The Rooted Leader

Seven Rhythms of Leaders Who Bear Fruit That Lasts

In a time when leaders are falling like trees in a storm, there is a need for a different kind of leader.

Our world desperately needs leaders with roots: ones who are deeply grounded, who know who they are, and who are equipped to endure adversity and bear the fruit of vibrant leadership. But lasting leadership starts beneath the surface. Drawing from the biblical story of Nehemiah – often referred to as history’s first leadership book – The Rooted Leader offers leaders practical insights on the roots beneath the surface that result in the fruit all leaders desire: vision, conviction, servanthood, perseverance, credibility, transformation, and resolve.

In The Rooted Leader, you will:

Discover seven intermingling roots of healthy Christian leadership that bear fruit for those you lead
Learn the unfair advantage Christian leaders bring to marketplace or ministry roles
Gain practical tools to grow as a leader who is filled with vision, conviction, perseverance, and credibility
Identify practical next steps to move those you lead towards growth, transformation, and flourishing

Whether you’re leading in a church, business, organization, or family, The Rooted Leader offers a path to becoming the kind of faithful leader who stands strong in the storm and bears fruit for those you serve.

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This is the leadership book we need right now. In Rooted Leader, Eric masterfully unpacks the essential qualities every leader needs to navigate the complexities of leading in our chaotic, turbulent and volatile times. If leaders focus on strengthening our root system, we will produce the fruit we earnestly desire and finish well. We desperately need leaders full of strength, courage, compassion, wisdom, conviction, integrity and character. It’s time to unleash a generation of Nehemiahs.

Christine CaineFounder of A21 and Propel Women

The Rooted Leader is like sitting down with a wise pastor and a battle-tested coach at the same time. Eric Geiger doesn’t just talk about leadership skill; he shows you how to sink your roots deep in Jesus so when the storms hit you won’t be toppled. Drawing from Nehemiah’s story and seven gospel-shaped rhythms, this book will both comfort you and confront you in the best possible way. If you’re tired of leaders who look impressive on the outside but are crumbling on the inside, read this book slowly, with your Bible open, and let the Spirit of God do His work in you. The people you lead will thank you.

Joby MartinLead Pastor, The Church of Eleven22 and NYT Best Selling Author

The Rooted Leader challenges commonly accepted cultural views of leadership by affirming that a leader’s true greatness stems from a deeply held conviction to serve others over self-interest. Teaching from the biblical example of Nehemiah, Eric Geiger demonstrates that servant leadership is not soft or weak, but instead is uniquely characterized by courage and humility. And those traits will yield much fruit.

Cheryl BachelderRetired CEO, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. Author, Dare to Serve: how to drive superior results by serving others.

I have had the fortune to be around some of the most quality leaders our country has to offer and yet Eric Geiger stands among the best of the best. His biblical knowledge and conviction shapes the way he has fearlessly led our church. The Rooted Leader is a perfect example of this as Eric has taken the story of Nehemiah and delivered an incredible road map to biblical leadership that is sure to impact everyone who reads it. This book is a must for those of us who desire to have a more positive and biblical influence in their lives as it not only teaches WHAT the fruits of leadership are but more importantly HOW to go about developing those fruits. This book is a must for anyone who wants to have a more positive and sustainable impact on their surroundings.

Joel KlattFOX Sports Lead College Football Analyst

What makes this book different is it’s not theory. It’s who Eric is and how he leads. And it’s why he's leading one of the fastest growing and most dynamic churches in the country. If you want to grow as a leader—really grow—read this book slowly. Let it challenge you, convict you, and deepen your roots. Your family, your church, and everyone you influence will be better for it.

Ashley WooldridgeSenior Pastor, Christ’s Church of the Valley

Eric Geiger gets it. He understands that leadership isn’t about polish, position, or platform—it’s about roots: deep, spiritual roots that hold firm when the inevitable storms hit. In The Rooted Leader, Eric takes us on a powerful journey through Nehemiah’s life, showing us what healthy, lasting leadership truly looks like. I’ve known Eric for years, and I can tell you this book isn’t theory—it’s how he actually leads. He’s the real deal: wise, biblical, and refreshingly honest. If you’re tired of leadership books that promise hacks and shortcuts, this one will remind you of the only path that truly lasts—leading from the roots up. Every pastor, business leader, and Christ-follower who wants to finish well needs this book.

Thom S. RainerFounder and CEO, Church Answers

Toppling leaders is one of the great themes of our time, and Eric Geiger shows both why it happens and how to prevent it. Every leader wants to finish well, but few are given a road map for actually getting there. The Rooted Leader gives you the root system you need to stand strong in every season. If you want to finish well, start here. This book is a gift.

Carey NieuwhofBestselling Author, Podcaster, and Speaker

If I could recommend just one leadership book to Christian leaders this year, this would be it. It’s brimming with insight—formative frameworks that reshape your thinking, practical steps you can apply right away, and hard-won lessons forged over decades in ministry. And above all, it’s saturated with biblically grounded wisdom drawn from the life of Nehemiah. Every chapter shines.

Trevin WaxVice president of resources and marketing at the North American Mission Board and visiting professor at Cedarville University, author of The Gospel Way Catechism, The Thrill of Orthodoxy, and This Is Our Time.

Today's leader is faced with challenges from all directions, often leading to overwhelmed and discouraged feelings. Eric Geiger's material provides clear biblical solutions and a path for every leadership context. Based on the life of Nehemiah, the book addresses both the necessary leadership skills and the internal character capacities of the faithful and successful leader. As a member of Mariners Church, where Eric is senior pastor, I also sat through his sermons which comprise the structure of this book, and found the information extremely helpful. His warmth and vulnerability will engage your heart, and his concepts will equip your mind. Highly recommended!

John Townsend, Ph.D.Psychologist, Author of the New York Times bestselling Boundaries book series, Founder, Townsend Institute at Concordia University Irvine, and Townsend Leadership Program

The Rooted Leader is a valuable guide for anyone leading in fast-moving, high-pressure environments. What sets Eric Geiger apart is the way he seamlessly integrates spiritual formation with real-world leadership experience from both the marketplace and ministry. He shows that lasting influence isn’t built on drive or strategy alone, but on the inner roots that sustain leaders through growth, setbacks, and responsibility. Eric writes with a clarity that is both strengthening and deeply motivating, calling leaders to rise above short-term results and build what truly endures. This book will leave you grounded, inspired, and equipped to lead with conviction and character.

Commissioner David SK LeeChairman and CEO of Hing Wa Lee Group

That leadership is an institution in crisis in our day is unquestioned. Regardless of the enterprise—business, government, academia, the arts, or the church—when leaders fail, everyone suffers the consequences. In The Rooted Leader, Eric has built a lighthouse to help leaders navigate the current storm. This book brought me back to Jesus’ mention of a house that was built on a rock. When the storms blew, it remained—not because the house was impressive, but because its foundation was. Eric shows how Nehemiah’s leadership, an example tough to emulate, can be both accessible yet deeply inspiring. Moreover Eric isn’t merely writing about leadership principles; he’s bearing witness to realities I’ve watched him live out, both publicly and privately, for years. If you want to build something that lasts, you must first allow God to build you. The Rooted Leader is the right step in that direction. Read this book.

Ricky JenkinsSenior Pastor Wellspring Church, Indian Wells, CA

In a cultural moment when leaders fall with alarming frequency, The Rooted Leader offers a much-needed blueprint for cultivating strength beneath the surface. Eric Geiger brilliantly shows that lasting influence is not produced by charisma or giftedness, but by the deep, unseen roots God forms in us. This book is a timely and wise guide for any leader who longs to hold fast when the storms inevitably come.

Darren WhiteheadPastor, Church of the City, Nashville, TN & Author of The Digital Fast

The Christian journey is bound together by epiphanies and formation…not always in equal doses. Eric has put a spotlight on the formation needed to hold us and unleash the best God has for us. I love the seven rhythms and the way they are tied to one of the most extraordinary leaders to ever walk on the earth. Nehemiah is truly in the leader hall of fame.

Stephen R. GravesAuthor, CEO Coach and Business Owner

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Eric Geiger

Eric Geiger serves as the senior pastor of Mariners Church in Southern California, where he lives with his wife, Kaye, and their two daughters, Eden and Evie. Eric received his doctorate in leadership and church ministry from Southern Seminary. Eric has led in both marketplace and ministry settings, as senior vice president and chief business officer of a publishing company, a consultant on vision and strategy, and a local church pastor.

The Rooted Leader

Seven Rhythms of Leaders Who Bear Fruit That Lasts

See What Others Are Saying

Pre-Order Now

Eric Geiger

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