Do we worship education?

Get all the education one can get! On the other hand, if God is calling, obey God!

Even after obtaining degree upon degree, some men serve the Lord in a small parish.

I was fortune enough to have a pastorate all through my college days, so having a degree meant nothing to career, and I was paid $40.00 weekly, paid my own expenses, including my telephone. As an architect, I could be earning thousands weekly. God called me to ministry and not to the money or the fame. It was simply to serve where He called.

One cannot equate the Christian ministry with the secular world. The whole goal in the secular world is to rise to the level of your incompetence. The goal in the Christian world is to obey God.

All through my life I have seen men and women, brilliant and not so brilliant, choose to serve the Lord, and see great things in His name. Men who chose higher learning where destined to teach in colleges, seminaries or universities. I can't equate to the monster wages paid in some churches these days. In fact, when I considered a church, I absolutely refused to list my degrees, and I didn't want them published on any bulletin boards. I did not want to be called by degree (pun intended).

To-day, I am not so sure. Locally a chap pastors a small church. I think there were 12 in attendance last Sunday night. He has a doctorate and publishes it weekly in newspaper, on bulletin board and everywhere he goes. He insists the people call him "doctor". Frankly, I am greatly impressed when the people call me "Jim".

Cheers,

Jim

 

I am not making a good income, at least not for this area. I'm a missionary on support and have never been at full support. Part of the preparation for my work is education, thjplgvp. And that is true for a lot of people - missionaries, teachers, pastors, etc. Education can help one learn more and do better.

I don't know about everyone in this category. How can you? You are making broad generalizations. I know a guy with a doctorate who is laboring away as a pastor of a very small church. Why do you assume people with degrees are not serving the Lord and not using their knowledge and training for the Lord? I think your statements are based on false dichotomies and over generalizations.

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When was this? Were people holier then? Are you talking about when men owned slaves or when the schools were segregated? Where was the power of God then? Shaken to its foundation can mean emotionalism and outward shows of piety. That doesn't mean authentic living for God.

I just totally disagree with you. I think possibly you have a beef against something and are extrapolating too broadly.

 

Neither guarantee anything. Show me a man who completed his degree after he died of a heart attack.

Nobody can do anything totally apart from God. God still gives them life.

 

An education is never a guarentee of a job. Even when you take out a student loan to pay for tuition, you promise to pay the money back even if you are not working in the field that you studied. No college ever tells students that a degree guarentees a job in that field. It may help, but I know many people working at jobs that have absolutely nothing to do with what they studied. As someone who is looking for a job, I can tell you that more and more employers require at least a two year degree for even the menial labor jobs.

 

I do not think the school shootings are because we worship education. I think they stem from lowering the value of human life and pushing God out of the schools. We are told that there is no right and wrong and that everthing is relative. We are told that the earth is a boat with only room for so many and we play a game to decide who to cast out of the boat. We are fed more and more garbage on TV and in video games, ect. We are raising a generation with no moral values and then wondering why they are acting immorally.

 

Amen thjplgvp as to the "worship of education", not of experience, but of scholarly points for attending class, posing, asking, and answering questions.I'm leaving out the teaching of the "skilled Professionals", for the simple reason these people are taught by "Professional's" that have actual working knowledge, or "experience" of what they teach. Much of this "schooling" takes place along side the tutor, or Master Craftsman.

Apart from Christianity, which could be wider applied to our ChristianUniversities, I read two interesting articles last week that can well be applied to this subject, one of a man that had taught Mangers (and up) various aspects of doing business. One day he asked if he really knew what he was talking about. He quit the consulting business, and started with various types of employees, now reaching success, but mistakes were plentiful, and much of the information of what Companies paid him to enhance their "abilities" was wrong. He had no practical experience. He imparted knowledge, but not knowledge proved.

The other concerned one reason Universities such as MIT are held in such high regard, and turn out outstanding people. Jack Welsh, the CEO of General Electric for 20 years is held up to be the best manager in corporate America, ever, which of course is debatable. But he remains a highly regarded figure in business circles due to his innovative management strategies and leadership style. They fight to get into his course at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Why? He has been there, and done that. He knows what he is talking about.

I believe this is what is wrong, as I believe you to be saying, it is the "educational system that is worshipped", not for the actual "Professional knowledge", but just that sheep skin. But that today is Corporate America, and Corporate "church". Evidently Paul was the only one that could lay claim to a "college degree", but he didn't receive his "Body Church" doctorate until sometime after Damascus Road. The earthly Apostles also received their doctorate of the "Kingdom Church" after Pentecost.

Back to college, according to the "job" the youngster lands, the minimum time to learn and be productive on the job, and earn their keep is in the neighborhood of three years. When I took early retirement with a "lead balloon buyout", the Masters degree in Marketing that took my place started at close to half my salary, and reduced "perks". This person could just as well have been a high school graduate, and done the same as my replacement. Either would have access to my handling and procedures, and guiding hands of others that would be taking, in a few years, the same route I had taken. It would take the High schooler about six months longer to be productive as the college graduate, so the pay scale could be adjusted to compensate.

The secret of success, and what we should strive and look for is not the paper, but who is the teacher. Jesus on earth taught His Apostles, and gave the Holy Ghost so they might understand. He then taught His heavenly Apostle, in the same manner, the gospel of the Cross, the gospel of Grace. Their teacher had been there, and was beside them as they learned.

In Business we look for the best to teach us for they have been there. General McArthur of World War II said, the Corps, and the Corps, and the Corps. Should we that teach and preach His Word go to His Book saying, "The Book says", "The Book says, "The Book says".We have to know what the Book says, and hopefully the Professor in the theology class knows what the Book says, not just what his denomination allows.

I like you am in no way against education from "schools", as I have some, but we never really become educated until we "hone" our skill/s. The sad part is today the "sheep skin rules", and mediocrity is rampant.

 

Amen corner!

 

When I was learning carpentry and elderly man told me that often when hiring someone he would ask to see their tools because most likely if they owned the tools they knew how to use them. The tools are not the man and his ambition or passion but they are an indicator of his ability and knowledge. They are not everything but just an indicator.