The biblicalness of Bible college

So what do you think of Bible college being biblical? I spent two years in bible college and come to find out some people are against it. Some churches just pick a pastor. Bible college isn't in the Bible. Does anyone think that pastors were trained in bible times or just picked? I think of Timothy and Paul.

Jesus is our example, that we should follow in His steps.
Jesus was led & taught by the Holy Spirit, the same One who taught/led the apostles, Philip, Stephen, Timothy, Titus, & the list goes on & on, with every one trained the same way.
To me, seminary is man's way to train preachers, leaving the original method that taught the writers of the New Testament.
One could argue that this is rebellion. They might be correct.

FYI Jesus went to School as all Jewish Boyd did until they were men which was about the age of Learned how to be Carpenter from Joseph. at 12 he taught in the Snyogogues. Paul learned from the Shanhedren and from Jesus Personally. Biblie school is not the problem or the answer.

Jesus gave over the Church " Prophets, aposltes , evangrelist, Pastors Teachers To "Perfect" aka Teach the saints.

True. Godly teachers/preachers/trainers is a must.
I was not talking about those, but the "religious system" that has been around since the "rule" of the Catholic church. I wouldn't give a red cent for the "institutions" of religious learning that are corrupt.

Jesus is our example, that we should follow in His steps.
Jesus was led & taught by the Holy Spirit, the same One who taught/led the apostles, Philip, Stephen, Timothy, Titus, & the list goes on & on, with every one trained the same way.
To me, seminary is man's way to train preachers, leaving the original method that taught the writers of the New Testament.

So what do you think of Bible college being biblical? I spent two years in bible college and come to find out some people are against it. Some churches just pick a pastor. Bible college isn't in the Bible. Does anyone think that pastors were trained in bible times or just picked? I think of Timothy and Paul.

While Jesus' instruction of the original 12 is certainly "the example", there is nothing in Scripture stating that is "the correct way" to prepare disciples for ministry. Paul wasn't taught that way, nor was Timothy, nor Titus, nor any other leader after Acts 2. So where does that leave us?

Do you give the Holy Spirit any credibility at all? What about pastors, teachers, & other trainers?

Can't help thinking about Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

He applied for bible college and a date was set for an interview with the principal. The meeting was set for 1.00 pm but when he arrived the maid ushered Spurgeon into a room to wait but it was the wrong room. The principal was waiting in another room and after a good time went by and no Spurgeon he went off to another engagement.

Spurgeon was devastated. But as he walked down the lane toward home greatly disappointed a voice boomed out of the sky "Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not"

Spurgeon never again sought for formal training yet he became one of the great theologians of the 19th century.

Spurgeon would in my view be at the forefront of pentecostalism were he alive today.

Spurgeon was a Reformed Baptist. A Calvinist in this beliefs, except for believing in adult baptism. He was absolutely not a forerunner of Pentecostalism. Not only that, he founded Pastor’s College to train up pastors on how to study the Bible, and preach, teach, and evangelize.

“Spurgeon’s educational background and conversion serve as the foundation for his commitment to founding the Pastor’s College. Through the formation and organization of the college, Spurgeon maintained his commitment to training leaders who would be well-equipped for gospel ministry.”

https://solaecclesia.org/articles/spurgeons-pastors-college-a-model-for-pastoral-training/

Spurgeon is a great example of both a Calvinist and a person committed to Bible school training. And how effective proper training is!

Do a Google search before you put your foot on your mouth again, next time! It took me a minute to find these facts, as I have read about Spurgeon in the past and read his writings & I knew you were completely wrong.

But not worry! Study his writings and others who were great preachers, teachers, & evangelists, like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield and you will develop a much deeper theology.

Spurgeon was a Reformed Baptist. A Calvinist in this beliefs, except for believing in adult baptism. He was absolutely not a forerunner of Pentecostalism. Not only that, he founded Pastor’s College to train up pastors on how to study the Bible, and preach, teach, and evangelize.

“Spurgeon’s educational background and conversion serve as the foundation for his commitment to founding the Pastor’s College. Through the formation and organization of the college, Spurgeon maintained his commitment to training leaders who would be well-equipped for gospel ministry.”

https://solaecclesia.org/articles/spurgeons-pastors-college-a-model-for-pastoral-training/

Spurgeon is a great example of both a Calvinist and a person committed to Bible school training. And how effective proper training is!

Do a Google search before you put your foot on your mouth again, next time! It took me a minute to find these facts, as I have read about Spurgeon in the past and read his writings & I knew you were completely wrong.

But not worry! Study his writings and others who were great preachers, teachers, & evangelists, like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield and you will develop a much deeper theology.

therefore I boast only in the Lord.

For those of you who do not know me, I have an MDiv from an ATS accredited seminary. That’s the top accreditation board for seminaries in North America. I was also working on a PhD in theology, in an ATS accredited Theological School, but had to quit because of ill health.

I did a 3 year degree in 7 years. That gave me time to really dig into all sides of the different subjects. I graduated with distinction, and the outstanding Greek award. This is not to brag, but to show you that a seminary education can be of the highest standard, and the candidate led by the Holy Spirit. In fact, it was God who called me to go to seminary, not once, but twice. The first time I disobeyed, my life turned difficult. Including major health issues. But God used that for good, and gave me the time & ability to learn & study.

When I heard a seminary trained pastor preach, it gave me a hunger to know God and the Word better. I did go to a conservative, Bible believing Baptist seminary. I learned how to correctly divide the Word of God. I learned the importance of having Biblical ethics, which Evmur, above, does not have. Like putting up some shoddy nonsense about Spurgeon that was unverified & untrue. That post was totally unethical, basically a lie. Spurgeon was never even close to a pentecostal. In fact, he suffered severe depression, most of his life.

Seminary was utterly transforming for me. I took several prayer courses, and we prayed! It was amazing. I learned tools of ministry, skills on how to correctly read the Bible, including the original languages and hermeneutics.

I am not a pastor of a church, but the leadership skills I learned in seminary, I use every day to lead a forum of 4000 people on Facebook, who have RA. I share love and compassion people with suffering people. I witness to God as to how he has helped me and changed me and given me hope. My goal in my PhD was to find a way to connect these lost suffering people with Christians, who could witness and possibly lead them to Christ - the only hope we truly have.

It seems like every time I come here some ignoramus is standing in a soap box saying Bible school and seminary are “man made” and all you need to do is let the Holy Spirit lead you. The Holy Spirit leads teachers & professors! Not only do the students gain head knowledge, but heart knowledge as they grow closer to the image of Christ, with the help of the models of godly men & women who walk the walk. All my professors had life long careers on the mission field to win people to Christ. Some with a fervent passion, that came through in every class they teach,

Seminaries and Bible colleges equip leaders. That is who God, through the Holy Spirit has appointed to do that job! the writer of Ephesians is very thorough explaining this process.

"So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Eph. 4:11-16

Christ gave who? Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Why? To equip his people for works of service. Again, the writer of Hebrews says:

"20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21

We need to be equipped to do a job for God. Do we need to know the Bible? Or course we do! I've read the Bible 60 times in my own studies, plus surveys, book studies in the original languages, and Bible studies I have taught to various women's Bible studies. I also use the Word to preach. I hope I also live the Word, in my thoughts words and deeds. While no seminary can teach you that, it can give you a huge grounding in the faithful walk of a Christian, who has studied to show themselves approved.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Tim. 3:16-17

I studied and read the Bible every day for 25 years, and did not learn as much about the Bible, or to know God as well as just 7 part time years in seminary. And yes, you have to be careful to pick a conservative seminary, that will not lead you away from your faith. It isn't hard! I've found 2 so far. I can only praise God he allowed me the privilege of attending seminary, and then a theological institute to get to know him and his Word and to learn how to minister to God's people.

Anyway, this poor OP asks a question and people who have never been to Bible College or seminary jump on the thread and tell them that it is all manmade. They've never been to a Bible College, but they are experts in a topic they know nothing about! But, yes! God works through our human hands! I probably won't be back for a while again. I would like to find a forum that can rationally discuss topics like this, without someone derailing the thread with hate-filled slander. I think the more Bible education you can get, the better. But, stay away from Youtube videos and self published books, and fiction like the Left Behind Series. Learn to discern true Christian character in your teachers, and also find someone who knows more than you do, to teach you. That is the system that Jesus left in place, whether some of the malcontents in this forum understand this or not!

Bible college is definitely worth it. The time there getting into the Bible was one of my closest times with God. My question wasn't whither it was profitable or not but whether there is Bible or not to support it. It just seems a shame you could be voted in with no training at all. Like Angela stated God gave some to the church to build it up. And our teachers were also missionaries and seasoned pastors. If all the training was available from the elders given by God then you could vote or select someone who has been trained by leaders. I'm afraid all the teachers are at Bible college being paid like pastors and aren't available to the church except seminars.