Churches, Before You Say “We Want a Seminary Graduate,” Read This

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1still_waters

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I stumbled upon this blog entry, and part of it literally made me LOL. No really, I LOL'd because that part is so true.
Below is part of a blog entry.

Churches, Before You Say “We Want a Seminary Graduate,” Read This


Churches, Before You Say “We Want a Seminary Graduate"


2. Seminary education forces pastors to be involved in academic discussion.

But, do you need an academic for your pastor? I’m always amazed at how many rural churches, where the average highest completed degree is a high school diploma, want their pastor to have a 90 hour master’s degree in theology (M.Div. aka Masters of Divinity). Most of what your pastor learns in seminary, he will not be able to teach you; and you normally wouldn’t be interested in knowing it anyways. Your eyes will glaze over the moment he speaks of eschatology, systematic theology, etc. Furthermore, why do you need a pastor that has had 7 years of education beyond high school whenever the average education level in your church is a high school diploma? Sure, your pastor should be well-read; and should study to show himself approved before God; but, a seminary education is not necessary in order to be a faithful preacher of God’s Word. Why do you need a pastor that can engage academia if you have no desire to learn anything about the academic discussion? If you do not care about the academic discussion, then you don’t necessarily need a seminary trained pastor.

This is so, so, so true, especially when so many churches are more interested in getting those nice warm liver shivers and spine tingly feelings up the spine.
 
1still_waters said:
I stumbled upon this blog entry, and part of it literally made me LOL. No really, I LOL'd because that part is so true.
Below is part of a blog entry.

Churches, Before You Say “We Want a Seminary Graduate,” Read This


Churches, Before You Say “We Want a Seminary Graduate"


2. Seminary education forces pastors to be involved in academic discussion.

But, do you need an academic for your pastor? I’m always amazed at how many rural churches, where the average highest completed degree is a high school diploma, want their pastor to have a 90 hour master’s degree in theology (M.Div. aka Masters of Divinity). Most of what your pastor learns in seminary, he will not be able to teach you; and you normally wouldn’t be interested in knowing it anyways. Your eyes will glaze over the moment he speaks of eschatology, systematic theology, etc. Furthermore, why do you need a pastor that has had 7 years of education beyond high school whenever the average education level in your church is a high school diploma? Sure, your pastor should be well-read; and should study to show himself approved before God; but, a seminary education is not necessary in order to be a faithful preacher of God’s Word. Why do you need a pastor that can engage academia if you have no desire to learn anything about the academic discussion? If you do not care about the academic discussion, then you don’t necessarily need a seminary trained pastor.

This is so, so, so true, especially when so many churches are more interested in getting those nice warm liver shivers and spine tingly feelings up the spine.
Click to expand...

Probably true. But an educated man is better equipped to recognize a bad argument and discern fact from fiction. So he could potentially be of great help to a church by keeping out all of the "rifraff" in terms of rumors. But if you have these qualities already and you study the Bible regularly a master's may be uncalled for.

No professor is going to recognize a thesis that consists of rumors and hearsay. So through the process of even achieving a Bachelor's the minister would learn something about the truth.
 
TheAristocat said:
Probably true. But an educated man is better equipped to recognize a bad argument and discern fact from fiction. So he could potentially be of great help to a church by keeping out all of the "rifraff" in terms of rumors. But if you have these qualities already and you study the Bible regularly a master's may be uncalled for.

No professor is going to recognize a thesis that consists of rumors and hearsay. So through the process of even achieving a Bachelor's the minister would learn something about the truth.
Click to expand...

Not if you have a pastor who takes God at His Word.
 
1still_waters said:
I stumbled upon this blog entry, and part of it literally made me LOL. No really, I LOL'd because that part is so true.
Below is part of a blog entry.

Churches, Before You Say “We Want a Seminary Graduate,” Read This


Churches, Before You Say “We Want a Seminary Graduate"


2. Seminary education forces pastors to be involved in academic discussion.

But, do you need an academic for your pastor? I’m always amazed at how many rural churches, where the average highest completed degree is a high school diploma, want their pastor to have a 90 hour master’s degree in theology (M.Div. aka Masters of Divinity). Most of what your pastor learns in seminary, he will not be able to teach you; and you normally wouldn’t be interested in knowing it anyways. Your eyes will glaze over the moment he speaks of eschatology, systematic theology, etc. Furthermore, why do you need a pastor that has had 7 years of education beyond high school whenever the average education level in your church is a high school diploma? Sure, your pastor should be well-read; and should study to show himself approved before God; but, a seminary education is not necessary in order to be a faithful preacher of God’s Word. Why do you need a pastor that can engage academia if you have no desire to learn anything about the academic discussion? If you do not care about the academic discussion, then you don’t necessarily need a seminary trained pastor.

This is so, so, so true, especially when so many churches are more interested in getting those nice warm liver shivers and spine tingly feelings up the spine.
Click to expand...
I have no problem with a well educated pastor. I do have a problem with the academic discussions drawing him away from the love of the Lord. Many professors in many of the seminaries are rank unbelievers and create in our well educated men a grain of doubt. I want a good education and the polish that comes from rigors of academic study but I do not want the fire that God kindled in the heart to be quenched by apostasy.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
I can't help but notice that the Article quoted in the OP seemed to "limit" it's discussion to "rural" churches..........

..........sigh............

another left handed put down from the elitist?

Seriously, does the "logic" of the article NOT APPLY to churches in large cities.....or churches with large congregations?

Isn't the WHOLE POINT of being a Preacher/Pastor the preach/teach the Word of God...........???

Education/spiritual inspiration can come from the strangest of places.........even Schools of Theology........ :)
 
so essentially their argument against seminary trained pastors is 'your church doesn't care to go deep into biblical teaching so why get a pastor who can?'

basically this article is advocating for spiritual laziness and complacency...'make sure you don't get a pastor that challenges you to grow in your understanding!'

many seminaries do have serious problems...but in this case i would say the problem is with the attitudes of the churchgoers this author is speaking of...not the seminary trained pastors they are disparaging...
 
QUOTE FROM ARTICLE:

Soddy Daisy, TN; and the church I pastor now, have both been kind in this respect. It’s difficult to speak one way in the academic discussion, and speak another way from the pulpit. I try to do my best, but I find myself occasionally using words my church has never heard before. For example, the other day I said “the imago dei,” which is Latin for the image of God. Most seminary graduates would know what I meant when I said that; but, my church didn’t have a clue. I of course explained it; but, truth be told, I should not use that kind of language in a crowd that doesn’t speak that language - See more at: Churches, Before You Say “We Want a Seminary Graduate,” Read This

END QUOTE

Shouldn't this Pastor know better than to speak in tongues without a translator? (yes.......he explained it.....but......it wasn't EVEN NECESSARY to say UNLESS he was preaching to a Latin audience)

This is a classic example of the "edification of self," rather than the "edification of the church" in my opinion.

Pastors/Preachers NEED to focus on preaching/teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, NOT social/political ideologies/agendas.

But, now, that may JUST be me.......
 
sure...don't ever do or say anything that might nudge your church members to grow in their understanding...it might damage their complacently satisfied self image...

hello! we are supposed to be on a spiritual -walk-...not a spiritual standstill!

what even is the point of sermons if they dumb it down to the point that you don't learn anything new?
 
well I guess my church is smarter than the average church since most the members have bachelors or masters degrees.
 
Nautilus said:
well I guess my church is smarter than the average church since most the members have bachelors or masters degrees.
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I really hope your intent was to say that your church is more educated since intelligence (ability to learn) and education are two very different things. There are tons of us out there who have high IQ's that just chose for different reasons to not pursue a higher education. Of course there are likewise tons of people with graduate degrees out there who can't even handle simple tasks in life (I knew a PhD years ago that I had to show how to light his gas fireplace 3 separate times).
 
TheAristocat said:
Probably true. But an educated man is better equipped to recognize a bad argument and discern fact from fiction. So he could potentially be of great help to a church by keeping out all of the "rifraff" in terms of rumors. But if you have these qualities already and you study the Bible regularly a master's may be uncalled for.

No professor is going to recognize a thesis that consists of rumors and hearsay. So through the process of even achieving a Bachelor's the minister would learn something about the truth.
Click to expand...

RED: Not necessarily true. One of the things seminary doesn't teach is how to preach/teach to kindergarteners -12th graders in the church. For example:

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (KJV) [SUP]1 [/SUP]And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. [SUP]2 [/SUP]I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. [SUP]3 [/SUP]For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? [SUP]4 [/SUP]For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Paul knew how to minister to them on their level. Cemetary......errrr, I mean seminary doesn't teach spiritual disearnment.(sorry, couldn't help myself :p)
 
I personally wouldn't want a seminary student to pastor my church for several reasons:

1. Many graduates are know-it-alls. you can't tell them anything. Not all, but many.

2. Seminary grads only know what they're taught, not necessarily the complete truth. Let me give an example. Most doctors will never prescribe you herbal remedies for gall stones, liver & kidney problems because they're taught that it doesn't work. That's due to govt. agencies such as the FDA making herbal remedies disqualified as medicine, because the pharmaceutical companies want this cheap competition off the market. The same thing happens in seminaries..... professors & college boards won't let important doctrines be taught because they don't believe them. Therefore, seminary students get an education stripped of essential doctrines, keeping the grads from teaching them to the churches.

3. The antichrist spirit is using its disciples to take over goverments, economies, education, & religion, setting the stage for the Antichrist himself to appear. How do you think he would take over the world's religions? THRU THEIR SCHOOLS & SEMINARIES.
 
There are many Seminary graduates at my church, including our elders. It is a blessing to have people able to answer questions about the Bible, and learn from their knowledge. Our elders make sure we go deeper into the Word so we are able to have discernment and spiritual wisdom. I don't think it's necessary to have a master's in theology to be a pastor, but it sure is a blessing for the congregation's spiritual growth, not a hindrance. At least it shouldn't be.

Personally, I think people that bash on pastors with an education are usually prideful or just ignorant. Prideful because they think not having a formal education means they ''rely on God' more than those pastors who learned from seminary. I agree that having a degree doesn't mean you're prepared to pastor a church, but having a degree has nothing to do with being unable to do that. You're either a teacher or you're not. You either have the call to pastor a church, or not. Seminary doesn't make you a pastor, it just prepared those who want to.

Quoting the article
Why do you need a pastor that can engage academia if you have no desire to learn anything about the academic discussion? If you do not care about the academic discussion, then you don’t necessarily need a seminary trained pastor.
Click to expand...
. It makes it sound like engaging in academia is pointless, and we shouldn't even care about it as Christians. But what about those who do care? Shouldn't we, as Christians, seek growth and maturity in our understanding? (See Hebrews 6:1-3)
 
Stephen63 said:
I personally wouldn't want a seminary student to pastor my church for several reasons:

1. Many graduates are know-it-alls. you can't tell them anything. Not all, but many.

2. Seminary grads only know what they're taught, not necessarily the complete truth. Let me give an example. Most doctors will never prescribe you herbal remedies for gall stones, liver & kidney problems because they're taught that it doesn't work. That's due to govt. agencies such as the FDA making herbal remedies disqualified as medicine, because the pharmaceutical companies want this cheap competition off the market. The same thing happens in seminaries..... professors & college boards won't let important doctrines be taught because they don't believe them. Therefore, seminary students get an education stripped of essential doctrines, keeping the grads from teaching them to the churches.

3. The antichrist spirit is using its disciples to take over goverments, economies, education, & religion, setting the stage for the Antichrist himself to appear. How do you think he would take over the world's religions? THRU THEIR SCHOOLS & SEMINARIES.
Click to expand...


Osteen, Hinn, and the like didn't go to seminary.
 
Golly, I wonder how people ever learned the bible back before we had seminaries.

Hmmm.
 
Nothing wrong with a seminary educated pastor/preacher,we can benefit from thier knowledge., But we are to read the Bible ourselves; The Holy Spirit can teach us. If one has access to this site it is not to difficult to go to an interlinear for translation of a specific hebrew or Greek word if one needs an ambiguity cleared up. To me, the issue is those who are unwilling to do thier own research but instead reply upon the opinions of others. God is just as capable of revealing things to me as He was Martin Luther or John Wesley of Augstine. God reveals Himself and His Truth to those to those who seek. Not just those with alphabet soup after thier names.
 
Stephen63 said:
And your point is?
Click to expand...

You said..

3. The antichrist spirit is using its disciples to take over goverments, economies, education, & religion, setting the stage for the Antichrist himself to appear. How do you think he would take over the world's religions? THRU THEIR SCHOOLS & SEMINARIES.
Click to expand...

Indicating that you think anti-Christ spirit will take over the world's religions mostly through schools & seminary graduates.
You did put it all in ALL CAPS...
THRU THEIR SCHOOLS & SEMINARIES.
Click to expand...

As if putting ye big ole red flag on schools and seminaries, as if it isn't done big time through the more "uneducated". So as a way to show it's not just those shady school and seminary students I said...

Osteen, Hinn, and the like didn't go to seminary.
Click to expand...
 
1still_waters said:
You said..



Indicating that you think anti-Christ spirit will take over the world's religions mostly through schools & seminary graduates.
You did put it all in ALL CAPS...


As if putting ye big ole red flag on schools and seminaries, as if it isn't done big time through the more "uneducated". So as a way to show it's not just those shady school and seminary students I said...
Click to expand...

Perhaps I should have mentioned the "other" ways as well so that this wouldn't look like the only one......oops.:o

But if you were the spirit of antichrist, wouldn't you infiltrate them?
 
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