Going to Seminary

The year is 2015. Flying cars and hoverboards are everywhere, and most of us will have graduated from seminary. Maybe most of the world’s problems will be fixed in this short amount of time. There could be self-drying clothes and pizza that takes just seconds to hydrate… but probably not. And regardless of whether life is any easier five years in the future, Christian ministry will remain a tough task. So what are some of the challenges we will face in the future as we lead churches and ministries? It’s impossible to predict exactly what issues will face the church in the years to come, but it is highly likely that three problems which currently plague the church will only continue to be a problem if we don’t do anything about it.

Apathy against holiness- The first of these three problems is a general apathy: a nominal version of Christianity. The church doesn’t have a problem getting people into the pews—the real problem is getting those same people out of the pews and into the streets as ambassadors for Christ and sold-out disciples. The problem lies in a consumerist mindset found in our culture: that we go to church only to receive a service, and we need not make any contribution. There are many today who say that they believe in Christ and that they have been born again, but their life testifies that they have never truly been changed. They rely on a past conversion experience to get them by as a form of “fire insurance” to save them from hell, but there is no true fruit of salvation in their lives. If we look closely at Matthew 7:13-23, we see the danger of living no differently than the world and not having any fruit that accompanies genuine repentance. This faulty mindset that says holiness and a changed life is not a necessary fruit of salvation is often a result of…

Illiteracy concerning the Word- A second major problem in the church is a lack of knowledge about Scripture. The Bible might be the best-selling book of all-time, but unfortunately it isn’t as often read. If we don’t teach our congregations to dig deep into the Scripture and hide God’s Word inside their hearts, they will not be affected by God’s truth, convicted by the Spirit, encouraged by God’s promises, and strengthened to fight daily against sin and temptation. The danger here is evident. Christians who don’t know the Word will lack discernment, and will be spiritually malnourished. And without discernment, many will be deceived and led into…

A distortion of the gospel- Possibly the greatest danger facing the church now and in the future is a distortion of the gospel. When people see God as some sort of all-powerful Santa Claus who exists to shower them with earthly riches and make them feel good about themselves, we have reduced Christianity to nothing more than one great therapy session, and when we do this we leave the key doctrines of our own sinfulness, Christ’s work on the cross, and his victory over the grave far behind. I was once told to “never preach a sermon that would still be true if Christ has not been raised.” This is the greatest advice I have ever received. If we lose sight of the gospel and of the glorious work of Christ, we have lost the essence of true Christianity. If Christ had not died on the cross, we would still be dead in our sins, and if Christ had not been raised, we would have no hope at all. We must keep these truths in the forefront of our minds and our teachings.

Of course we do not know what the future will hold, and it would be silly to make the claim that we do. But if these trends continue, they will remain serious issues for the church to contend with for many years. As those entrusted with the gospel and pursuing Christian ministry in some form, we need to lead the charge against these faulty ways of thinking. We must preach expositionally, teach and disciple individuals with fervor, and set the example ourselves. If we do not take a stand for faithful discipleship and sound doctrine, revival in the church will seem as unimaginable as flying cars in five years.

I grew up like a lot of guys in full-time ministry. I was in church every time the doors were open – my mom made sure of it. I did my part as a good Baptist by visiting with her and helping out in ministries that had captured her heart. She was an excellent model of a good, Christian woman and laid a godly foundation on which I could base my life choices.

After navigating through some tougher times in my late teens and early twenties, I landed in ministry as a bi-vocational youth pastor. I found quickly that due to my rearing in church I was prepared for most of the questions I received from both young people and parents, and found myself being so thankful for the background I had that well equipped me to minister to others. What I didn’t know, however, was what I didn’t know.

I had heard older ministers and laymen talk about education among “preachers” when our church was preparing to fill a staff role, and the conversation was always two-sided. Educated professionals talked about the value of an education and seminary degree while less educated men and women (who, I might add, were just as successful as their well-educated co-committee members) spoke of the need for a down-to-earth person who was educated by life experience and the church. I could best be described as the latter. In fact, I entered seminary after having served bi-vocationally for more than seven years and full-time for almost as many.

Having grown up around all kinds of ministers, I had a great deal of respect for their seminary degrees. In fact, the older I got the more cheated I felt personally for not taking the opportunity to experience the classes and seminary life I heard them speak of on multiple occasions. I felt that I had no “cool” seminary stories or experiences from which to pull. But not one time did I ever feel like I was less equipped or prepared for ministry than those guys. In fact, I considered myself their equal. I did not have their training, but I was certain that I was called and that Christ was using me effectively for advancing His Kingdom.

When I began my seminary journey, however, all of that changed. It did not take very long for me to realize just how ill-prepared I was for so great a task as training, teaching, and being a pastor of any kind. I remember having this moment of self awareness where I realized just how little I knew before I began seminary and how little I was going to know after I received my degree. It was awfully humbling.

And then my mind shifted to the gifted individuals who had received extensive seminary training but had allowed me to enter ministry without the same experience. These individuals recognized God’s call on my life and set me free to do ministry under their care. When I realized that these men knew full well what I didn’t know, it made their willingness to trust me to serve God’s Kingdom as a trusted pastor all the more humbling. And the fact that they allowed me to serve freely under their care – not as an hireling, but as an equal – helped me see that the scope of their training and calling far surpassed the paper they had hanging on their office walls. These men understood the heart of Jesus and owned the responsibility of modeling His heart to those called to serve Him.

My seminary journey is now nearing an end, but my thirst for knowledge has not been quenched. In fact, the more I learn the more I have a desire to learn more. And the greater my understanding becomes of the chance others took on me when I answered God’s call on my life, the greater responsibility I feel to nurture the same in others. I am thankful for what I have learned and for what I have yet to learn and experience. But I am so much more grateful for others who allowed me to answer God’s call on my life long before I actually knew what I didn’t know.

Have you ever thought about going to seminary? Chances are your answer is ‘No.’ Maybe “No, I’m not looking to become a minister” or “No, I want to do ministry, not just learn about it.” If you had asked me two years ago if I was thinking about seminary I would have said “No way!” Yet… I’m now near finishing at Rockbridge Seminary with a Master of Minister Leadership. I want to share a bit about how I came to that point, and why it might be something for you to consider.

I have always enjoyed learning. It was an easy decision to continue after college to get a Ph.D. I followed that by being an Assistant Professor before making the jump to industry. Now I’m a software developer for a small company. I love my job, spending time with my family, and have been growing in my faith for many years. Things were very comfortable, and I wasn’t looking for more to do. Until Spring 2008…

I was on a team developing a ‘long-range’ plan for my church. I was excited that we taking an honest look at our strengths and weaknesses, identifying strategic ways to pursue our mission of developing fully-devoted followers of Christ. I realized leadership development was a huge need for us – not relying on staff or professional ‘clergy’ to do all God is calling us to do. Between this realization and the fact that I was turning 45, I was facing a mid-life crisis. No, not wanting a sports car, but a powerful realization that despite my success, I really had no clue about what it meant to be a leader, much less how to effectively develop other leaders. The impact of my life so far wasn’t what I had hoped it would be, and something needed to change. It became clear that the best way to have a significant impact – on other people and for the Kingdom – would be to become someone helping others be all they could be, developing others as disciples and as leaders. The big question was: how could I become such a person? My role-models were very task-oriented, great at getting things done, smart and hard-working, but not people who poured themselves relationally and intentionally into developing others.

At this time I learned about a seminary that was 100% online and offered a program of study on Ministry Leadership – how to build up disciples and disciple-makers. The timing was perfect, and I enrolled in seminary. I had no intention of changing careers, and still don’t know where this might lead me, but I’ve found the past two years to be an amazing growth experience. Seminary isn’t needed to do ministry, but I don’t think that people appreciate just how helpful or practical it can be. There are three groups of people I would like to encourage to give more serious thought about the possibility of seminary.

Church Staffer (no seminary training)

A recent study shows that 83% of seminary graduates highly valued their experience and found it quite practical. Yet only 10% of churches require a seminary degree for staff members! This disconnect reflects a wariness about traditional seminary education. If you’re serving on staff at a church, know that there are now excellent seminary options that are online, biblical, practical, where you do not have to put your life on pause for two-three years to get training.

Volunteer Ministry Leader

Seminary is not just for those looking to be ‘career’ ministers! All Christians are ministers, but God has gifted some to be teachers and equippers to build up others for ministry. This is based on giftedness, not on position or career. Sometimes the best person to challenge volunteers trying to juggle career-family-ministry is a peer facing the same struggles. Developing a better understanding of the bible and practical ministry is not just for full-time pastors. Consider seeing if your church might partner with you, allowing you to serve as a ministry-intern and/or covering seminary costs.

Halftimer / Retiree

It’s common to drift into your 40’s-50’s and find yourself lacking a good answer for the question “What am I here for?!” Bob Buford calls this “Halftime”, when a desire awakens to change your game plan from success to significance. One of the greatest benefits of seminary is that it helps you consider this question of life purpose, and helps you find a biblical framework for significance. My classes have included people of all ages.

We were fortunate enough to get a Google Wave invite yesterday. And, we have so few friends that were interested in Wave we didn’t give all our “nominations” (read invites) away yet.

If you would like to get nominated for a Google Wave account post your crazy idea for how it could be used in ministry. Then be sure to vote on the ideas you like the best by replying to that person’s comment. The winner will be nominated for a Wave account.

If you’re asking what Wave is:

This post was written by Jon of Live.Work.Play. Jon is married to Grete and is a small group guy.  He’s currently in Chi-town during Fuller Theological Seminary quarter break. (Hey Jon, grab a slice of this while you’re up there!)

I’ve decided that woodworking and ministry have a lot in common.

I’m serious.

Here’s the deal. My uncle is one of those jack-of-all-traits types. He decided to pick up wood carving a few years back. Now he carves everything from those wooden ducks that look just like the real thing to wooden chests and wooden bowls. You name it, and I’ll bet he could make it. But what’s interesting to me is how he got into the woodworking hobby. He didn’t go take a class or buy a book. Instead, he invested in some great tools, found some people who knew what they were doing that he could learn from, and spent a lot of time practicing.

I’m always surprised when I talk with seminary students who are frustrated with the education they’re receiving. I’ve attended two very different seminaries so far, and the complainers existed both places. So I’m guessing this is a universal thing.

Most of the time they don’t feel like their education is fully preparing them for ministry. They may say it’s too theoretical. It’s not practical enough.

But honestly, I think they’re expecting too much.

When my uncle set out to learn woodcarving, he did three things – he grabbed the right tools, he found some good mentors, and he began to practice. Seminary is an important part of ministry preparation for many people. But it’s not the entirety of ministry preparation.

Here’s what I think: Seminary can do a great job filling your toolbox, but it’s up to you to find mentors and to dive into ministry.

I definitely don’t have this thing figured out, but there’s one thing I do know. Some of the most valuable experiences I’ve had so far in seminary have been because I’m working in ministry while attending school. It’s caused more stress. It’s meant less time on a few papers. But there’s something about learning about the doctrine of the Trinity one hour and then sitting in a small groups planning meeting with a tennis coach, a pharmacist, and a retired teacher the next that puts things into perspective.

I guess what I’m learning is that sometimes we expect too much from one piece of our lives. Seminary isn’t a machine that spits out perfect ministers. It’s one part of our pursuit to know and follow God. In the end, it’s up to each student to take the box of tools we’re gathering in classes, find some great mentors who can walk through this thing with us, and dive into the messiness that is ministry.

I don’t know what the deal is, but I’ve been reading a lot of research about seminary lately. This latest reading was a dissertation by Charles R. DeGroat who teaches at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS). The work (made available here) looks into expectation versus reality among male graduates of seminary who entered the ministry.

In the work, DeGroat focuses on 7 graduates of RTS who, after graduation, went into parish ministry. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between expectations formed in seminary and the relationship to the reality experienced within the pastorate. For those of us who are M.Div students or those consider the pastorate after seminary, I would HIGHLY recommend reading the dissertation. Specifically, since I know you’re busy and probably aren’t looking to add another 156 pages to your reading list, I would recommend that you focus on the meaning units expressed by the 7 participants and DeGroat’s textural and structural descriptions (p.40-123).

In this section you can hear the thoughts of men (read the limitations section for why the study only included men) who have been in our shoes (as seminarians) and have since gone on to experience the reality of what we seek (the pastorate… and yes, I know that we’re not all going into the pastorate, I’m just talking to those who are.). In studying what these men share I believe that we have the opportunity to see the weaknesses in our seminary experience and, on our own initiative, take steps necessary to ensure that we will be better prepared to serve those to whom God will call us.

As a word of warning, don’t discount the study by saying, “oh, well my seminary is not like that one.” The reality is that no seminary truly provides a holistic preparation for ministry. Hearing the experience of these pastors will help you to see where their seminary failed to prepare them and will allow you to examine your experience more critically… hopefully resulting in a more successful seminary experience for you.

For those too lazy to download and read for your self (shame on you) here are just a FEW quotes from these pastors that I found enlightening as a seminarian and future pastor:

• I had to do a funeral three weeks into my first gig in ministry and I didn’t have freaking clue what to do.
• I wish I learned more about a number of practical ministry things – Weddings. Pastoral counseling. A dude’s kid was molested at one point, and I thought “some good my class notes are for this.” I mean, are you getting the disconnect?
• I expected that I’d grow spiritually in seminary. I didn’t. And then, I expected that I’d grow spiritually after seminary. And that happened a little. But it mostly didn’t happen. Because the busyness just doesn’t stop. You move from the busyness of papers and essays and exams to the busyness of getting a job to the busyness of preparing for ordination to the busyness of phone calls and hospital visits and teachings and kids being born and interviews with guys like you.
• If I could say one thing to the seminary, I’d say it’s no use graduating pastors who know how to pass an exam but are spiritually dead.
• And now I’m realizing that, as I reflect on my seminary experience, is that it was just too much information to absorb and process. So, you scramble to perform to pass tests, and to get credentialed, and to become a preacher. My seminary experience became a means to an end.
• Nothing in seminary helped with the relational difficulties I’d experience in ministry. The bulk of it I gained in my first ministry position. I saw the level of pain, level of fragmentation, level of brokenness in people’s lives.
• I didn’t realize how much emotionally energy this (ministry) would require. It’s gigantic.
• Seminary provided important information for theological and ecclesiastical exams, but not for ministering to broken people.
• I spend far more time, for good or bad, worrying over how to deal with conflict, or help marriages on the brink of disaster or the best way to accommodate more people, or how to get a group of men who are all older than I, and whom I fear a bit, to get on the same page about something, all relational sorts of things than I do about the exegesis of particular passages of scripture.
• It is awfully tempting to give one’s time and energy to the things that make it look like you are on the job. I don’t believe I had a good sense of just how much this would be a temptation.