On this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast Todd Adkins and I spoke with Dr. Sam Storms. Sam is the pastor for preaching and vision at Bridgeway Baptist church in Oklahoma city, an author of several books, the VP of the Evangelical Theological Society, and the head of Enjoying God Ministries. He is also a former (excellent) professor of mine at Wheaton College in Illinois. Dr. Storms joined us a few months ago at The Gospel Coalition conference in florida, and we had a wonderful conversation about pastoral ministry, accountability, and communication as a leader. Sam makes some powerful statements about raising up leaders and qualifications for ministry, especially about being faithful in small things. He is as humble and wise as any leader we have talked with, and you will love his insights.
BEST QUOTES
“Sometimes we’re so chronologically snobbish that we don’t appreciate those who are really advanced in years. We kind of write them off and put them out to pasture.”
“Truth doesn’t change with time; maybe its application does.”
“You can’t force somebody to be accountable . . . If they don’t want to be held accountable they don’t have to be.”
“It’s so important for people to know where their giving is going.”
“People want to know that we at least value them enough that we ask them for their input or at least keep them up to date with information.”
“If people think you’re making decisions arbitrarily and don’t value the opinion of anyone other than the inner-circle they do become suspicious.”
“In every church culture – it’s unavoidable – there’s always an inner-circle.”
“Raising up small group leaders is our greatest challenge.”
“Just because you’ve done well and made a lot of money and are highly regarded in the community doesn’t necessarily qualify you as an elder.”
“You can be very successful in the business world and largely devoid of character, and I’m more concerned with character than I am with competency.”
“Look across the breadth of our local church and ask ‘who’s already shepherding people?’”
“There’s no more dignified, challenging, and fruitful ministry than getting down on your hands and knees in children’s ministry.”
“Some of my biggest regrets are things I wish I had done with my daughters that I didn’t.”
“I hope God was gracious enough to compensate for my failures and my selfishness as a dad.”
“I lead my wife by listening to her and learning from her.”
“You never really know a man’s character until you see how he treats someone who can do him no benefit.”
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
SamStorms.com
Packer on the Christian Life
Tough Topics: Biblical Answers to 25 Challenging Questions
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
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