Discipleship is only one level of education within the
Church. The second level of education in the church is theological education of
the pastor. I have quite a bit of experience when it comes to Theological
training because I have attended 4 different Biblical Schools. So, why should a
minister be educated? They need to be educated because the description of the
minister mandates a deeper knowledge of Spiritual things.
Ephesians 4:11-12 “And he gave the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for
the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
The pastor is not only called to
devote himself to the ministry of the Word, but also to “equip the saints for
the work of the ministry.” Pastors are equippers. As a part of the ministry of
the word, they must prepare others for ministry and provide ongoing care,
training, and counsel for the minister-members of the church. I liken the
training a pastor must receive like adding tools to your toolbox. The more
tools you have the more jobs you can do, and the better you can do those jobs.
Minister education is the ongoing process of learning new “tricks / tools” and
means of working on people’s lives.
The traditional church has done
an excellent job in requiring and providing theological education to the
pastors. Discipleship for a pastor is often found in the halls and classrooms
of the Seminary. This discipleship has extended beyond the campus for me. For
my ethnic friends I highly suggest gaining a seminary education.
Why should a minister go to seminary?
If you are called you should
be sharpened
Everyone
that grows up in a church has views on everything whether they realize it or
not. The Job of the seminary is to enhance those
views, both by way of subtraction (getting rid of some wrong ideas) and
addition (adding better ideas). Think of seminary as taking an existing axe
then sharpening it to be able to cut things easier.
If you have been called to
the office of Pastor (elder / bishop), then the seminary is a place to enhance
your Spiritual gifts. Going to seminary will not grace you with any anointed
preaching, teaching, counseling or leading “gifts.” If you are gifted then
being trained by men or women who have learned that particular gift well will
help you improve your capability as a minister.
If you are called you should know diverse views.
Some seminaries prefer to
have faculty who all think alike. I’m 100% persuaded theological diversity, is
possibly the best training ground for students. No two pastors think exactly
alike and no two professors think alike. Having theological diversity (within
some doctrinal constraint) could provide the pastor a better grasp of
theological backgrounds other ethnicities may be coming from. A seminary
graduate should be able to handle theological differences and simplify it
quickly and help you think through the issue.
If you are called, credentials will help.
I agree that you can gain a
theological education through other means, but gaining a degree can open doors
that may not be open to you otherwise. For ethnic ministers this point may
become the most important. I would like to remind anyone that gaining
credentials is not the sole reason for going to seminary; the Calling is the
most important reason.
