Introducing

Sam Rima

Sam Rima has served in a broad variety of ministry and leadership roles over the past 35 years, spanning the church, academia, and the non-profit worlds. His passion is to raise leaders, walk alongside and support them and fuel leaders to fulfill their calling. 

With a passion for spiritual and leadership formation, Sam has taught and spoken extensively through the U.S. and on five continents. He is the author or co-author of five books and is a certified Spiritual Director. Sam has earned a Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership from Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Buckingham, UK, in Socioeconomics (Spiritual Capital).

Sam’s Work
& Ministry

"My interest and passion are to help spiritual leaders become aware of the emotional and spiritual dynamics... and help them ​find freedom, joy and authenticity in Christ ​as a result of what He has done for them."

I work with DeoWorks, leading cohorts of indigenous ministry leaders to provide leadership formation training based on my book, Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership, in an effort to help leaders understand the more challenging aspects of their personality and the unhealthy leadership patterns that have the potential to marginalize their leadership and Kingdom impact. I lead cohorts globally through the SOUL Journey Academy.

I also have a personal ministry of spiritual direction and leadership coaching, serving pastors and leaders in the U.S. and in the 10/40 window.

I have a deep interest in, and passion for, spiritual and leadership formation. Over the past 30 years I have worked with many spiritual leaders and pastors who live and lead with a pervading sense that God is disappointed in them, accompanied by a chronic sense of guilt and shame. These feelings often result in unhealthy and often destructive, emotional and spiritual cycles in their life that mitigate and marginalize their full kingdom potential, not to mention a prevailing sense of joy that should be theirs as the beloved of God. My interest and passion are to help spiritual leaders become aware of the emotional and spiritual dynamics in their life that produce these unhealthy cycles and help them find freedom, joy and authenticity in Christ as a result of what He has done for them.

In this season of my life and ministry I have particular interest in providing this kind of ministry for kingdom leaders in some of the least reached and least resourced parts of the world, where they often don’t have the resources to access to this type of training.

Leadership Formation . Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership . Moral and Ethical Leadership . Personal Formation and Self-Leadership . Organizational Leadership . Spiritual Direction . Intercultural Competence in Leadership . Change Management .

Leadership Formation . Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership . Moral and Ethical Leadership . Personal Formation and Self-Leadership . Organizational Leadership . Spiritual Direction . Intercultural Competence in Leadership . Change Management .

Spiritual Capital Theory . Social and Economic Justice . Socio-Economic Transformation .

Spiritual Capital Theory . Social and Economic Justice . Socio-Economic Transformation .

Integral Research for Social Innovation . Team Leadership Development . Leadership Development . Leadership Emergence Theory .

Integral Research for Social Innovation . Team Leadership Development . Leadership Development . Leadership Emergence Theory .

Testimonials

  • "Sam Rima has done the hard work of vulnerably facing himself with the power of the Holy Spirit and is now a wise soul friend and mentor. I wholeheartedly trust Sam as a friend of Jesus, who knows His heart, and who desires to live out of the power of that relationship."

    Rev. Jay Ewing
    Pastor of Spiritual Formation
    Redwood Park Church, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

  • "When Dr. Rima led the Dark Side workshop, we were captivated by his extraordinary communication gifts, vulnerable authenticity, and practical wisdom. Sam is humble, personable, and professionally excellent. He will compassionately expose root issues and set you on a path of healing and transformation from the inside and out."

    Keith Krell
    Lead Pastor
    Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, WA

  • "I have witnessed his sterling leadership capability and capacity. In particular, his personal faith and commitment to leadership development and spiritual formation have made him a valuable resource for personal and professional development, form a solid spiritual core, and excel as leaders in any setting."

    Gregory W. Bourgond, DMin, EdD
    President & Founder of heart of a Warrior Ministries

  • "From his extensive leadership experience to his relevant scholarship and writing, Dr. Sam Rima brings a wealth of insight to those with whom he works. Through his wise, timely, and personable training and coaching, Dr. Rima will provide value to anyone desiring to take the next steps in their personal and professional growth."

    Justin A. Irving, Ph.D.
    Professor of Leadership
    The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

  • "I’d say that I learned more about living out the Gospel through Sam’s leadership and teaching and role model than at any other time in my life. His ability to discern, teach and just ‘be’ the life of Christ is remarkable."

    Kay Hodges
    Director of Operations
    Vantage Point 3

  • "Sam Rima is a brilliant and perceptive spiritual guide. He will masterfully mine his expansive education, deep relationship with God, and the joys and sorrow of his own pilgrimage in the service of your spiritual life."

    Dr. Ken Shigematsu
    Author of Survival Guide for the Soul and God in My Everything

About Sam’s Book

Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership was prompted by the many leaders that had recently experienced major public failures, whether moral or ethical. 

After seeing significant Christian leadership failures, I wanted to know if there were any commonalities when such leaders crash and burn and looked at similar cases in the Bible. If we had a better idea as to what causes such failures, I thought we might have a better chance to educate young leaders to identify the issues in the inner life that could produce the same time of failure in their life (my life) if left unattended.

Our current Christian “Celebrity Culture” and focus on building personal brands are extremely dangerous to a leader’s soul. There are very, very few people who have the spiritual and character formation needed to withstand the many temptations that come with fame, money, and power, particularly at a relatively young age. Pastors were never intended to be popular celebrities and the focus of adulation. Swiss psychologist Carl Jung said, “The brighter the persona, the darker the shadow” and I have found that to be true time and again when it comes to Christian celebrity leaders. 

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and the work Sam is doing