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By Pastor Chuck Swindoll

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Don’t Forget to Tingle

“Someday, you are going to be where you dream of being. You will actually be fulfilling the goal of your life in front of a class, teaching a room full of students, pastor of a church, standing at the pulpit and delivering your message, serving God in some place far removed from home, and suddenly having that surge of reality that you are the recipient of His grace now that He has placed you in this unique opportunity to perhaps translate the Scriptures into that language, or put your arms around the shoulders of those who would never otherwise hear of your Savior, and there you are doing it. Don’t forget to tingle.”

Reject Cynicism

“That’s my counsel to all of us today. Watch out for cynicism. It’ll eat your lunch at this school. You’ll begin to discount the value of certain teachers. You’ll begin to see yourself as more important than you are. Because you’ve learned a little, you’ll realize, ‘I’m ahead of most of the ones in my class.’ You start believing your own stuff. Trouble starts at that point, and before you know it, you get cynical about things that really ought to be kept sacred. You no longer tingle.”

Don’t Let Routine and Repetition Darken Your Ministry

“Has the routine and repetition begun to sort of dull the edge? Gotten a little jaded? Even go so far as to say cynical. You got to take care of that. You got to address that. You got to dig down deep and root that out or it’ll follow you and it’ll crop up again. If you’re not careful, it’ll mess up your parenting and your marriage. On top of all of that, it’ll darken your ministry. May God deliver us from learning how to act. That is, being actors in ministry, and becoming really broken-hearted, saved by grace sinners who minister out of our brokenness and need.”

Pay Close Attention to Yourself

“Chances are good you do not know one of the struggles any of these faculty members has, because seminary isn’t mentoring. It’s an academic institution that teaches people theology, the languages, Christian education, church history, and the subjects of the faith. But what equips you for ministry is you’re paying close attention to yourself and persevering in that.”

Stay True to What is Right

“Discipline yourself. Stay alert. Stay aware. Be a good student of yourself. Do a little self-analysis today and during the holidays that will come. Look at yourself. Is that biblical? Look at verse 16. ‘Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching.’ I love the way the New Living renders it. ‘Keep a close watch on how you live, on your teaching. Stay true to what is right.’ (1 Timothy 4:16).”

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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