Stones That Still Kill Giants

Chuck Swindoll talks about the five cornerstones of great pastoral leadership found in the story of David and Goliath.

A Story of Two Preachers

• Anecdote about preachers Harold Hocking and Donald Barnhouse
• The humorous outcome of repeating sermons

Personal Reflection on Graduation

• Dr. Swindoll recalls his graduation experience, anxiety about the future, and feeling prepared yet unsure
• Reflection on decades of ministry experience and lessons learned from working with different congregations

The Biblical Story of David and Goliath

• Description of the Valley of Elah scene where David confronts Goliath
• Comparison of Saul’s armor and David’s simplicity, emphasizing authenticity and individuality

Lessons for the Graduates

• Encouragement to be authentic
• Use what they have tested, rather than adopting someone else’s methods

Five practical lessons, each represented by a "smooth stone":

1. Humanity
   • It's okay to be human
   • Authenticity and humility are key
2. Leadership
   • Leadership is often lonely and comes with criticism
   • It's essential to challenge the status quo
3. Failure
   • Failure is not only acceptable but necessary for growth
   • Many biblical figures learned through failure
4. Home
   • The hardest challenges often happen at home
   • It's crucial to prioritize family over ministry
5. Servanthood
   • Ministry is about serving people, not just administration or projects
   • The importance of humility and serving others

Concluding Reflections

• Advice on avoiding the “grass is greener” mentality and appreciating the present
• Encouragement to remember these five lessons as they face their future challenges in ministry

*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.