Going Big! with Kevin Gentry

Episode Summary: "Going Big with John Yates III: Faith, Leadership, and the Digital Age"

Release Date: February 16, 2026
Host: Kevin Gentry
Guest: Reverend John Yates III (JY3), Rector of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Raleigh, NC

Overview

This episode explores what it means to "go big" in life and leadership—not always through high-profile platforms, but with depth, long-term vision, and faith. Reverend John Yates III (JY3), a pastor and scholar shaped by quiet conviction, discusses his approach to ministry, the challenges and opportunities of leading in the digital age, lessons from mentoring relationships, and how spiritual practices like Lent can help us confront life's biggest questions. The conversation is both candid and inspiring, offering practical insights for listeners in any field seeking purpose and impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Redefining "Going Big": Depth over Platform

• Yates challenges the idea that going big means chasing fame or building a public platform. For him, depth, faithfulness, and building a solid foundation matter more than seeking the spotlight.
• Quote:

  “I really do think of…going deep, and I think about wanting to not so much build a platform for anything, but to lay a foundation. ... A platform is stable enough for, like, one person to stand on. But if you build a foundation, then you can put as many people as you want on a firm foundation.”
  — John Yates III [04:03]

2. Life and Ministry at Holy Trinity Anglican (Raleigh, NC)

• Yates describes his 15-year tenure as rector (senior pastor), overseeing a mid-sized congregation and staff, and balancing spiritual leadership with the practicalities of running a small organization.
• Quote:

  “It's my role as part of my spiritual authority and ministry to keep the church, this local body of believers, on the straight line of the gospel.”
  — John Yates III [06:59]

3. Family, Formation, and the Power of Integrity

• Growing up as the son of a well-known minister, Yates never resented the public eye because of his parents’ authenticity. What he saw at home matched what was preached.
• Quote:

  “I grew up in a home where what I heard on Sunday, I saw on Monday. And that’s an unbelievable gift, to have this model of integrity.”
  — John Yates III [09:57]

4. Humor and Personality

• Contrary to stereotypes of somber clergy, Yates and his family value humor and light-heartedness as spiritual virtues.
• Quote:

  “The higher your Christology, the better your sense of humor. … The greater trust you have in the lordship of Christ…, the lighter your heart becomes and your ability to be light hearted with yourself and with the world.”
  — John Yates III [15:26]

5. Mentorship with John Stott: Lessons in Leadership and Humility

• Yates details his years as study assistant to John Stott, one of the great evangelical leaders of the 20th century, and what he learned from Stott’s humility, curiosity, and the subtlety of mentoring.
• Quote:

  “John invited me to walk next to him and sometimes I was invited to have a speaking role. …The most powerful thing we can do is to do our job exceptionally well and invite young people…to be in the room with us to watch.”
  — John Yates III [25:38]

• Memorable Moment: Stott made changes to a manuscript based on Yates’ feedback, teaching by example the value of humility and genuine consideration ([22:00]).

6. Intellectual Curiosity and the Value of Questions

• Stott modeled lifelong learning—always gathering discussion groups, privileging questions over pronouncements, and exemplifying humble inquiry.
• Quote:

  “Here is the smartest man in the room…almost never saying, here's what I think. He was always asking, what do you think? What about this? … Staying curious, staying hungry, realizing you don't know the answers, listening more than you're speaking.”
  — John Yates III [28:30]

7. Calling and Integrating Academic Life with Pastoral Work

• Yates describes his journey from ministry with Young Life, through advanced academic study, to a vocation as a “pastor-theologian,” and how discerning one’s calling is a communal and evolving process.
• Quote:

  “Many of us had gone to Cambridge together, ... trying to serve within local churches. … We actually began to vocationally counsel one another out of our shared ignorance and experience, asking together, what does it mean to…be a pastor, theologian?”
  — John Yates III [36:10]

8. Challenges of Leadership in the Digital Age

• Yates views the smartphone revolution and pervasive digital culture as a seismic change, on par with the advent of the printing press, affecting attention spans, relationships, and how churches operate.
• Quote:

  “It's not just that we have new tools. It is that we have tools that are shaping our humanity. … What is this technological revolution doing to us as human beings?”
  — John Yates III [43:00]

9. Navigating Difficult Seasons and the Value of Peer Support

• Reflecting on challenges—most recently COVID—Yates highlights the suffering inherent in leadership and the critical role peer cohorts play for encouragement and wisdom.
• Quote:

  “All leadership in one way or another is a form of suffering if you’re doing it well. … The pandemic, Covid, was really hard…But again,… I had a cohort of friends and brothers… I felt like I was able to sort of navigate with these friends.”
  — John Yates III [39:15]

10. Spiritual Practice: Going Big During Lent

• As Lent approaches, Yates encourages listeners to face mortality honestly and allow space for the “big questions,” suggesting Lent as a tool for introspection, humility, and transformation.
• Quote:

  “The way you go big in your personal life, professional life, etc., is by dealing with the big questions of life. If you ignore the big questions…you will skate along the surface.”
  — John Yates III [47:13]

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• 00:02 | The digital revolution as a pastoral challenge
• 04:03 | Redefining “going big” as laying a foundation, not building a platform
• 06:54 | What it means to be a rector; church size and responsibilities
• 09:57 | Integrity modeled at home and in public life
• 14:42 | Humor as part of vocation and leadership
• 17:42 | Youthful experiences: cross-country bike trip
• 19:22 | Mentorship under John Stott and the impact of observing great leaders
• 22:00 | Memorable humility from John Stott: manuscript anecdote
• 25:38 | On the real value of mentoring—bringing people “into the room”
• 28:30 | The importance of curiosity and humility in leadership
• 30:55 | Discerning calling; from lost NFL dreams to vocational clarity
• 36:10 | Forming community with “pastor-theologians”
• 39:15 | Leading in crisis and the importance of peer support and collaboration
• 43:00 | Technological change compared to the printing press; leading in a digital world
• 47:13 | Lent’s role in confronting life’s ultimate questions
• 49:44 | Advice to a younger self: “Be patient, play the long game.”
• 51:03 | Practical wisdom: “Call an older friend and ask questions.”

Notable Quotes

• “The higher your Christology, the better your sense of humor.”
  — John Yates III [15:26]
• “All leadership … is a form of suffering if you’re doing it well.”
  — John Yates III [39:15]
• “You just have limited creativity and … to eagerly interrogate in the friendliest possible manner an older man or woman whom you respect … opens so many doors for thinking about yourself.”
  — John Yates III [51:21]

Actionable Takeaways

• Go deep, not just big: Focus on building foundations—both for yourself and others—rather than seeking personal platforms.
• Seek out mentors: Value the opportunity to “be in the room” with those further along, observing and absorbing even more than being actively taught.
• Embrace questions and curiosity: No matter how advanced you are, keep learning and let others’ perspectives challenge yours.
• Lean into community: Find (or build) a cohort of peers with similar aspirations to support and counsel each other through challenges.
• Face ultimate questions: Spiritual practices like Lent are invitations to tackle life's biggest issues—don’t shy away.

Suggested Next Steps for Listeners

• Identify and reach out to an older friend or mentor—take them out to coffee or lunch and ask about their journey.
• Reflect on your own foundation: Are you building depth, or chasing a platform?
• As Lent approaches, confront a “big question” in your life—mortality, purpose, calling—and make space for honest reflection.
• Explore practical spiritual habits to counteract digital distraction (e.g., reading scripture before checking your phone in the morning).

This episode, rich with wisdom and authenticity, is a must-listen for anyone drawn to leadership, mentorship, or deep personal growth in a rapidly changing world.