Going to Seminary

DISCLAIMER: I am not sure that this post will have much personal application to anyone not going into seminary right after college, or if it will have much application to anyone for that matter. However, it is part of my story and will shed light on what “going to seminary” means for me personally. Maybe your comments will provide me with some godly wisdom.

HERE WE GO! Thanks to the financial grace that the Lord has showered on me, I do not have to take out any loans to pay for the M. Div program at Covenant Theological Seminary. That financial grace has come in the form of “supportive” parents. I place the word supportive in quotation marks because my parents are Catholic. Covenant is the seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America. My parents are Catholic. Covenant is Pres…okay, you get the picture. As I began to sense a call to pastoral training, the last thing on my mind was financial support from my parents. I figured I would work, I would take out loans, I would pray for some scholarship(s). It blew my mind to think that they would even offer to pay for reformed theological training, when they continue to voice their concern that I may be excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. It was such a crazy notion that I thought it could very well be the Lord’s doing.

I have been incredibly grateful for my parent’s financial support, but this past weekend, as my dad helped me move into my new & first apartment in Saint Louis, hesitation arose in my heart. While my dad continues to tell me that he would do anything to further my education, that money is not an issue, he is also older than most parents of a 22 year-old, as I was adopted (maybe I can get a Russell Moore book as well). He has already worked one full career and is now in the midst of another. He tells me he will continue to work until my education is finished, so I will not have any debt. He fiercely watches over me and wants to protect me from any hardship. My parents have such an emotional investment in my success that I am in fact beginning to worry. The only thing keeping my parents from retirement is that bill from Covenant. The company my father works for is moving next year. If he was still paying for my pastoral training, it is almost a given that my parents would move with the job–a move that would take them far away from my older brother, his wife, and three young children–”The Royal Babies,” as my parents call them.

In the past few days, what was once quite clear in my mind has become incredibly blurry. I am earnestly praying daily that a way to pursue pastoral training at Covenant would present itself–whether church support, scholarships, moving to part-time, while working full-time. Yet, at the same time, what if this is the way that the Lord has prepared for me!? By not having to worry about loans, or even a part-time job, am I not free to experience and soak up the seminary experience in a way that is greatly different than the majority of seminarians. Is this the way that the Lord has granted me more time to study and more time to serve a local church? I am not sure. And maybe this is right where He wants me, in a place where I can not rest on my own logic and wisdom, but must call out to Him. Proverbs 12:15 has been on repeat in my mind over these past few days: the way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Even if my parents say that financially supporting me through the M. Div at Covenant will not be a burden, is there a catch somewhere? Over the past few months, I have been wondering how their definition of success at Covenant will differ in practical terms from striving to be a good servant of Christ Jesus. Will it matter to them if I am rooted and established in love, grasping how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:17-18) if I get Cs in all my courses? They say that they want me to pursue this with whole-hearted excellence, yet continue to communicate their fear that I may be excommunicated. I am wondering if they are waiting for an Avery Dulles moment to occur in me.

Lastly (for now), even though my parents have been willing to pay for my expenses at Covenant, I have been set on working part-time since the beginning of this summer. I thought the least I could do to honor them was to work some part-time hours to assist in paying my living expenses. But just this past weekend, my dad told me that rather than working part-time during Covenant, he and my mom want me to look into getting a teaching license in English (my undergraduate degree). I initially responded with complete opposition. Less than three months ago, at my college graduation, my dad was still questioning me if I was sure about this whole ministry thing. This notion of pursuing a teaching license through part-time schooling, while full-time at Covenant sounded to me as if they strongly doubted that I would make it through Covenant, much less be able to support myself or a family as a pastor. At the moment, I am not sure what to think. In trying to put my energy into Covenant and a local church body, is another degree program, even part-time/summer feasible? I strongly desire to honor the Lord and to honor my parents. There are some areas in my life where those two things are inseparable, but I sense that their will be moments throughout my time at Covenant where honoring the Lord will be in conflict with my parent’s desires. I truly need the Holy Spirit’s guidance in these matters.

As of now, I start classes at Covenant in exactly two weeks, I am unemployed, and I have a meeting with the Dean of Education at a university in the Saint Louis area this Friday. Praying for guidance, clarity, and another means of financial support!

This guest post is by Daryl Eldridge, President of Rockbridge Seminary.

Seth Godin wrote an interesting piece about education at the crossroads today. And he raised an interesting point:

School was the big thing for a long time. School is tests and credits and notetaking and meeting standards. Learning, on the other hand, is ‘getting it’. It’s the conceptual breakthrough that permits the student to understand it then move on to something else. Learning doesn’t care about workbooks or long checklists.

In another blog, Craig Groeschel raises this question, “How important is seminary?” All of us know people who have become successful without the benefit of a degree. Is “success” the criteria for why someone should get an education? Seth Godin says the point is not education or schooling, but learning. Is education different from learning?

I am a lifelong learner. I read a book a week, attend continuing education conferences, research on the web, and write. I believe in the admonition: “Leaders are learners.” People can sit in a classroom and not learn. People can get a degree without getting an education. People can learn a lot of things, but not be educated. There is a difference between learning and education; both are important. Here are some reasons why I believe it is important to get a seminary education.

1. A seminary education exposes students to fields of learning beyond their interest. Most of us read and learn about things we are interested in. I love to learn about leadership. If it were up to me that would be all I studied. However, my education would have been incomplete without my studies of theology, psychology, ethics, algebra, history, chemistry, and biblical courses. There is more to ministry than leadership. A good education provides a well-rounded experience. A good education lays the foundation for future learning.
2. A seminary education provides structure and encourages self-discipline. People can find out what books are required of seminarians and establish a learning goal to read all those books in 3 years. They could discuss their learning with veteran ministers in their geographical area. However, what percentage would structure their life to accomplish that? In the busy-ness of jobs and ministry, sharpening the saw through a self directed learning program is usually the first thing to go. Some people need the structure of a formal education. It is because schools have deadlines, provide accountability, and have standards that students learn to excel. A good education teaches students discipline and self management. I have several friends who have become very successful in life without finishing a degree in higher education and seminary. They would say they received their education in the school of hard knocks. However, every one of them have insisted and paid for their children to get a college or seminary education. They understand the value of a formal educational program.
3. A seminary education sharpens your thinking through interaction with others. Just because we have an idea, doesn’t make that idea right. You may like an author because you agree with his or her point of view. That doesn’t mean your view is the only correct view on the subject. A wise sage wrote, “Iron sharpens iron. So one man sharpens another. (Prov. 27:17, NIV) A seminary should be a sacred and safe place to explore ideas and have them sharpened through the interaction with others. A school is a community of learners seeking truth. A good education will expose you to a wide range of views and interpretations and help you develop critical thinking skills.

Don’t misunderstand me. I believe our educational system (including seminary education) is broke and needs an overhaul. The term “higher education” in some cases is an oxymoron. All education is not created equal. I have sat through boring lectures and taken exams that were poorly constructed and didn’t help me learn. There is much we can do to improve learning in higher education.

A residential seminary education is not the right learning pathway for some people, nor is online learning the best model for others. If I have learned one thing in life, it is that education humbles you. The more I know, the more I realize how little I know. I don’t have it all figured out. To not learn and not get an education is arrogant. It is saying I know all I need to know. Figure out how you can further your education and be a lifelong learner.

SPECIAL NOTE: Rockbridge Seminary is currently waiving tuition for all new students beginning seminary in the September 2009 term. To get in on the free tuition madness before it ends go to their site.

It has been a while since we’ve had a book review on Going to Seminary, so I got in touch with the good people at Crossway and requested that they send me Adopted for Life by Russel Moore. I requested the book because adoption is not only something that my wife and I are considering, but it is a subject that we can’t get very far into the scriptures without being confronted with.

While the book just arrived today and the review will be a few weeks out, I wanted to let you know that Crossway was kind enough to send me a couple extra copies. So, here is the deal, if you’d like a free copy of Adopted for Life, drop a comment on this post. On Friday I’ll pick a commenter at random to receive the book. To make things interesting, explain your personal thoughts on adoption, either in the theological sense (God’s adoption of us) or the practical sense (our adoption of children).

The other day I received an email from a mom who was planning on starting seminary. She mentioned that she had trouble finding any sites or resources online that helped her with her unique situation. So, I did some investigating and was able to find some women who had some advice to give from their seminary experience. Today is the first of those interviews.

Name: Susan J. Hetrick
Seminary: Phoenix Seminary
Age: I was 39 when I enrolled in Seminary (Aug. 2003) and 42 when I graduated (Dec. 2006).
Where you are in your seminary journey: I earned my Master of Divinity in Counseling & Family Ministry, graduating in December 2006, with Highest Honors.
Kids and ages while you were in seminary: We have four kids (2 girls, 2 boys): Zoni was 11 -14; Tanner was 9 – 12; Lysa was 8 – 11; and Chase was 6 – 9 when I was in school.

So Susan, why did you decide to go to seminary?
Short answer: God told me to go. Longer answer: I felt God’s call on me from the time I was about 10 years old. By the time I was in my mid-thirties it seemed like everyone at my church was encouraging me to pursue Seminary. It felt like God was hitting me upside the head with a 2 x 4! When I finally decided to go for it, all the pieces fell into place. I lived in Las Vegas at the time, and oddly there are no Seminaries in Vegas, so my kids and I had to move to Scottsdale, AZ. (My husband and his kids lived in Michigan, and they joined us in AZ after our wedding in February, 2004.)

What was the greatest challenge of going to seminary while being a mom?
Missing out on things like “Back to School Nights” at my kids’ schools, because they conflicted with my class schedule. I learned to set limits on what I could and could not do. I promised the kids that I wouldn’t be away more than 2 evenings each week, which was tough – I had to rework my course schedule several times in order to get all my requirements in, while still keeping the promise to be home most nights. I also had to make a concerted effort to keep date nights with my husband without bringing along a theology book.

What has been the greatest joy of your seminary journey?
Showing my kids that it’s possible to achieve something great, and that hard work and discipline pay off. (Not that they were at all impressed with any of it…)

Any unique stories from your seminary experience as a result of your stage in life?
When I was taking a Biblical Sexuality course, my son was in 7th grade at the time and also taking Sex Ed. at school. He said to me, “Mom, why do you have to take sex ed? You have kids – doesn’t the Seminary know that you know all about sex already?”

What advice do you have for moms who might be considering going to seminary?
Go for it! At the same time, have realistic expectations. You can’t do everything, and it’s OK to ask for help. Let the housework go, let someone else teach the Sunday school class. Also, flashcards are very helpful when it comes to memorizing Greek and Hebrew vocabulary!

What advice do you have for students who are in the class with a mom?
Try to be understanding if the Mom in your class sometimes answers questions with anecdotes about her toddler – not all of us are employed full-time in ministry yet! God works through us in the stage of life we are in at the moment – and those lessons are just as valuable theologically as any other.

How did you balance school and family?
I have a fabulous husband who loves to cook – he cooked dinner every night. He also drove the kids to soccer practice and guitar lessons when I was in class. I learned to take my homework with me wherever I was going, and would study in 5 – 20 minute increments as I waited for doctor’s appointments, kids in guitar lessons, etc. My saving grace was a color-coded calendar system: a different color for every person in the house, so I always knew who needed to be where, at a glance.

Any regrets about the decisions you made regarding seminary?
Nope! It would’ve been nice to have unlimited time or funds in order to take ALL the classes I wanted, but I thoroughly enjoyed my 3 _ years in the M.Div program.

If your kids were old enough, how did they feel about you going to seminary?
My kids were as ‘supportive’ as they could be, although they kept asking me over and over “exactly why” I was doing this. When I graduated my oldest daughter said, “Do we have to call you ‘Father Mom’ now?”

What do you do now that you’ve graduated?
My first book, Advice From The Blender: What to know before you blend so nobody gets creamed, was published in 2007, by Xulon Press. The book was awarded the 2008 Christian Choice Book Award, in the parenting category. I run an online ministry for blended families, (www.advicefromtheblender.com) and write and speak on the subject frequently. I lead stepfamily support workshops at my church, and teach others how to do the same through the Association of Marriage and Family Ministries (AMFM).

I am the President of the Phoenix Seminary Alumni Association, and I am currently working towards ordination in the Reformed Church in America, with the goal of becoming an ordained pastor by next summer. I also try to keep up with our kids’ schedules, which isn’t easy since they are all teenagers now!

I was in St. Louis a few weeks ago and was given a tour of the PCA Historical Center by its director, Wayne Sparkman. The Center is situated on the campus of Covenant Theological Seminary. While he was showing us some of the collections, he noted that some major figures in Presbyterian history had kept all of their correspondence and writings, while others had requested that some things be destroyed in order not to have elements of their earlier thought used against them.

Though I am familiar with people doing this, I myself am not particularly fond of this practice. It is well known that Augustine avoided this; instead of destroying things which revealed his earlier thought, he published a whole book full of retractions. One of the professors at RTS Orlando, John Frame, has opted to keep his earlier published material available, recognizing that all thinkers go through a lifelong process of development in their thought and that there is nothing to be ashamed of in that regard.  In fact, it is usually quite interesting to observe how someone’s thought came to be; we find out what they read, who influenced them, and what processes they went through to come to their conclusions.

For the most part, I have kept all the things I have written over the years. My blog is virtually intact from when I started it in 2003. I have admittedly deleted a number of posts, but these were all inconsequential and contained nothing of substance. In addition, I’ve saved most of the papers I have had to write for school. Wayne also encouraged us to save our important correspondence, an idea which has virtually eclipsed the mind of those of us who use email as a primary means to correspond. Simply print off those email exchanges which are noteworthy—even Facebook or Twitter exchanges, for that matter!—and put them in a file folder.

Of course, it is unlikely that many of us will go on to be famous such that our correspondence and writings will mean much at all or be of any great value. But then again, you never know what the future holds and what road God will lead you down. These things may be of significance to someone someday. If nothing else, it would give your posterity a window into who you were.

It’s hard to imagine that I’m already buying books for the fall semester. Don’t get me wrong, I have come to thoroughly enjoy, and, even get excited about, buying books (endless thanks to God for the opportunity and the means!). What is hard to fathom, however, is that I am about to start my second year in seminary. I concur with James that we “are a mist that appears for a little time and then [we] vanish.”

Be it as it may, what I am interested to know right now is what classes you are all taking this fall? What books are listed for these courses? Is there a professor that you are looking forward to having this fall that you haven’t had yet, or perhaps have had and get to have again? Are there events happening this fall that you are looking forward to? As you prepare to begin classes soon, what are you most excited about as it relates to your over-all seminary experience?

As would be fitting, I will share some of my answers to the above questions.

I am taking 15 hours worth of classes. I am enrolled in New Testament 1, Pastoral Care, Marriage and Family Counseling, Greek 1, and Christian Theology (Intro). For these classes, there is a total of 11 mandatory books. Some of them include; Paul J. Achtemeier, Introducing the New Testament: It’s Literature and Theology; Henry Cloud, Boundaries in Marriage; Wayne Oats, The Christian Pastor; Helmut Thielicke; A Little Exercise for Young Theologians; and Jonathan R. Wilson, A Primer for Christian Doctrine. I think when it’s all said and done, I’ll end up spending a little under $200 on books. Not a bad for 11 books (and yes, I did buy a couple extra books that are not for class).

This fall, I will have to opportunity to have Campbell Divinity’s New Testament and Greek professor, Dr. Andy Wakefield. I don’t know about other seminaries, but at Campbell, Dr. Wakefield is one of those professors that other professors refer to quite often; specifically, when they wish to make theology practical. Professor Wakefield is famous around our parts for frequently asking the simple question—“So what?” So, when other professors share some kind of doctrinal material, they may say something like, “And, just as Dr. Wakefield says, ‘So what?’” Hopefully this fall I’ll get in on the conversation when he asks our class.

It’s hard to pin-point what I’m excited about when I think about starting this semester. Maybe it’s the books I get to read and/or the papers I’ll get to write (I know, I must be strange because I actually enjoy writing papers). I may be excited because our Divinity School and University gets to worship the Lord in our brand-new chapel. It very well could be the fact that I get to see some classmates that I haven’t seen since May. Perhaps at this point it’s obvious—I’m excited about all these things (and more I’m sure!).

What about you?

This guest post was written by Daniel F. Wells. Daniel is a twenty-something year old with a B.A. in Bible & Religion and Philosophy from Erskine College and is currently a student at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. He blogs at Cosmic Christianity.

Seminaries are well-known for giving their typical speeches to incoming students. Whether it is about balancing one’s schedule, making sure spiritual devotion isn’t neglected, or that the classroom does not take priority over family…most seminarians have at some point received a talk concerning viewing the seminary curriculum in light of the truths communicated in the Wesminster Smaller Catechism Question 1, “What is the chief end of man?” Answer: to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.

Glorifying God is to be a chief purpose in seminary academics. Verses such as 1 Cor 10:31 and Rom 11:36 are repeated so often that they are ingrained in the seminarian’s mind. Not only does the catechism and God’s own Word show us that Bible classes are ultimately done for his glory, even tedious subjects such as languages or those practical theology classes you’d rather not take are not to make us grumble but instead to make us glory in God’s goodness and wisdom. (Remember, as John Frame has said, we are sitting at Jesus’ feet.)

However, I would like to add another dimension to this typical talk that you may have heard, or will hear, as a seminarian. All things are done for the glory of God, true enough. Yet, the seminary life (particularly the classroom) is to convey, appropriate, and exemplify a doxological quality to it. In other words, what is learned in the classroom should normatively cause both student and professor to throw one’s voice and arms heaven-ward to the praise of the triune God!

In one respect, to glorify God and to participate in doxology is one and the same. The Greek word for glory is dóxa, and the verb to glorify is doxáz?. But I intend to communicate an additional connotation that would have the seminarian. If theologians such as John Frame and David Peterson are correct in recognizing that Scripture calls believers in the New Covenant to not only view worship and doxology as specialized public worship but also as something to constitutes the entire livelihood of believers in union with Christ, then that would give one a perspective regarding classroom life that is probably significant different than previously thought. For it is in the classroom that one is engaging in “spiritual worship” through the renewing of one’s mind. (Rom 12:1-2)

So I would ask that all of us seminarians, us physicians of the soul in training, would take this biblical prerogative and apply it so that we may find more than simply enough motivation to “get through” certain classes. Let us instead have our thoughts ascend to the heavenly places and say of Christ, “Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honour and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created.” (Rev 4:11)

Jenn and I are trying to wipe out our last bit of debt. Prior to packing up and moving to Orlando, we (er… ok, it was mostly my stupid decision) took out a loan in order to buy a Jeep. We used part of the loan to pay for the 1979, midnight blue, custom rebuilt 350, dual side exhaust, CJ7 (oh, how I miss that jeep). The rest of the loan we used to cover some expenses prior to the move. In retrospect, there were some good and bad things about taking out the loan, but nothing we can do now about that decision except pay it off.

So, like I said, we’re trying to get rid of it. On Tuesday I finally caved in and decided we would cancel our cable service and some of the extra features we have on our phones. It started with a call to comcast. I explained that I need to keep my internet (for obvious reasons) but wanted to cancel my cable service. Our last bill was about $120 and I was looking to drop it in half. The representative explained that my internet, by itself, would be about $60. She said that there was promotion going on that could get me my internet and cable for $100. I said that I needed to drop my bill more than that and that I’d probably be just fine with internet only. She replied, “Can you hold for a moment?” After a minute or two she returned and said, “I’ve found a promotion that would keep you in the same package you have for $79 a month.” Now, the deal is only good for 6 months, but hey, I just knocked $40 off my cable bill and I have EXACTLY the same package. Sweet!

After that I call Sprint. This was the call I was really dreading. Jenn and I both have a Blackberry Curves. I love this phone. Best one I’ve ever owned. With it, we both had a data plan ($30 each) and I also had an option that allowed me to connect my laptop to my phone via bluetooth to surf the web ($15 a month). Over time I have grown VERY accustomed to these features and use them every day. But, I kept looking at that cell bill and thinking, “I could save $75 a month by getting rid of those features.” So, today I did. Sadly, the Sprint rep wasn’t as willing to hook me up as the comcast rep was. But I took off those options and added some text messaging for a net monthly savings of $65. Throw in my cable savings and we just saved $100 a month!

So, today’s Thrifty Thursday lesson is this. Don’t be afraid to call any of your service providers and ask if they can reduce your bill… they might just do it. Also, sometimes you have to let go of things you like… Like 1979 CJ7s and 24-7 access to email.

How about you? Got any good stories on saving a buck or two on monthly bills?

I have a way of getting through something tough and then wishing I could go back and do it again.  It’s not that I enjoy torturing myself.  Rather, it’s that I usually learn a lot under such stress.  Because I knew more coming out of the experience than I did going in, there are some things I would do differently.

There is one lesson in particular I wanted to offer that might benefit others who are considering seminary.  When I walk into the classroom this fall, I will have a drastically different mission than I did last year.  This new mission hasn’t displaced my earlier reasons for going, but it has put them in perspective.  I’m still considering pursuing doctoral-level work after my M. Div.; and my ultimate goal is still to begin a church planting ministry in my old stomping grounds of Upstate New York.

So what’s the lesson?  What’s my new mission at seminary?  I’m going to learn about Jesus.  And I am going to learn about Jesus so that I can worship Him.

Now you’re disappointed, aren’t you?  You thought I was going to say something really important and earth shattering, didn’t you?  Here’s the thing: this is important.  I know that, by itself, it isn’t really memorable.  But it’s still important.  Yet it’s easily forgotten.  Probably because it seems so obvious.  But most of the important things I have learned recently have been things that seemed so obvious that I didn’t even think about the fact that maybe I wasn’t actually there.

If you’re like me, you run the risk of seminary being merely about preparing for ministry.  That’s important.  Or maybe you’re the type that is more tempted to think of seminary as a time to think big thoughts.  That’s important too.  But who are you preparing to serve in ministry?  And who are you hoping to think big thoughts about.  As it turns out, Jesus doesn’t want (much less need) merely our service.  And our big thoughts?  Try to imagine the big thought’s of the Divine Son as the world was created through Him.

In the introduction to this famous book, Desiring God, John Piper tweaks of the first answer to the Westminster Shorter Catechism so that it reads, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.”  That’s why I was created.  And that’s why I want to be in seminary right now.  It’s also what I have been missing out on this past year.  I’ve been preparing for ministry.  I’ve been only preparing for ministry.

Tim Keller helpfully points out (though, now that I think of it, I’m sure I’ve heard it from others as well) that ministry can be a kind of moralism.  It’s possible as a pastor to think that your acceptance before God is based on the fruit borne out by your ministry.  In fact, the danger is that, even in knowing this, it’s still an easy trap to fall into.  What if seminary is the same way?  What if, rather than going to seminary to learn about God (so you can worship Him more passionately), you’re going to make yourself acceptable to God?

It’s because that danger is so subtle that I’m going to risk stating the obvious.  And I’ll even say it again.  I am going to seminary to learn about Jesus so I can worship Him.  The other stuff too (preparing for ministry and all that).  But mainly just this.  And, by the way, I’m pretty sure that in the end I might just be a better pastor for it.  So, win-win.

If you are anything like me, then you experience seasons where you either are not able to read your Bible for personal edification or you seem to just run out of time each day. What makes it real bad is that I am a seminary student. Even worse than that, I am serving as a minister!

I realize I may be sharing too much with my personal devotional life, but I do so knowing that I am not the only one who struggles with this. Therefore, I would like to share with you something I have learned “by accident.” Through my failures, I have learned that the accountability of doing family worship with my wife and children has helped me to remain focused on the Cross.

One evening while reading The Child’s Story Bible by Catherine Vos with my family, I realized that I had not cracked my personal Bible in over a week. However, during that same time I had read through the book of Judges with my children each night. What is more, because it was a children’s Bible and I was explaining stuff to my children, I was actually meditating throughout the day so that I would be better prepared to answer my sons’ questions.

The lesson I have learned is that family worship not only helps my family to come together over the Word of God, but it also helps me to remain in the Word even when I am not. Obviously, this does not excuse me (or you) from your daily Scripture reading, but it certainly helps to keep me centered.

If you don’t struggle with reading your Bible every day, my hat is off to you and I praise God for your faithfulness. However, if you do struggle with this, and you are not doing family worship with your spouse and/or children, then, please, begin tonight. I pray that the Lord is able use my failures to be an encouragement to you.