Alumnus Speaks at Kenyan National Prayer Breakfast

Bethel alumnus and bestselling author David Horsager ’95, GS’07 spoke before Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta at the country’s National Prayer Breakfast in May. During the event, which was also broadcast on television, Horsager addressed the topic, “Trust and the Critical Role It Plays in Leadership.”

Horsager spoke at other events in Kenya during his visit and was able to share with government, non-profit, university, and business leaders about his research on trust, which began at Bethel while he was pursuing a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership. Horsager expressed that “a lack of trust is our greatest expense, the biggest cost we have,” emphasizing that in order to build trust in Kenya, and around the globe, individual leaders must become trustworthy.

Horsager shared his experiences and research results, emphasizing that trust and integrity are critical for a nation and its people to move forward on the path toward being authentically trusted. He challenged audience members to be willing to trust those who sacrifice beyond themselves. Following the prayer breakfast, President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Rutto thanked Horsager for his message.

While in Kenya, Horsager and his wife, Lisa, also participated in a National Conversation in which parliament and national leaders sought to build unity through authentic dialogue about prominent issues in Kenya and East Africa. Similar conversations occurred through the Africa Youth Leadership Forum, where the Horsagers facilitated “Trust Edge” content to develop the leaders in attendance—many of whom were student body presidents of universities and will likely move into political leadership.

Horsager spoke at Bethel University’s commencement in May 2013 and has been a guest speaker at many other events on campus. He is the author of The Trust Edge and The Daily Edge.