Welcome to Everything Is Up! On today’s episode Tammera Hollerich speaks with Dr. Adam Wright, President of Dallas Baptist University. Dr. Wright offers insight into his upbringing, the influence of his parents, and the concept of mentorship to help students become servant leaders. He encourages young leaders to take risks and take comfort in having faith in God and the ability to make meaning out of life. You don’t want to miss it!
Timestamps
[00:03:51] The Power of Diversity and Embracing Different Perspectives.
[00:08:17] The Benefits of Service and the Power of Serving Others.
[00:11:57] The Role of a Christian University and the Impact of Student Success at DBU
[00:15:59] The Importance of Unapologetic Christian Leadership in Society.
[00:20:15] Exploring the Power and Relevance of the Bible in Today's World.
[00:24:04] Seeking Joy through Servant Leadership and Genuine Authenticity
[00:27:59] The Spiritual Battle: Seeking Understanding and Knowing the Answers
[00:31:52] The Impact of Relationships and Gratitude
[00:35:40] Accessing and Staying Up to Date with the Podcast
Topics
The Power of Diversity and Embracing Different Perspectives.
The Benefits of Service and the Power of Serving Others.
Exploring the Power and Relevance of the Bible in Today's World.
Seeking Joy through Servant Leadership and Genuine Authenticity
All Quotes
[00:25:34] "Where do you find joy? Right? Joy is so much deeper than happiness because it's not contingent upon what necessarily happens to you. It's deeper than that."
[00:23:33] "I always challenge students to go back to original sources when they're doing their academic work. There's, you know, academic language we call, like, primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. In so many of the material we read today are tertiary sources that actually have their grounding in primary text that nobody really sees or realizes."
[00:28:11] "Think about the media. Right? So, the media it's so noisy out there. You almost can't break through the clutter to even think If you haven't taken the time to kind of sit back and know that that war is going on, the spiritual war that's going on for you on top of all of that."
[00:27:51] "You need to know that there's an incredible purpose for your life that that there is meaning that you're contributing to the world in which you live. And it's not for us, not for ourselves, it's for something beyond us that we're It's bigger than us."
[00:06:06] "I grew up as a military brat. So, I have that opportunity. How kind of in different countries, and you do have a different appreciation for being able to appreciate the different cultures that you're in and the different societies, you learn a lot."
[00:09:33] "I I know some great problem solvers that are on the team and certainly can identify a lot of problems, and that's what's great about working with the team. You know, there's a Latin phrase, Primus, entrepreneurs, first among equals. And that's really what I see myself here at DBUs. I've just got this incredible blessing to serve as the CEO, as the president of this institution, but work with an incredible team where we're playing unique roles and we get to work together to accomplish some really big issues and problems of the day that are that are important to our campus community, but also to the community at large."
[00:17:29] "And not a way that's necessarily condoning sinful actions or behavior, but just loving your neighbor as yourself. That's a biblical mandate that I think we've kind of lost the art of in society."
[00:04:41] "And so, DVU is a very diverse campus with lots of different ethnicities represented 50 different countries from around the world."
[00:14:20] "I literally can't step from 1 foot of campus to the other without seeing something inspirational happening, whether it's research initiatives that are taking place in the classroom and the work that our faculty and our students are producing the academic contributions that they're making. Or whether it's in the fine arts."
[00:28:46] "The devil is out being unmerciful. He's just a monster and a half. Right? And he's got an agenda and your part of that agenda. And if you don't even know your part of that agenda, it's so easy for him to just take you and wreak havoc on your life."
[00:23:58] "Stephen Covey wrote this great book, 7 habits of highly effective people. Fabulous book. Everybody should read it. 1 habit where he says seek first to understand before being understood. If we go back to the scripture, you know, there's actually wisdom that Solomon speaks about, you know, this fact that we've been given 2 years 1 mouth to be slow to speak and quick to listen. I mean, there are these principles that are just worth living by that are rooted in scripture and we miss out on going to a primary source and picking up that really needy stuff and seeking its application on our own lives. It could be really helpful regardless of what season of life? What vocational."
[Unknown] "Primus entrepreneurs, first among equals. And that's really what I see myself here at DBUs. I've just got this incredible blessing to serve as the CEO, as the president of this institution, but work with an incredible team where we're playing unique roles and we get to work together to accomplish some really big issues and problems of the day that are that are important to our campus community, but also to the community at large."
[00:04:17] "We're all aliens in this world as believers. You know, we're all different and we're called to, you know, for us as believers having 1 day and serving in this role at DBU, it gave me an appreciation for having open hands, open hearts, and reaching out to a variety of different folks."
[00:33:38] "We all would not be who we are today without someone else, without the power of influence in our life from someone else. And that's just a great gift of relationship that we have in life is relationship with others and the opportunity to have a relationship with the Lord."
[00:15:59] "The idea is to help students know how to integrate their faith in every aspect of life. So, they're doing ministry. It may not happen in a local church, but they're doing ministry in the marketplace. And really, every corner, every sector of vocational context."
[00:30:59] "Socrates said the unexamined life is not worth living. So, there was a reason why all these great philosophers that we read about in ancient history were obsessed with this idea of knowing by myself and asking the bigger, larger questions of life."
[00:20:24] "Go back and spend more time in God's word. I mean, I think III really, you know, believe in the bible and believe there are incredible truths in there. It's a great recipe for life and living and have, like, fulfillment."
[00:13:24] "And I just want to say, you know, thank you for being so detail oriented and observant. I mean, you you're a gifted serve a leader as well, Tammera. And I've seen that in your life and the way that you care for our students at BBU is inspirational. I mean, your influence is amazing already as it as it is. But that extends to BBU, and I'm grateful."
[00:25:37] "No one's going to make you happy. No one's going to bring you joy. That's something that comes from within."
[00:01:30] "I swear she had a halo over her head and wings on her back, and I thought I'm going to get to know that girl."
[00:34:10] "Nobody gets through this life alone. And so, for those that are trying, you just don't have to. There are people that will always be in your corner and there will be people that will be cheering you on."
[00:18:04] "Our money still says in God we trust. Right? The pledge of allegiance still says in God. Right? So, 1 nation under God."
[00:32:09] "My parents, you know, my pastor who at the time during my formative years really helped shape my thinking who I am today, who actually was pastor, professor, and officiated our wedding ceremony since Dr. Jim Dennison."
[00:29:48] "We all believe in something. I mean, every 1 of us believes in something, someone, something, I'm reminded, and again, not to get too philosophical, but Augusta, who's a great philosopher that's written and contributed a lot over the years, long gone now, but he basically said faith and precedes one's understanding. It conditions one's understanding in the world in which we live."
[00:17:47] "Whatever happened to that golden rule that we grew up with?"
[00:21:19] "So these passages of strength have helped me find the strength that I need every day to do it to do an impossible job. And I think all of us have impossible jobs before. So, it doesn't matter if you're a university president. Or mom trying to hold down the fort at home, working 2 jobs, and whatever it is. I mean, we live in an impossible inflection season of life that's calling for the kind of leaders that know where to draw their strength from."
[00:11:03] "And so that's been at the heart of we what we've done for the last 3 decades, plus at BBU is this mission of produce what does it look like to produce certain leaders?"
[00:05:33] "It's been kind of the big word now. Just within in communities is having that more diverse culture and embracing that diverse culture. Rather than, you know, potentially, you know, fighting against it."
[00:14:02] "We have a unique position as a university being in a global metropolitan city here in the heart of Dallas. We're 8 miles south of downtown Dallas. And being a comprehensive campus, we're offering bachelor's, master's, doctoral programs And so I"
[00:09:42] "There's a Latin phrase, Primus, entrepreneurs, first among equals. And that's really what I see myself here at at DBUs. I've just gotten this incredible blessing to serve as the CEO, as the president of this institution, but work with an incredible team where we're playing unique roles and we get to work together to accomplish some really big issues and problems of the day that are that are important to our campus community, but also to the community at large."
[00:19:37] "Take your work seriously, but don't take yourself so seriously."
[00:22:31] "God. Like, so there's this book, as you're talking, the Bible has been around 2000 years Right? It rings true almost over and over and over. Yes, there's variations of it, but the basis of it is still intact. What else have we known that has survived 2000 years? Civilizations haven't survived 2000 years."
[00:07:21] "And yet how small our world is and getting to participate in travel studies never would have imagined getting to teach internationally. And then really encourage students and cultivating this kind of global perspective here at DV. It's been just a pure joy and true blessing for me."
[00:03:13] "But to be present when you're there, that's that, you know, those girls are going to grow up with just, you know, knowing that you're loved."
[00:02:01] "Marriage is as with any relationship as you know. They take work."
[00:02:21] "We just love them. And they make life interesting."
[00:11:14] "It was Albert Switzer, who is a Noble Prize winner. I'd encourage your listeners to go Google. He's Google and he's quite a fascinating fellow. But he said, I don't know what your destiny is. But one thing I do know is those among you who will be truly happy or those who have sought and found how to serve. It's not only a biblical imperative but just how we're wired as humanity. We get great fulfillment and satisfaction and finding ways to serve and meet the needs of other people. And that's very core to what we do at DBU."
[00:32:30] "I do know Dr. Dennison. He's been an incredible mentor, figure in my life. And then really my predecessor, doctor Gary Cook, who's chancellor here, was president here for 28 years."
[00:16:45] "I really think 1 of the greatest hungers of our day is a is a craving for Christian leadership and in a in a world that's so polarized politically, socially, culturally. I really think 1 of these missing distinctives is having 1 some young people out there that know how to have good constructive dialogue in a way that seeks to love their neighbor."
[00:26:49] "And I'm reminded in Philippians, and I don't want to put your readers to sleep, but where Paul reminds us to think on things that are right, excellent, praiseworthy, noble."
Episode Links
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