Education

If you find a good Bible College with Godly professors, especially professors that either are currently or have been Pastors.

Their experience and teachings are pure silver to a new pastor. There is no substitution for gaining insight and wisdom on handling future situations. You will still have problems and issues but its great to have wisdom to fall back on, especially wisdom that came from their own past mistakes.

The wise man once said Leaders are not born they are made. Even the Apostles had a formal training (they spent three years with Christ learning of his teachings and thoughts). They did not go from unlearned fishermen to the fathers of theology by just a calling alone! Even Paul claims to have spent some time training and learning.

The Bible does say study to show thyself approved unto God. This is greatly enhanced through formal education.

 

Absolutely true. When the preacher stands up to preeach who is he trying to impress anyway? The only person we must impress is God and He is not impressed with anything we do.But he does exalt us when we are humble.

I agree with you about those "Language Scholars." They are so full of religious noinsense it makes me sick. Anyone else who knows just a little see right through it.

One time years ago a roommate of mine from college went to visit a seminary and came back and told me that man doesn't know Greek. He was from Greece.

A man who really knows the most knows how little he knows. The more he knows the more he knows that he doesn't know.

 

Educated in our society is to be godlike; the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom (1 Cor 1:22). Id say that 95% of education these days is not education at all, but opinions and propaganda for lack of a better word. I like what Bob Jones Sr. said that "educaiton without salvation is damnation." The same goes in the seminaries. The trouble is that aposotasy starts in the schools, it doesnt start in the streets. Apart from being apostate, most seminaries are inherently impractical when it comes do DOING what God says. They teach a man how to argue or bat ideas around such as we do in this board like this, but dont teach him how to preach or take him out street preaching, soul winning, or about any of the practical dealings a pastor will face when pastoring. Jesus Christ said of education that it came by DOING, If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself: and that's the truth. But to satisfy the appearance of education to 'the greeks' you have to go to seminary. Bible belief first, then education. Obedience first, then education if the Lord so directs you. I dont believe you should standardize it and make cookie cutters.

 

Charles... that is exactly what I'm doing.

 

I'm preaching through the book of Exodus---and am currently on Chapter 2 and 3 and flip-flop to Acts 7 where it says that Moses was educated in all the ways of Egypt---he was Egypt's "Einstein"---he absorbed it---and then expounded it!

I have two Master's degrees from the finest theological seminaries money can buy---and I'm not ashamed of um---got the diploma's hangin' on my office wall----

But here's my spill and I'll be done-----I, too--have noticed that many, many conferences speakers, key note convention speakers--so forth and so on---all for the most part have Doctoral degrees.

It seems that more and more preachers are hangin' in for a doctoral degree---almost a peer pressure thing---I was even under a lot of peer pressure to gain a doctorate---so I tried---I applied and was accepted into doctoral school--took my first course---and prayed and prayed for the Lord God's leadership into that direction--to gain a doctorate!---

Anyway---that first course was a breeze---but you know what??? I found out quick that a doctorate wasn't for me---I mean, I just couldn't "get into it"---you know what I mean??? So I resigned the school!

The moment I resigned doctoral school---I began to have second thoughts---"Am I penalizing myself for not getting a doctorate?" "Am I blowin' my chance to really "go somewhere" with this degree??"(know what I mean??????!!)

But you know what?? I gotta be who I am right now---maybe later on the Lord will lead me to that degree----oh, I still educate myself--read two newspapers every day----go to conferences when I get a chance---study, study, study, books on my library shelves----dig into the word--read what others have to say about a particular passage---

lookin' behind---stayin' current and thinkin' ahead--(ain't that what education is???)

and just being like Moses--educated by Egypt--experienced the Glory of God---not in Egypts classroom----but in God's classroom---standin' there barefooted in front of a bush burnin' with the fire of God!

Hang in there, guys---you'll figure it out sooner or later!

blackbird

[ October 04, 2003, 08:14 AM: Message edited by: blackbird ]

 

I am currently taking seminary courses through correspondence (time and money are precious commodities in our household). I know that I am called by God to preach His word. I have a high school education, with a little college thrown in. I am a voracious reader, and actually enjoy reading the stuff most colleges force you to read.

I would consider myself to be self-taught...so why am I working on a degree? Bacause I want to know that when I stand to proclaim God's word, I am trully relating what it really says, not just my own particular take on it. I tremble at the thought of misteaching the truth of the Scriptures. It is a huge responsibility to stand and open His word, and one I do not take lightly. So, you could say that I/m earning a degree for peace of mind.

As for the question posed earlier, I am currently sitting under a pastor with no college education at all. And although he may be rough around the edges, or not go as deep as I would like, he loves the Lord and preaches to the best of his ability. And I thank God for him!!!

In Christ,
Trotter

 

I am currently trying to decide what route to go concerning education. Whether to get my bachelors via corrispondence from a school like Andersonville or Gulf Coast or go to a bible college like Tenn Temple or Crown. One question I have is this; Would you be less likely if you were on a pulpit committee to call a man who didn't go to a 'name' school (BJU,HAC,TTU,Crown) then you would one that had gone to one of these schools?

 

No. But the questions would be somewhat different. For me, you would have to establish that you are dedicated to fairly intense self-education.

BTW, if I were on a pulpit committee, I wouldn't give a HAC grad a second look unless he wrote a cover letter disavowing Hyle's major errors. I would be very wary of Crown as well.

 

Why would you be wreary of a HAC or Crown grad? Is the the KJV issue or are you talking about the accusations made against Hyles?

 

Scott, that's just plain wrong.

That's like saying you won't even consider talking to someone from Yale because they're too snooty.

A pulpit committee should examine the man, not the school he came from.