Should Pastors Be Educated In Christian Theology??

bobinfaith said:
Hello Major;

When you mentioned after the Pastor has preached, "what will he do tomorrow, next week or next month?" This is why a Bible or seminary education is important. You don't just utilize it the day after you graduate. It's a lifetime tool for nurturing and continued study.

My point aligns with what you shared. There are Pastors that didn't get the training or tools in their pastoral ministry, or they chose not to attend and in time became limited in their preaching and teaching.

I'll be brutally honest. There are Pastors who lacked the zeal to work hard in this ministry. Some quit and others struggle to remain content in their ministry.

Brothers, please let me reiterate that there are also many Pastors who are gifted and called in this ministry but didn't attend seminary or Bible college. I'm aware of this.

As far as affording the cost of attending seminary; in my experience I attended a Southern Baptist seminary and because our Church was also Southern Baptist, I was blessed by the school's low cost tuition and fees each semester I attended. I learned to "shop" for my text books and the Church covered my costs. For this I am grateful.

I also had my personal struggles. There were those many times I was fed up with driving to school, studying and groaned at the cost of purchasing more books for the next semester. I had to have my coffee fix to stay awake during the lectures.

Here's the thing. I always went to God in prayer and confessed my shortcomings and He already knew this about me. The Lord equipped me with perseverance, resilience, provisions, academic discipline, but most of all, my continued commitment to His calling for me.

It hasn't always been pretty but tell me one servant in the Bible who cruised his/her way to the Kingdom?

Hello Siloam, you wrote, "We should all be preachers of the gospel in the world wherever God placed us. Even there, although formal seminary training is not the point, having a grasp on everyday theology and putting Biblical principles in action is foundational."

Amen to that! Any Christian who witnesses and shares the Gospel to others for Christ is a minister.

God bless you, brothers and sisters.
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Amen Robert!

A Seminary degree does not make anyone better than anyone else. Some people in fact are educated beyond their intelligence!

I did pretty much as you did. I worked at it! My wife worked! At one point we lived with my mom and dad. (Then they lived with us at their end). It was not pretty, it was not easy but it was necessary!

It was hard in the 60's to work all day and then go to school at night. I still have bruises on my forehead from dozing off.

However I would not take any amount of money for the experiences my wife and I had together!!!

May I say clearly again.........going to a Christian Seminary does not make a man a Preacher, God does that. But it made me one who actually knew what he was talking about when he talked instead of repeating the commentary from someone else!
 
forgiven61 said:
i wait for the Lord to show me the message so i know where and what to study. . there are many messages i can preach and there are message i am to preach. i dont have a note book of message to preach. i realize to many its unorthodox way. but i know no other way .but to wait upon the Lord. i read and study through out the week but nor for the message to preach. that is a separate time..i respect education and i respect your education but to say. i know a pastor who does no notes most cases waits for the Lord to show him the message. which he gets when he gets to Church. been this way 42 years . God has equipped him this way. i do recommend studying a head of time. yes i have walked into Church asked to preach and not knowing ahead of time that i would. i was given the scriptures and the message. i didn't have time to mess it up we study to show ourselves approved. it helps me when i sit down and listen to others preach often i will pick a thought from the message. plus i get fed to i have known some that feels they done been there done that knows it all
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God bless you, Pastor Jerry;

I hear you, know and respect your calling as Pastor at Fairview General Baptist Church. You and I have shared your testimony, how God called you to lead not one, but two churches and I respect where you stand today, brother.

You also know my story, my song, Blessed Assurance.

Seriously, it's been a tough road these last 3 years in your part of the country and the part of the country I serve. God equipped us in ways according to your community and mine. We both had to prepare the ways only God guides us. I praise Him daily that we're both still standing.

I'm with you and have your back.

God bless you, forgiven and your Church family.
 
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