Not one pastor really needs seminary to become what God calls him to be. God equips those He calls, and the best pastors have come up from being the most faithful servants in the church, no job too demeaning for him/her. Pastors are servants and need that servant heart, and that pliability that God can work with.
I can agree in part with you. If you want a pastor who is compassionate and loving and caring who visits the sick and helps those he can get to in what ever way he possible can. Of course that requires no more education than a tractor driver.
In fact Martin Luther once warned Christians with these words: .......
"I greatly fear that schools for higher learning are wide gates to hell if they do not diligently teach the Holy Scripture and impress them on the young folk."
The great Reformer knew of the importance of Christian education and the development of Christian thinkers, but his great fear of schools as potential "wide gates to hell" is all too justified.
However......How can one claim to be able to explain what is in the Greek text or the Hebrew text if one has not had some detailed training in the original languages?
How can one claim to be able to explain the development of a theological principle in the context of what the Bible really says if theology has not been formally studied?
How can one pronounce upon historical and cultural details of the ancient world that illuminate and explain Bible passages if one has no formal training in ancient history or religious history?
What several of you are saying is that if God calls a man to preach God will then give him all the knowledge he needs with that man opening a book or listening to a teacher. That makes no sense to me at all.
Do we think that when we get saved God instantly fills our brains with Bible knowledge and understanding of theology principles.
That is simply not so my brothers and sisters. The Bible itself does not imply such a thing. The Bible says to "Study to show thy self approved a workman for God".
Again, Dr. Jesus TAUGHT His disciples theology and the finer things of belief and understanding so that they could teach others.
What do you thin they were doing for 3 1/2 years together. What do you think all of those lectures were about????
A true story which can be found in Dr. Jack Hyles books.
He was called to preach at 16 years old. His pastor then one day asked him to preach for the church. Dr. Hyles stood and read the Bible passage just as he seen his pastor do time and time again. Then he stood there at the pulpit for about 10 minutes and then without saying a word, he sat down.
His pastor said.....Jack, what happened. Do you not have an "OUTLINE" prepared for your sermon????
Dr. Hyles said..........."An Outline. What is an outline".!!!!
Think about it folks!