Charge to the Graduating Class of 1996
Chuck Swindoll charges the graduating class of 1996 to have grace, attitude, discipline, and relationship in ministry.
Reflections on Seminary Life
- Dr. Swindoll discusses how seminary is like scaffolding, a temporary structure supporting students as they prepare for real life
- Oswald Chambers’ metaphor of scaffolding is used to illustrate how seminary prepares students for the outside world
Facing Life After Seminary
- Dr. Swindoll shares personal reflections on transitioning from school and the feeling of loss when the "scaffolding" of seminary is removed
- Encouragement to face the challenges ahead without the support structure of seminary
Qualities for Success in Ministry
- Dr. Swindoll outlines four key qualities to succeed in ministry after seminary:
- Grace: Be full of grace, forgiving, and charming in ministry, like Jesus
- Relationships: Build meaningful relationships and focus on connecting with people, not just relying on academic learning
- Attitude: Emphasize having a Christ-like, unselfish attitude. Your attitude is more important than your intelligence or accomplishments.
- Discipline: Practice discipline for godliness, drawing examples from Jesus and other biblical figures
Final Words on Character
- Dr. Swindoll stresses the importance of character, courage, and vision in ministry, drawing from examples of U.S. Presidents to illustrate the point
Closing
- Dr. Swindoll concludes by summarizing the four key qualities—Grace, Relationships, Attitude, Discipline, and how they form the acronym "GRAD"
- Final words of encouragement are given as the audience prepares to graduate and move on to new challenges
*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.
About the Contributors
Charles R. Swindoll
Charles R. Swindoll has devoted his life to the accurate, practical teaching and application of God’s Word and His grace. A pastor at heart, Chuck has served as the founder and senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. His leadership as president and now Chancellor Emeritus of Dallas Theological Seminary has helped prepare and equip a new generation for ministry. Chuck and his wife Cynthia, have four grown children, ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Contributors
