Getting to Know Pastor Chuck Swindoll
1. Bibles
It is best if you have a study Bible that has paragraph notations as well as footnotes that help you understand the difficult sections of Scripture. Thankfully, there are several excellent versions and paraphrases of the Bible available today, which will enlighten your understanding of the meaning of the biblical text. Chuck recommends The Swindoll Study Bible which is based on the readable and reliable New Living Translation. This study Bible includes Chuck’s warm and personal style, insightful notes, unique background articles, biographical presentations, easy-to-understand timelines, and practical applications to make the Bible come alive. In his own study, Chuck also uses the New American Standard Bible for its nearly word-for-word translation from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts into English. Other translations offer a looser, more contemporary rendering, which can be helpful to clarify meaning. Both styles are helpful as you seek a fuller, more complete grasp of the Holy Scriptures in your Bible study.2. Concordances
A concordance is a must. It is an alphabetical listing of all the words in the Bible and of all the verses in which they appear.- Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible or Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible are my preferences.
- Acquire an exhaustive concordance of the translation you use for study.
- Most good computer programs for Bible study (see No. 7) allow for multiple-word searches, including lexical searches in the original languages.
3. Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
- English—Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary or The Random House Dictionary of the English Language
- Bible—The New Unger's Bible Dictionary is the best.
- Theological—Baker's Dictionary of Practical Theology is a good tool.
- Greek and Hebrew—Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
- Encyclopedia—The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (5 volumes) and International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (4 volumes) are excellent.
4. Geographical and Cultural Helps
- A good atlas is indispensable for understanding context. The Moody Atlas of Bible Lands is highly recommended. (Also, if you have not yet been to Israel, you should go!)
- Bible backgrounds—The New Unger's Bible Handbook, Halley's Bible Handbook, Merrill Tenney's New Testament Times: Understanding the World of the First Century, or Alfred Edersheim's Bible History: Old Testament
5. Bible Doctrine Books
- Systematic Theology by Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology by Charles Hodge, or Systematic Theology by Augustus H. Strong
- Biblical Theology of the New Testament by Charles C. Ryrie
- Major Bible Themes by Lewis Sperry Chafer—a good, concise book
6. Commentaries
- Surveys of the entire Bible—The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty (in two volumes, Old and New Testaments) is outstanding. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary is my preferred one-volume commentary.
- Expositional (verse by verse)—some of the best are by Donald G. Barnhouse, Kenneth S. Wuest, William R. Newell, R. C. H. Lenski, H. C. Leupold, William Barclay, John F. Walvoord, Arthur W. Pink, and Tyndale House
- Devotional—books by G. Campbell Morgan, F. B. Meyer, Alan Redpath, H. A. Ironside, and Charles R. Swindoll
- Analytical—books by W. Graham Scroggie and Merrill Tenney as well as the I. C. C. (International Critical Commentary) series (critical and tends toward the liberal side)
Concerning Commentaries:
- Best to purchase one of the entire Bible first
- Best to use different types in your study
- Best to consult them after your own personal study
- Best to read with discernment; don't be afraid to challenge or disagree
- An excellent volume by John Glynn, Commentary & Reference Survey, lists and explains the most popular and recommended commentaries (from various perspectives — evangelical, liberal, etc.) on every book of the Bible. It is helpful when you're looking for which commentary to buy . . . and which one not to buy.
7. Bible Study Computer Programs
- Logos Bible Software (for Mac and PC, Android, iOS)—see www.logos.com An astounding assortment of commentaries, books, dictionaries, and tools allows for quick research on any passage or topic. Many of the recommended resources in this article are in the Logos library.
- Accordance (for Mac and PC, Android, iOS)—see www.accordancebible.com Accordance offers Bibles, commentaries, lexicons, and a comprehensive library of materials and tools that can grow with your needs.
8. Web Sites
- www.bible.org—"In the last decade bible.org has grown to serve millions of people and ministries around the world through providing thousands of trustworthy resources for Bible study — including an exciting new translation of the Bible (the NET Bible)"—from their Web site.
- www.bibleplaces.com—"BiblePlaces.com features photographs and descriptions of sites in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Greece with an emphasis on biblical archaeology, geography and history"—from their Web site.
9. Bible Study Methods
- Searching the Scriptures: Find the Nourishment Your Soul Needs by Charles R. Swindoll
- Living by the Book by Howard G. and William D. Hendricks
- Independent Bible Study by Irving L. Jensen
- How to Study the Bible for Yourself by Tim LaHaye
- Methodical Bible Study by Robert A. Traina
The key ingredients to Chuck's sermons are his well-crafted principles and applications that he bases on the biblical text. These are the pillars upon which the message is built, and he spends the bulk of his study time in the quarry, chiselling out and polishing these statements. As you listen to his sermons, you may want to pick out the "principle and application" statements and note how he uses them in the sermon.
Chuck types all his sermon notes on about five or six half-sheets of paper and attaches his illustrations to the back. He almost always preaches from an expanded outline and rarely reads a manuscript from the pulpit. The outline stimulates his thoughts and keeps him on track. Sometimes he will read key sentences and quotes from his notes, but mostly he lets his thoughts flow from his heart naturally in order to preserve a conversational, down-to-earth tone.
Chuck's administrative assistant places his sermon notes (including illustrations) in packets and files them by series in alphabetical order. At Insight for Living Ministries, they transcribe all of his sermons and store them in a computer database so they can easily search for key words or phrases. Interestingly, Chuck doesn't use his own database to find illustrations or sermon material; he remembers them. Sometimes we have to ask him for the source of a certain illustration, and usually he can recall the book and author, even though it's been ten or fifteen years since he used the illustration. Quite a memory!
Chuck has a small, dark-brown cardboard box that he calls his "goody box," and whenever he reads something he likes (he is an avid reader), he copies the page and tosses it in the box. That's it! When he reads, he underlines sections that stand out to him and makes notes in the margins of his books. He puts the best material in his goody box, and he shelves the rest in his library.
Chuck essentially has two libraries. He keeps his working books—commentaries, character studies, word study books, and so forth—in his office, where he organises them by topic. He organises the rest of his books alphabetically by author. Chuck loves old, beautifully bound books. One of his favourite pastimes is to collect early editions of books by classic Christian authors and pastors. He also has a large number of biographies of influential leaders, such as Martin Luther, Abraham Lincoln, and Winston Churchill.
When we asked Chuck who his favourite writers are and what books have made an impact on his life, he said that the Bible, of course, and the following list has had significant meaning to him:
- John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress
- Winston Churchill, various writings
- Everett Harrison and Charles Pfeiffer, Wycliffe Bible Commentary
- C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (and other works)
- J. I. Packer, Knowing God
- Eugene H. Peterson, Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work
- A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (6 volumes)
- Charles Ryrie, A Survey of Bible Doctrine
- J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership
- Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality
- C. H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (and other works)
- A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (and other works)
- Alexander Whyte, Bible Characters from the Old and New Testament (2 volumes)
- Warren H. Wiersbe, Listening to the Giants: A Guide to Good Reading and Great Preaching
- Philip Yancey and Paul Brand, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Because Chuck is already committed to Insight for Living Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Stonebriar Community Church, he has made it a firm policy to decline all speaking invitations not directly related to those three ministries.
Although we wish we could assist you with publishing or evaluating your writing, we cannot. Insight for Living Ministries is not a publisher in the commercial sense of the term. The only materials we publish are those written by Chuck or other Insight for Living Ministries staff members for the purpose of supporting the broadcasts. Chuck has been asked by the Insight for Living Ministries board of directors not to endorse other authors or ministries, and he declines virtually all requests for endorsement.
Due to his 100 per cent commitment to Insight for Living Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary, and to Stonebriar Community Church, as well as to his book-writing schedule and time with his family, it is impossible for him to add one more thing to his already overflowing plate. However, Dr Nathan Potts is dedicated to providing pastoral care to our listeners at Insight for Living Australia. You can contact Nathan by mail, phone, or through our Web Site. Insight for Living Australia also has a customer service representative that would welcome praying for you.
For information on Insight for Living Ministries trips and future events, visit Conferences & Tours. Should you ever make a visit to the United States, he would also be happy to meet you at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas where he currently serves as Founding Pastor. Please come by after one of the morning services and introduce yourself to him. He usually stays up at the front every Sunday, which gives folks a chance to speak with him and shake hands. Prior to your visit, you may want to call the church +1-469-252-5200 to find out whether or not he will be preaching on a particular day.
For many years of his ministry, especially since 1971 in Fullerton, California, Chuck exclusively used the New American Standard Version Ryrie Study Bible in his preaching. However, beginning in early 2013, after careful investigation, personal research, and discussions with those involved in the publishing of The New Living Translation, he has switched to that version of the Bible in his public ministry. Approximately 90 biblical scholars went to the original texts during the foundational work of their translation to guarantee the accuracy of their efforts.
These devoted individuals then pursued the best and most helpful ways to express the meaning of the biblical text in our English language, which resulted in a much more readable translation. Because Chuck’s threefold commitment remains the same (accuracy, clarity, and practicality), he desired to use a version of the Bible that did not require a seminary-trained scholar to understand it, and yet he wanted to make certain the version he used remained faithful and true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Chuck has come to realise that The New Living Translation best serves his purpose in helping others realise how reliable, relevant, timeless and true God’s Word remains to this day.
Donations
We genuinely appreciate your desire to become a Monthly Companion in support of Insight for Living Australia. For more information, please visit our Becoming a Monthly Companion page.
Broadcast
Please visit Insight for Living Ministries rights and permissions web page and complete the request for permission form. Kindly allow four to six weeks for a response.
Please visit Insight for Living Ministries rights and permissions web page and complete the request for permission form. Kindly allow four to six weeks for a response.
Please contact your local station directly.
- Web site: Stream the broadcast
- Mobile App: Download our Insight for Living Australia app
Bible Questions
Conferences & Tours
Insight for Living Ministries schedules tours of Israel and cruises to Alaska regularly. However, sometimes we get an exciting new event idea to throw in the mix . . . such as a visit to Europe to learn about the Reformation or a cruise around the Mediterranean. We would love to have you with us! Please visit our Conferences and Tours Web page for specific dates and destinations of each individual tour, cruise, or conference. You will be directed to the USA web site events page.
Usually, yes. The two main reasons we schedule the tour in the spring are the mild weather in Israel at that time and the availability of the Dallas Theological Seminary professors to participate during their spring break from teaching.
Our tour groups to Israel typically have nearly 600 attendees, with each bus containing approximately 45 people. You are assigned to the same bus for the entire trip so that you can get to know your fellow travellers. While the total group is fairly large, your bus “family” gets to know each other well as you spend quality time together. Also, each bus has two Insight for Living Ministries staff “shepherds” as well as a professor couple from Dallas Theological Seminary, who will teach and provide devotionals along the tour.
Our tours and cruises have sold out in the past, so we recommend that you book as early as possible. Inspiration Cruises and Tours handles all the booking and travel details for our tours. To book any of Insight for Living Ministries’ tours or cruises, or for more information, please call +1-888-447-0444 or visit www.inspirationcruises.com/ifli.
Yes, Chuck and Cynthia Swindoll are present at each conference and are excited about meeting each and every guest. Not only will you hear Chuck’s messages in person throughout the trip, but you’ll journey alongside a couple that truly loves the Lord with all of their heart and are the same on the airwaves and in print as in their daily lives. They’re worth getting to know!
Typically, cruises last seven to ten days, while tours are usually twelve to fourteen days.
Land tours require physical activity. You need to be in good health, able to climb stairs without assistance, walk at a modest pace for more than a mile, and able to transport your own luggage. On tours, be prepared for vigorous to strenuous walking, hiking of steps, and navigating uneven terrain; you will benefit greatly if you exercise and train prior to departure for these physical fitness requirements. Access at the touring sites is very limited for those who use a cane, walker, or wheelchair.
Cruises offer a more relaxed atmosphere, with a variety of activities available to you depending on your physical capabilities.
Sorry, Insight for Living Ministries does not offer scholarships or discounts at this time.
Costs fluctuate based on the market, destination of choice, programming, and so on. Please visit our Conferences and Tours Web page to learn the unique features and pricing details for each individual event. You will be redirected to the USA web site events page.
Insight for Living Ministries offers competitive pricing when compared with other events of similar length and destinations. Our travel partner, Inspiration Cruises & Tours, often secures unique deals and service no other travel company can provide. That said, we will sometimes have a slight increase in the price of our conferences compared to others due to the costs associated with our excellent programming and entertainment, logistics management, and attentive care and service provided to give you the unmatched Insight for Living conference experience!
Regrettably, that is not possible for a variety of reasons. Insight for Living Ministries has been providing cruises and tours for more than 25 years, and during that time we have learned a great deal about making these events both well-organised and spiritually invigorating. We have also developed a longstanding relationship with Inspiration Cruises & Tours (ICT), which capably handles the myriad details that go into planning an exceptional event.
When you register through another agency, you become their customer and not ours. That agency then determines your room assignments, dining reservations, and anything else included in their package. Additionally, because Insight for Living Ministries cruises and tours are usually sold out, space and printed materials are limited to our own customers. It is imperative to keep all of our customers under a single agency so that the skilled people at ICT can be assured of accounting for all the details associated with your trip and ensure that the event is the absolute best that it can be.
Refunds are available up to a certain point, though cancellation fees will apply. You’ll find the accurate information in the brochure for your specific event.
In an organisation like Insight for Living Ministries, almost every choice we make can potentially cause someone disappointment. Within the family of Christ, there are a vast range of attitudes, particularly when it comes to the way people use their money, the standards of living they maintain, and how they spend their time and expend their energy.
A little history about the inception of our special events ministry may help you understand why we provide cruise and tour conferences. Our first cruise took place in July 1984 as a response to many who were looking for a summer vacation that would offer an opportunity to be spiritually challenged in a conference setting aboard a ship. These people might have taken a cruise regardless or may have enjoyed sea travel in the past. They were people who loved God, sought His ways, and in most instances used their resources substantially to further the worldwide cause of Christ.
The majority of individuals aboard our first cruise were not wealthy; they were simply people fulfilling a dream to take a cruise with a group of Christians . . . a dream for which they might have saved for a long time. And they were not disappointed. Many conferees told us their lives were changed as a result of the biblical teaching they received that week. People of all ages and income levels received spiritual encouragement and practical help.
After much prayer and careful consideration, we chose to sponsor more cruises and tours. We have done so with a clear conscience as we examined our responsibilities both to Christ and to individuals from every economic level. As a ministry, we believe we should relate to the entire body of Christ; our ministry is by no means directed to any single socio-economic segment of the population. For this reason, Insight for Living Ministries sponsors a variety of growth-inspiring events that appeal to all types of individuals who are seeking to meet their varying spiritual as well as holiday needs.
Insight for Living Ministries provides many types of ministries at various levels of cost so that no one is excluded. The broadcast may be heard by anyone with a radio or with access to our Web site. All of our listeners are invited to write to us to receive pastoral care at no charge or, if they prefer, telephone us for pastoral care and pay only for the call. We have a large selection of comparably priced literature, with much of it available to anyone for a donation of any amount.
We regret that we are unable to provide you, your church group, pastor, or any other person with a financial contribution or group discount. The funds we have at Insight for Living Ministries are provided through donations from our radio audience. These dear donors send funds specifically to help us pay our radio bills and other ministry-related costs. We cannot divert those monies to support any other cause, no matter how worthy. To do so would simply be unethical.
Another aspect to consider is that we would never be able to help everyone who asked for financial assistance; saying yes to some and no to others understandably causes offence to the ones denied. So in the interests of honorable business dealings, Christian stewardship, and fairness to all, we have had to establish a policy of declining all requests for financial aid.
Insight for Living Ministries handpicks appropriate staff on a per-event basis depending on what will provide the best experience for our ministry passengers. Our highest concern is meeting your needs, and Insight for Living Ministries employees work diligently to ensure every detail fits the highest standard. By using Insight for Living Ministries employees, we reduce overall trip costs for everyone by not paying for extra travel company guides and management. Part of the special nature of our conferences is meeting you personally as a ministry family, caring for you and ensuring an outstanding experience. We are thankful for the opportunity to do this and to do so without using listener donations.
Although the trips may seem like a “holiday” for Chuck and staff members who participate, many long, work-filled days are required in order to make each cruise or tour a success for our guests.
Insight for Living Ministries tours and cruise conferences are an exceptional offering to our listenership in that they do not cost Insight for Living Ministries any money to conduct. The fees paid by the conference attendees fully cover the costs of the events. The donations of our listeners, on the other hand, go directly to supporting our day-to-day ministry efforts.
We plan these annual conferences and tours because of the opportunity they provide for building personal relationships with our listeners, the spiritual benefit they offer our constituents, and the high demand from listeners for such trips. Although these trips provide only minimal funding for Insight for Living Ministries, they give us the opportunity to meet many new friends, who then choose to become regular supporters of Insight for Living Ministries and our worldwide ministry.
We appreciate your concern, but rest assured that Insight for Living Ministries does not use donations to fund these events; we only organise and host the conferences and tours. The fees paid by the conference attendees fully cover the events. We plan annual conferences and tours because of the opportunity they provide for personal relationships with our listeners, for spiritual benefits to our constituents, and in response to their high demand. The donations of our listeners, on the other hand, go directly to supporting our day-to-day ministry efforts.
Chuck usually speaks six separate times on cruises and about nine times on tours.
We do have a time scheduled for baptisms performed in the Jordan River or the Sea of Galilee. However, Chuck does not perform the baptisms. One of the Dallas Theological Seminary professors will do the honours. Anyone who wants to be baptised is welcome! There is no need to schedule it in advance. It is arranged during the actual tour.
Regrettably, Chuck has an extremely busy schedule during the tours and cruises. Without the ability to accept all such invitations and personal requests and in the interest of integrity and fairness, Chuck has made it a firm policy to decline them all.
If you’re travelling with Insight for Living Ministries on a cruise, the ship’s captain is also not able to perform the ceremony. Captains are not legally able to marry anyone on a ship. Should you like to get married at some point during the trip, we would suggest making private arrangements with a licensed pastor in either the port of departure or in one of the ports during sailing.
When you book your tour or cruise, Inspiration Cruises & Tours will send you a room-share programme agreement for to you fill out. This form will allow you to mark your preferences for roommates, as well as make you aware of useful information related to travelling with a roommate.
Charging extra for people travelling alone is standard practice by most hotels and cruise lines. Therefore, these increased charges for solo travellers by Inspiration Cruises and Tours or Insight for Living Ministries reflect the higher costs incurred from hotels, cruise lines, and so on. If you would like to avoid these costs and make a new friend on your adventure, we are happy to offer a room-share programme. For more information, contact Inspiration Cruises and Tours, +1-888-447-0444.
Copyrights & Permission Requests
If the source you are quoting is one of Chuck's trade books, your request for permission must be directed to the respective publisher. The same applies to requests to translate, adapt, or create a derivative work based on one of Chuck's trade books. Following are the names and addresses of the publishers of Chuck's books:
Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Attention: Permissions
PO Box 141000
Nashville, TN 37214-1000, U.S.A.
W Publishing Group
Attention: Permissions
PO Box 141000
Nashville, TN 37214-1000, U.S.A.
J. Countryman
c/o Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Attention: Permissions
PO Box 141000
Nashville, TN 37214-1000, U.S.A.
Zondervan Publishing House*
Attention: Rights and Permissions
5300 Patterson Avenue SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506, U.S.A
*Effective July 1993, Zondervan Publishing House assumed rights to any books of Chuck's that were formerly published by Multnomah Press.
If you need to reprint excerpts from any of Insight for Living Ministries' printed works, please complete the request for permission form. You will be directed to the Insight for Living Ministries rights and permissions web page. Kindly allow four to six weeks for a response.
In the case of a Bible study guide, workbook, Bible Companion, or other Insight for Living Ministries publication, please check carefully to see whether or not the excerpt is marked to indicate that it was originated by someone other than Chuck or published by a company other than Insight for Living Ministries. Such information would be shown in a footnote adjacent to the use, in an endnote at the back of the publication, or in the front of the publication on an “acknowledgments” page or copyright page. In that case, as with Chuck’s trade books, Insight for Living Ministries would not have control of the material, and your inquiry would need to be sent to the book’s publisher.
Please note: A reprint is not to be presented, published, or sold as a separate article, newspaper byline, or tract. Also, none of our works may be transferred or downloaded to any computerised database, to the Internet, or to any Web site, e-mail system, blog, or the like without specific permission from the ministry.
Permission to use Insights articles or excerpts is limited to ten uses per year for weekly publications and three uses per year for monthly publications. A request for each use must be submitted in writing. You will be directed to the Insight for Living Ministries rights and permissions web page. Kindly allow four to six weeks for a response.
In limited circumstances, specified portions of a Bible study guide, workbook, or Bible Companion may be photocopied for distribution/use in a study group. The particular details of your request must be submitted in writing through our request for permission form. You will be directed to the Insight for Living Ministries rights and permissions web page. If permission is granted, be aware that the copies may not be sold and all must include an acknowledgment that is assigned at the time the permission is granted. Kindly allow four to six weeks for a response.
Note: If the material you wish to photocopy is in stock, requests to photocopy the material will not be granted.
Our audio materials are distributed for your personal use only. As our audiotape, CD, and MP3 labels clearly indicate, none of these may be duplicated under any other circumstances.
You are permitted to record Insight for Living broadcasts from the radio for your own personal use, but only on a short-term basis. Such recordings are not to be circulated, duplicated, or sold.
You may download the audio from our mobile app to listen to at a later time, and you may burn the message onto compact disc for your own personal use. However, you may not reproduce copies to distribute or sell. If you wish to give away a podcast or MP3 as a gift, you have the option to purchase multiple quantities from our Web store.
No. We do not publish or publicly distribute written transcripts of Chuck’s messages under any circumstances.
In order to maintain the highest quality and accuracy in any translation, Insight for Living Ministries has strict standards that translators must meet. One consideration is that the translator has completed a master’s degree through a theologically conservative and evangelical seminary, preferably Dallas Theological Seminary. Another consideration is that the translator has experience with similar translation projects and can provide references. If you have such qualifications and wish to be considered eligible to make a translation, please contact International Ministries at Insight for Living Ministries for details.
If one of these materials indicates that it was excerpted or adapted from one of Chuck’s trade books, then we cannot grant such a request; it must be made through the trade book publisher.
However, if the materials are published by Insight for Living Ministries, the extent of our permissions is limited to reproducing whatever words are written in the article as they appear on our Web site, including footnotes, titles, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. The particular details of your request for each use must be submitted in writing. You will be directed to the Insight for Living Ministries rights and permissions web page. If permission is granted, copies may not be sold, and all copies must include an acknowledgment that is assigned when permission is granted. In addition, you will be allowed to make only the number of copies you need for distribution to your congregation or study group. Kindly allow four to six weeks for a response.
Due to the wide variety of sources from which we get such requests and our limited resources to check each one, our policy is to decline the opportunity to swap Web content. We do not mind, however, if you provide a link on your Web site directing your constituents to the article as it appears on the Insight for Living Web site. Please e-mail your request. Kindly allow four to six weeks for a response.
Paws & Tales
Please complete the request for permission form. You will be directed to the Insight for Living Ministries rights and permissions web page. Kindly allow four to six weeks for a response.