spotlights a new book just published today by Chuck Swindoll.
(20th Anniversary Updated & Expanded Edition), by Jim Brown. And check out these
Chuck Swindoll’s Life Story:
True or False Quiz!
And he's still writing books! Reluctantly, he just penned his autobiography.
Why reluctantly? “First, I have never considered my life all that significant. And, second, I have always been very uncomfortable talking about myself.”
Yet, I’m grateful that this prolific author of more than 100 books wrote one more book—and you’ll love the 30 short chapters with memorable titles, including Chapter 18, “The Whine of a Harmonica and the Smell of a Good Cigar.” He acknowledges God’s grace in every chapter. It's a master class on the power of mentoring, mistake-making, and ministerial transitions. Enjoy:
POP QUIZ! I’m guessing that the majority of my eNews readers have heard Chuck Swindoll speak at a conference, or listened occasionally to his daily radio program—or have a Swindoll book or two (or 10) on their bookshelves. Ditto!
So let’s have fun with this review—since Swindoll is a master of fun stuff (read on!).
#1. BACK OFF! (True or False?) If you're tired of reading AI slop advice from anyone under 40, Swindoll's new book is a refreshing change. He writes: "I've learned that it's unwise to talk someone into or out of a big decision." He adds, "Some who read these words are looking at a big decision.
Don't count on me to talk you into it or out of it. That's God's job. I used to be real good at that, or real bad at that. But I've learned to back off and leave people alone to wrestle through it." (See Chapter 30.)
#2. PROBATION! (True or False?) After receiving an honorary discharge from the United States Marine Corps in 1959, and mentored by a Navigators staff member while serving in Okinawa for 16 months, Chuck Swindoll applied for admission to Dallas Theological Seminary. During the interview, he was asked:
“Would you be happy doing anything else for the rest of your life other than ministry?” • He was accepted—but was “on probation” (he never graduated from college).
• Living in campus housing with his wife, Cynthia, Chuck became the “seminary lawn boy” to work his way through school. (Coulda been a career track—
read this!)
• He graduated in 1963—and was honored with the “Harry A. Ironside Award for Expository Preaching.”
#3. PRESIDENT? (True or False?) Really? The same young man that began seminary on probationary status was invited to become the fourth president of Dallas Theological Seminary in 1994 at age 59. Swindoll resisted the invitation—telling the search committee that then in his 23rd year as pastor of the First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton (California), life was good. “I’ve got everything going for me here and we’ve really got it made.”
•
A committee member pushed back, “Is ministry about ‘having it made’?” (Oops!)
• Chuck’s wife, Cynthia, encouraged him to accept the invitation.
#4. DISCERNMENT (True or False?) Faced with the life-changing decision of saying “yes” or “no” to the seminary’s invitation, Swindoll invited eight of his “very best friends" (some from long distances) to meet on a Saturday. After briefing them on his inclination (still) to say "no," he asked each person to take 90 minutes—alone—to discern God's voice. The result: all eight friend urged him to say "yes." He did. (This reminded me of the time Parker Palmer met with a "Clearness Committee" to discern direction—also for the presidency of a school. Read my review of
Let Your Life Speak.)
#5. CRACK! (True or False?) Swindoll writes that one Sunday, while delivering his sermon at the Fullerton church, he “heard a
CRACK in the sanctuary that sounded like a hammer landing solidly on a steel beam. It was the sound of a man’s head pounding down on the pew in front of him." It was Swindoll’s father—a regular worshiper in Row 17.
• The ushers called the paramedics, yet Swindoll writes that he “continued to preach as my father was wheeled out of the sanctuary on a gurney.”
• The doctors later explained that his dad "had suffered a stroke and a mild heart attack simultaneously that morning…”
#6. MISFIT? (True or False?) Earlier in his pastoral career, Swindoll accepted his first senior pastor position at an Evangelical Free church near Boston in 1965. (Both he and Cynthia were born in Texas.) With a rich Norwegian heritage, the congregation of just under 200 people had
“only recently traded in hymnals that had English lyrics on one side and Norwegian lyrics on the other.” He adds, “It was just so clear from the start that we weren’t New Englanders. We were Texans, and the difference was as vast as Tex Mex is from clam chowder.”
•
Oops! Cynthia was not invited to the interview. She saw the parsonage for the first time when they moved in.
•
Oops! After two years, they returned to serve a church in Texas.
View the conversation between Chuck Swindoll (right) and Bill Butterworth at Insight for Living's "An Evening With Pastor Chuck" on October 4.#7. LOL! (True or False?) There’s a hilarious laugh-out-loud theme that runs through Swindoll’s life story. (No surprise:
Bill Butterworth was his editor for this book!) At the New England church: “Our deacons were all really good men, but there wasn’t much laughter in our meetings.” At Dallas Theological Seminary, Swindoll considered himself more of a shepherd than president—and immediately asked his assistant,
"Where is the fun? Where's the laughter?" • "Dr. Swindoll," she said, "this is a seminary."
• He responded, "The questions are still the same. Where's the laughter? Where's the fun?"
There's more! • The student dress code went from coats and ties to business casual.
• Reserved parking spots for administrators were removed—even the “Keep Off the Grass” signs were sacked!
#8. LIFE LESSONS? (True or False?) I counted 10 ministry transitions that Swindoll endured during and after seminary. I use the word "endured" because of various critics he encountered on his ministry journey:
• "The Guy" (an elder, not named) at one church that threatened him with a revolver!
•
The time five of nine elders walked out of an elder meeting—and resigned! • The "contrarian" faculty member who... (read the story!).
Pastors and ministry leaders (of any age or decade) will learn much from Swindoll's transparent life lessons (and mistakes). When should you move on...or retire? Swindoll "retired from the pulpit" at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, at age 90 in 2024. He was the church's founder and served over 26 years. He continues as chairman of the board of Insight for Living ("The Bible-Teaching Ministry of Pastor Chuck Swindoll").
Looking for more wisdom on ministry transitions and successions? Read my review of
The Hero's Farewell: What Happens When CEOs Retire, and my review (plus 13 resources) of
Lost in Transition. Plus, listen to Curt Swindoll's wisdom on this
"Life After Ministry" podcast. (Curt is the oldest of the Swindoll's four adult children.)
#9. INSIGHTS ON INSIGHT. (True or False?) When the Swindolls moved from California back to Texas, they also relocated the international offices of their broadcast ministry,
Insight for Living, to Texas.
And...yikes! Only two percent of the California employees made the move. (Leaders of other ministries that are thinking of moving and/or merging would benefit from reading this case study.) Cynthia Swindoll served as IFL's first president and CEO. Today, Chuck and Cynthia's daughter,
Charissa Swindoll Gaither, is the president and CEO.
#10. OLDER CHUCK! (True or False?) "I'm still on a learning curve," writes Swindoll and he saves the final chapter for a nine-page benediction,
"What Older Chuck Would Tell Younger Chuck." Interesting—because as the third of three children in his family, he longed for a better relationship with his parents. He writes: "Most of us are too hard on our kids. Take it from one who was. If I regret anything in my life, it's that I was as not as gracious a dad as I could've been and should've been. I was too busy. I was, at times, too demanding, and I was too rigid."
#11. CRITICS! (True or False?)
Hmmm. As early as 1978, Swindoll was writing to leaders: "Expect the Critics." In his classic book,
Hand Me Another Brick (
see my review), Swindoll notes that Nehemiah had hardly started rebuilding the wall before Sanballat and Tobiah showed up. (Of course they did. Critics have excellent timing.)
#12. SAXOPHONES & STUTTERING. (True or False?) Young Chuck stuttered...but an insightful teacher invited him to join the debate class and the drama team.
Problem solved. Did I mention? Swindoll played five instruments (clarinet, saxophone, oboe, flute, and piccolo) and in Okinawa, played in the
Marine Corps Band and the Dance Band (think Gershwin, Goodman, and Dorsey!).
WHICH ONES ARE TRUE OR FALSE? Read the book!
TO ORDER FROM AMAZON, click on the title for
Awakened by Grace: The Life Story of Chuck Swindoll, by Charles R. Swindoll. Listen on
Libro (9 hours, 10 minutes). And thanks to Insight for Living for sending me a review copy.
MORE LOL! On Dec. 3, 1986 (not a typo—almost 40 years ago!), Chuck Swindoll was the morning and evening speaker at the national convention for Christian Camping International/USA (now
CCCA), in San Diego. In one memorable keynote, he talked about how to handle criticism and quoted a hilarious line (attributed to either composer Max Reger or the Earl of Sandwich).
Read the rebuke here!
YOUR WEEKLY STAFF MEETING QUESTIONS:1) Chuck Swindoll credits key mentors in his journey, and God’s grace. Today, at almost 92, he is mentoring two grandsons every Saturday morning.
What did you learn from your mentors? Who are you mentoring?2) Whatever your age, and whether you’re a leader or a manager, you will have at least one more major transition in your life.
Are you prepared? Suggestion: read
Finish Line, by Robert Wolgemuth (1948-2026).
SECOND READS: Fresh Solutions From Classic BooksYou have changed—and your problems have changed—since you read this the first time!Book #61 of 99: Leadership Secrets of The Salvation ArmyFor your team meeting this week, inspire a team member to lead your “10 Minutes for Lifelong Learning” session by featuring Book #61 of 99 in our series, “Second Reads.” The big idea:
REREAD TO LEAD! Discover how your favorite books (and articles) still have more to teach you and the people you’re coaching and mentoring.
The Most Effective Organization in the U.S.
Leadership Secrets of the Salvation Army
by Robert A. Watson and Ben Brown (Nov. 6, 2001)
I know…you’re already saying, “But we’re just a small organization. What can we learn from one of the largest charities in the U.S.?” (Read my tongue-in-cheek thoughts on “Think Shrink!”) And see the Forbes list: “
America’s Top 100 Charities” for 2025.
•
Read my review (Issue No. 167, Dec. 11, 2009).
• Order from
Amazon.
• Management Bucket #1 of 20:
The Results BucketRead this classic and discover why
Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, called The Salvation Army
“the most effective organization in the U.S.” He added, “No one even comes close to it with respect to clarity of mission, ability to innovate, measurable results, dedication, and putting money to maximum use.”
CLICK HERE FOR BOOKS BY JOHN
View the video summary (7 minutes) of “Mistake #5: Thinking Leadership Is Learned by Magic. I missed the memo about focusing on results and SMART Goals.” See the workbook, Mastering Mistake Making: My 25 Memorable Mistakes—and What I Learned (10 Minutes for Lifelong Learning Workbook), by John Pearson with Jason Pearson.
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