Originally posted by paidagogos:
Hogwash! Seminary, Bible college, accreditation, etc. do NOT make a pastor.
No, they don't. The EDUCATE and EQUIP a pastor.
The primary qualifications of pastors are personal and spiritual, not academic. How do you measure the spiritual qualifications by degrees?
You don't. But spiritual qualifications are the beginning, not the end, of pastorship.
A degree does not make or qualify a man for the pastorate.
No, it increases their ability to pastor, and makes them more equipped and better able to serve.
Some of the best pastors may not have a degree.
Likewise, some of the best physicians don't have current certification. That doesn't mean they shouldn't get certified.
By the same token, ignorance is not a qualification for the pastorate. A man of God can learn through diligent study on his own.
A person who doesn't think he needs formal training needs it the most. I can't remember who said that. (Obviously, memory courses aren't taught in Bible college).
This is not to say that a good education isn't important but it is ancillary to the more important factors.
A good education is far from ancillary. If I wanted to be a church musician, I need to get educated in the music field, no matter how spiritually gifted I am. I could probably direct a choir, but it would be irresponsible for me to direct a choir without formal training.
As for speaking, some of the worst speakers that I have heard were seminary trained.
Probably because they were not taught public speaking. Unfortunately, not all seminaries think this is imporant, and it shows in their graduates.
Some of the best preachers and pastors have degrees in other fields.
Good thing, too. Pastoring is not just getting up and talking once a week. Much of it is aking to running a business. Balancing the books, seeking sources for revenue, managing projects, etc. It would be somewhat irresponsible to get a pastor who was good at speaking, but then ran the church into the ground financially, wouldn't it?
Good preaching is a gift, much like teaching, that cannot be obtained through education or training although proper education and training will enhance it.
Gifts often have the term, "assembly required" affixed to them. The spiritual gift of pastoring is no different. Even Moses recognized this. Moses was slow to speech and tongue. He was a lousy public speaker. So God sent Aaron, who was already a good speaker. Over time, as Moses became learned in the art of public speaking, the need for Aaron to speak began to minimize. By the time we get to the end of Exodus, Moses pretty much does all of his own public speaking.
BTW, that is an issue in itself—should pastors be trained or educated. There is a difference. For example, training is like teaching a person to use a specific word processing program, such as MS Word, by memorizing keystrokes, whereas education is to teach a person how word processors work so that he can use any word processor (e.g. MS Word, WordPerfect, et. al.).
Hence the phrase, "formal training". This implies training (education) by persons qualified and equipped to teach.
The trend today is to load the curriculum with methods classes. Methods change with time.
Hence, consinuing education. All professionals should endeavor to consinut their education after enterng the workforce. I do. People in the Computer field do. Physicians do. Pastors should as well.
Originally posted by paidagogos:
On the other hand, traditional pastoral education was in academic disciplines including Greek and Hebrew. This was an academic education that could be applied in various situations.
Unfortunately, you'd be surprised how many spiritually gifted pastors don't even know the difference between the LXX and the TR, let alone their historical significance. It's a shame that many folks onthis board know more about that topic than their pastors do
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