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By Pastor Chuck Swindoll

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Set Your Course

“I want you to be eminently successful in ministry, which does not mean you don’t encounter difficulties. Success doesn’t mean that you sail through life without wild waves and strong winds and treacherous currents. It means you set a course and you live your life in such a way that Christ Jesus is honored and His Word is taught, His truth is obeyed, and wrong is confronted, and righteousness is upheld.”

We Can Be the Problem!

“I’ve left out the one who is often the problem, that’s us. So this is also one great way to end my talk. You’re at seminary, not only to learn truth, great theology, and the surrounding disciplines that equip you for ministry. You’re here to become a better student of yourself. Spiritual formation will help you, and it’s built into the curriculum. Don’t ignore it. Don’t overlook the value of it. One of the characteristics of strong-willed people is a lack of self-awareness. Believe me, ministry will bring out in you the worst that’s there if it’s not dealt with. I don’t know why that’s like it is, but it’s like that. If you’re impatient, whoa, that will come to the surface. If you’re a grudge keeper, oh boy, that pulpit becomes a hammer, and you preach to two or three people while you’re talking to the whole congregation. Easy to do that. If you’re forgiving, that’ll come out. If you’re truly gracious, that’ll be there too. If you’re dishonest, you can’t hide it. You’re constantly on display. And not every criticism is wrong. Some of them are really worth considering.”

From the Top of Our Head to the Soles of Our Feet

“Lord, we’re Yours, all the way from the top of our head to the soles of our feet, and we love it so. I pray You’d help to shape us over these years into the kind of people that can represent Your Son, since He’s away and folks can’t see Him. May we be truly authentic, Christlike people, right down to the hidden motives and the unspoken thoughts.”

Embrace Your Calling

“If you’re called now, you’re called, regardless of what the future may hold, regardless of what people may do or say. You’re God’s woman, you’re God’s man. Press into it. Being a faithful shepherd has nothing to do with being liked. No one ever told me that either. Thankfully, people do like you. A number of them love you. Too many of them pedestalize you, and that’s dangerous in itself. But you’re called to tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.”

On Leadership and Elders

“The ministry needs individuals who have keen perception. Leaders must be able to see between the lines, beyond the talk. Must be able to read character traits. One of the things we learned at our church when we had appointed those individuals who weren’t qualified, we learned to go a lot slower in making our selections. By the way, elders aren’t voted on by a congregation. That’s not biblical. They’re appointed.”

Additional Resources

First, sign up for our Chuck’s Insights on Ministry email where we bring you his best thoughts on preaching, leadership, and ministry each week. By signing up, you’ll instantly receive a one-page checklist with 20 preaching insights from Chuck. See this page’s sidebar.

Second, check out our new Preach The Word articles and video series on YouTube where we’re teaching Chuck’s best insights on this important calling.

Third, listen to Chuck’s messages to those in ministry through our Seminary Chapels page. For decades, he offered students at Dallas Theological Seminary his best thoughts on church leadership and ministry. Now, we have put them at your finger tips. Also, you can find them through this YouTube playlist we created for you.

Fourth, if you don’t own a copy of Chuck’s book on preaching, Saying It Well, we highly recommend you add it to your library. It’s his preaching memoir that is also like a practical preaching manual. You won’t be able to put it down.

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