Transformative Mentorship: Leading with Faith and Grace

The beauty of the impact that that's had on me in particular, in seeing this household, is spiritual leadership. And what I mean by spiritual leadership is—he didn't pull out a PowerPoint presentation or anything like that—but I got this deep sense from being around him that he had a vision for his family. [00:02:34]

Got this deep sense that he initiated leadership in the home and an environment of grace. You know he tells the story and they tell the story of so many stories about him and his interaction with his kids, but I think that seeing that the level of grace they interacted with his kids in the home, his grandkids, you know it's just been a real, real big blessing for me in how I interact with my kids. [00:02:46]

I'm always not handing down the law to them but knowing how to graciously interact with them, so they'll understand the gospel even from a young age. And I literally still utilize that as imprinted memories. Paul says, "The things you've seen and learned and heard in me, practice these things." [00:03:06]

And so those are the things that I've seen and learned and heard through him, which God has used ultimately him as a conduit. One of the ways that Dr. Evans' shaping of theology helped shape my theology: it was seamlessly no difference between head and heart. The way he illustrates things that connects theology to real, real life, it made it easy to always think of theology as naturally a part of life, not this false dichotomy of orthodoxy or the practical. [00:03:34]

It shaped my practice of that, and being around him and getting nuggets and asking questions. And a lot of people don't know man, he is probably one of the best dudes to answering questions. Like, if you asked him a hard question, he always has a very witty, even a micro comical yet great way of really—"Dag! Why didn't I think of that?" And I think that's the evangelist in him. [00:03:54]

I have stages that I believe men go through as mentors. I believe we go through the big brother stage. When we grow a little more, we go to the uncle stage. When we get from the uncle stage, we go to the spiritual father stage. But then I believe that there's a stage above spiritual father, which is sage. And sage, you could say very few things but make massive amounts of reverbs of impact. [00:04:37]

And I believe just like a proverb can be a pithy statement that can send reverbs to generations, I think God has done that same thing with you. And a lot of where I am and most of where I am, what you say Tom Skinner is to you, what you say Community Bible and the pastor there was to you, what you say B. Sam Hart is to you, that's what you are to me and my family, so we love you and we're thankful for you, brother. [00:04:54]

The internship with Dr. Evans, I would say, it wasn't just a role I was in. It was being a part of the church. And so because Oak Cliff is like a family, it was like being raised in a family, being raised in ministry. My wife got to spend a good bit of time with Dr. Lois and me getting to spend time with Dr. Evans and just be around them. [00:01:47]

It wasn't like he was at home opening up the Bible teaching me stuff, he just allowed me to be there, and as I interacted with Lois, Priscilla, Crystal, him and Jonathan wrestling and telling Jonathan to get off his back, and Anthony asleep on the couch. Just that type of interaction was really really healthy for me in helping to build the family. [00:02:02]

Now I'm coming up on 20 years of marriage, and I got four kids too, so it was big part of my development. [00:02:14]

One of the ways that Dr. Evans' shaping of theology helped shape my theology: it was seamlessly no difference between head and heart. The way he illustrates things that connects theology to real, real life, it made it easy to always think of theology as naturally a part of life, not this false dichotomy of orthodoxy or the practical. [00:03:34]

It shaped my practice of that, and being around him and getting nuggets and asking questions. And a lot of people don't know man, he is probably one of the best dudes to answering questions. Like, if you asked him a hard question, he always has a very witty, even a micro comical yet great way of really—"Dag! Why didn't I think of that?" And I think that's the evangelist in him. [00:03:54]