentment (and our ambition) rooted in the eternal promises of God, rather than on the things this world offers us ( Philippians 4:11-13 ).
Lastly, Harvey's book shows us that our ambition must be directed toward and expressed through the Church. We are not only to seek God's glory on our own, but to work together with Christ's body to magnify the Lord corporately and cooperatively. God has ordained that we are to pursue Him as part of a community of believers. We must be as committed to Christians as we are to Christ himself, serving and worshiping together within a local church body. We must also perpetuate this godly ambition in the Church by "paying it forward". Our ambition for God's glory must extend beyond our own lives as we grab hold of the Church's mandate to disciple and train leaders, raising up future generations to follow and pursue God.
Rescuing Ambition is a much-needed book for Christians today, and for myself specifically. It has been one of the most personally helpful and edifying books I've read in a long time, and I commend it to you wholeheartedly!
"And thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel" ~ Paul, in Romans 15:20
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