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10 THINGS A SEMINARY EDUCATION

WILL GET YOU (That Ministry Experience Alone Probably Wont)

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2015

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10 THINGS A SEMINARY EDUCATION

WILL GET YOU (That Ministry Experience Alone Probably Wont)

Experience is a good teacher, and only a fool wont learn. E. A. Pickett

Experience.

I recall running into a old mutual frienda womanwhile hanging out with my buddy, and it was obvious to

both of us that since our last meeting she had gained

some weight. I am sure you can see where this is going

After some superficial chitchat, my friend glanced at her

belly and asked her if she was pregnant.

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You could have heard a pin drop in that room.

Um, no, she managed. No. Im not pregnant.

There was nowhere to go or hide and absolutely nothing

to say. The three of us stood there for a minute and

listened to the crickets. We all learned something that

day. Experience was instructing us.

Experience is a good teacher, but her lessons are both

costly and precious. Character and knowledge is a rare

combination but is something expected of someone

entering the ministry.

We get many of our character training and common sense

notions from experiences other lessons: driving on empty, pushing the speed limit, and noticing someones girth.

But for the believer who wants to be involved in ministry

as a profession, theres a lot to be said for formal education at a seminary. Experience is good, even

valuable, but theres nothing like a seminary degree when you consider the wisdom of reputable teachers imparting

their knowledge.

Your teachers, wise men and women, will be whom you

get to walk with for four years. As King Solomon noted,

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Walk with the wise and become wise (Proverbs 13:20).

Of course, the traditional route to a ministry career is

through a seminary education, but what does it actually

provide for you? Is it worth it?

Without question, a seminary education will be a lifelong

asset and an investment you will never regret.

Lets take a look at 10 things a seminary degree will provide for you that ministry experience alone probably

wont.

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#1 Credibility

If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself. D. L. Moody

The most obvious strength of securing a seminary degree

is that it aligns you with that school and its reputation.

You are guilty by association.

Thats why when someone drops an M.I.T. or a Harvard or West Point reference for their schooling, our ears

always perk up.

We give them instant credibility for having graduated

from such a prestigious institution. They have gained our

respect, at least until they open their mouths, which is

Moodys point: Our reputation ultimately depends on our character.

So then, going to a good school for your seminary

experience instantly gives you credibility when you

minister to people. Almost without exception folks will

initially ask you where youre from, what you do, and where you attended school.

Being able to drop a nameyour Yale card, if you willgains you an audience instantly because you are

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deemed credible. Hopefully, when you do open your

mouth, there will also be something credible coming

forth because of your seminary training.

Listen to what one student had to say about her decision

to go to seminary:

I have done ministry as a lay person. Im just realizing that I need to have the credentials, academically and

otherwise, to be able to work with others well and have

an effective ministry. Since I got my graduate degree, I

see the value of thatits not a bragging right, but it gives you more credibility, I think.

Thats a typical comment and a valid one. A seminary degree communicates that you have made the investment

of time and money to get the proper training from

qualified professors, and they have approved you to do

the work of ministry.

You are validated by a renowned institution. This means

people to whom you minister can have confidence in

your training.

In addition to credibility, going to seminary gives you

something else, as well: important lifelong contacts.

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#2 Network

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by

trying to get other people interested in you. Dale Carnegie

One of the immense advantages of a seminary experience

is the diversity and number of interesting people you

come into contact with each day, from professors to

classmates to guest speakers and even janitors.

Each and every one of these people God divinely placed

in your path to know, befriend, and love in His place.

What an honorand what an opportunity, too!

Entering ministry training in seminary means you are a

servant, and as a servant you get to help and interact with

hundreds of strangers who may become your friends for

life. These friends may be an asset in your ministry

down the road as you serve Christ.

There are no strangers in Christ, only friends who have not yet met.

This can be summed up in what Paul said in 1 Timothy

1:5: The goal of this command is love

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How do you practically do that? How do you love Gods people while youre in seminary?

Be helpful Be generous Be genuine Be interested in them Be outstanding (so they never forget you)

Or, put another way, as Paul said in Philippians 2:34,

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not

looking to your own interests but each of you to the

interests of the others.

These individuals you meet, work with and serve during

your time in seminary are people who can be lifelong

contacts down the road. People you can call on when you

have needs or questions in your own ministry, or perhaps

connections or references when youre looking for a career change.

When you graduate, you will be leaving the campus but

not the network of friends youve made in your time there. Your mark should remain on them long after

youre gone.

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Having a network of connected and valued relationships

in ministry also gives you special friendships. Because of

your time in school together, you can count on one

another, but chances are youll also make one special friendship above all the others.

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#3 A Mentor

The best way a mentor can prepare another leader is to expose him or her to other great people. John C. Maxwell

Perhaps the greatest asset of a seminary degree is the

professor who you get to know over your time in school,

that one person who clicks with you, someone you really

grow to respect. Perhaps there will be several.

Many of these men and women have reached instructor

status after years and years of teaching thousands of

pupils. Many have gone on to do great things in the

Kingdom. In addition, not only do you get the privilege

of knowing your professors, you also get to know their

friends.

And what do you suppose is the one thing every good

teacher wants? They love to know they are making a

difference in the world through their influence on their

students. They know that churches and ministries all over

the world are being influenced vicariously through them.

Spending extra time with your instructorsduring office hours, meals, or even off-campusis critical to your true instruction as you glean from their wisdom and perhaps

even help them out as a fellow servant of Christ. The

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great mentors long to give you chances to grow and

succeed.

So how do you capitalize on this amazing opportunity

with these professors?

In the spirit of Philippians 2:34, think of them FIRST.

Friendly: Enjoy a coffee or a meal with them whenever you can.

Initiate: Take advantage of their office hours. Respect: Make an extra effort to do well in their class. Serve: Make yourself available to assist them. Time: Spend time praying for them.

Look what Paul David Tripp wrote about this mentorship

between seminary professors and their students:

I am suggesting that seminary professors become committed to making community with their students and

that they always teach with the heart in view and the

transforming power of the gospel of hope. I am

suggesting that the seminary student should feel known

and loved by his professors and that, in the process of his

education, he will come to know his heart and his Lord

more deeply and fully.

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Wouldnt you love to have someone of that caliber in your corner when you need them? Dont miss the golden opportunity to befriend your professors and look to them

for mentorship, both in school and later on in your

ministry.

A mentor you can go to for wise counsel can make a

tremendous difference in your ministry. One of those

areas in the future when this counsel will be important is

in your career choices.

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#4 Career Advancement

The difference between a job and a career is the difference between forty and sixty hours a week. Robert Frost

Do you know the difference between a job and a career?

Robert Frost would say its just more work. But most would agree a job is an activity that just puts cash in your

pocket for the moment, and a career has three distinct

elements:

It drives you.

Its long-term.

It starts with an education.

Your educational background lays the foundation for

whom you will become in your ministry serving others.

As Jesus noted in Luke 6:48, a foundation is the essential

first step in building anything:

They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood

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came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it,

because it was well built.

Thats a universal truth in building a fence, a home, or a career.

The nice thing about a career in Gods work is that your life is a triad of ministry, career, and a callingnot just a job that puts cash in your pocket (although it certainly

should do that, too). Its a rare combination from the worlds perspective, but a special gift for those in ministry. You only have to wear one hat, a hat that you

are passionate about. It drives you because you love it.

Of course, another really nice thing about a seminary

education are the opportunities that present themselves as

you advance in your career. A youth pastor might

eventually become an associate pastor and perhaps even

the senior pastor.

And thats what a career is longevity. You are moving along a path with increasing influence and reward for

your development of skills and effort.

It all begins with your education, which is why a

seminary degree is so critical to your success in the long-

term. You have to think 20, 30, even 40 years from now.

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In this light, an investment in a seminary degree is a

brief, but critical, blip on your career span.

So any advancement in your chosen career field begins

with your education. Those credentials not only give you

a start in ministry; they make it possible to move up.

And the nice thing about your degree is that it goes with

you, wherever God leads you..

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#5 Mobility

Even if you fall on your face, youre still moving forward. Victor Kiam

Another of the special things about a seminary degree is

it can help you find a job in any town or city. There are

churches all over the world, not to mention a myriad of

other ministries. With a degree, youre not necessarily limited to your first place of employment. You can move

as God leads you, even if that leading is overseas.

Our lives are measured in seasons: fresh out of seminary,

your first real job, getting married, starting a family,

raising your kids (and saving for their college expenses),

grandkids, considering retirement, and then finally

retirement. Perhaps youll discover at some point your interests and skills change with these seasons of life, and

you want to pursue other areas of ministry.

Something more challenging, or maybe less challenging,

may catch your eye. Maybe in your twilight years, your

health will mean moving to Arizona or Florida, and guess

what? Your degree will still carry weight and create

opportunities for you to continue in ministry long after

some folks have been forced to retire.

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Having a degree in your pocket is like a pass to get

through life and serve Him wherever He places you in

whatever seasoneven if you fall downand it gives you all the confidence in the world to take faith-filled

risks.

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#6 Confidence

Risk something or forever sit with your dreams. Herb Brooks

When you graduate with a seminary degree, you can

stand a little straighter. Why? Because you can have

confidence that you ran the gauntlet and came through a

changed person.

You withstood a flurry of punches from respected professors, experts in their fields who taught you the very

best they know about their areas of expertise.

And you passed.

You can have confidence that youve been well-trained and can jump right into ministry with both feetrunning! You have the confidence to take risks and

chase your dreams in serving others, to go headlong into

the fray knowing youve accomplished something very few will.

Just being there has made you a different person. The

atmosphere on campus alone is a life-changing thing.

The classroom learning, the corporate worship, the

influence of faculty, small group Bible studies, and

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shared meals all coalesce into a transformational process

that results in spiritual maturity.

These may have been the very best years of your life!

And it all spells confidence, in any language and at any

price.

Ah price. Is it worth it? Lets talk about that four-letter word.

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#7 Debt

Your minimum goal should be to avoid financial bondage through debt. This doesnt mean you cant borrow to buy anything. But borrowing to buy

consumables such as gifts, vacations, even cars, will put

a family in bondage quickly. Larry Burkett

Every pastor will eventually preach on finances and debt,

with the key verse being Proverbs 22:7:

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. We know getting into debt is not a sin, but it is still true

that it is a weak position. You will be enslaved (indebted) to a bank or government for your school loans,

especially if you get into debt for luxury items like boats

and trips.

Actor Steve Martin said it best: I love money. I love everything about it. I bought some pretty good stuff. Got

me a $300 pair of socks. Got a fur sink. An electric dog

polisher. A gasoline powered turtleneck sweater. And,

of course, I bought some dumb stuff, too.

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So debt needs to be wisely entered into with this

understanding: Not all debt is bad if it is an investment in

the future and not just a want but a real need.

Depending on your convictions and faith, going into debt

to get a seminary education is an investment because you

will be qualified to pay it off with an exceptional asset

for employment.

And dont forget that scholarships and financial aid are available all the time, as are part-time jobs while in

school. Some seminaries even offer full-ride

scholarships! There are countless ways to minimize your

debt, and each school will work to help you with it.

And remember, God is in this.

Imagine if Jesus had lunch at a diner on campus. Do you

think Hed slip out without paying His bill? Of course not! If Jesus ordered it, Hed pay for it. So it is with your seminary degree: Jesus will pay for whatever He orders.

Of course, this all depends on your degree (a degree in

Ancient Babylonian Art may not be as marketable as a

degree in Biblical and Theological Studies). But

remember, if you are in a program that doesnt seem to be as interesting or marketable as you first thought, you

can always change, even after graduation.

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#8 Flexibility

There is nothing so stable as change. Bob Dylan

At some point in your ministerial career, you may have to

move physically or make a lateral move into another

field.

Your aging parents may have health issues in another

city. Maybe God wants you to go overseas or do some

missions work in the inner city. Maybe youll want to work in a prison ministry or in the military as a chaplain.

Your seminary degree opens doors for you to make

lateral moves into other areas with real ease. Its much harder to have such mobility if all you have is

experience.

Having a seminary degree allows you the luxury of

shifting your ministerial focus as God leads you. When

you first begin ministering to people, you may be

involved in youth ministry, helping in a campus setting

or youth group. As you get married and have kids, you

may find it harder to relate to 18-year-olds and may start

gradually working more with other couples. Its a natural progression.

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Maybe you start speaking on Sundays and find yourself

thinking about running a church yourself. Or maybe

church planting is in your organizations vision. Maybe you develop a heart for education or orphans or a

particular country.

Whatever the case, its nice to know you have options in ministry that your seminary degree makes viable.

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#9 Masters Degree

Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity. Aristotle

If the Lord has led you to go to seminary, or you think

He may be prodding you, its most likely because your gifts have been confirmed by friends, family, church

involvement, or mentors.

People who know you well and respect you will tell you

the truth about your strengths and weaknesses. As it says

in Proverbs 27:5-6,

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

If you want to serve Him in a leadership position, you

may need more training and skill. Some larger

organizations or churches prefer their pastor or principal

or worship leader have a masters degree in their background.

A masters degree gives you a leg up on leadership opportunities. There are plenty of options to choose from,

depending on your area of focus:

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Counseling Psychology Theology Biblical Studies Intercultural and Urban Studies Ministry Leadership Master of Divinity Spiritual Formation and Discipleship Media Arts & Worship Christian Education Linguistics & Exegesis

But no matter what you choose, realize that your

seminary degree gives you a greater platform to influence

others for Christ.

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#10 Influence

The purpose of influence is to speak up for those who have no influence. Its not about you. Rick Warren

Obviously a seminary degree says a lot about you and

what you think. It gives you a great deal of influence in

your church in whatever capacity you serve. But you are

serving. Folks know you have authority and that you are

having an impact in the congregation or ministry youre involved with, but thats not all. Your ministry degree also increases your sphere of influence beyond your

ministry walls and allows you to make a difference in your community as a respected and educated professional

whose opinion matters.

Whether its at a school board meeting, in a letter to the editor, or during a city council meeting your words carry weight. You have a voice in matters that pertain to

your community.

And like these two educated men in the Bible, this can

make a real impact in your world.

The king appointed for them a daily ration from the kings choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years,

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at the end of which they were to enter the kings personal service (Daniel 1:5 NASB).

Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action (Acts 7:22).

Obviously, Daniel and Moses had a very special

influence on their world, but it began with an education,

and the principle of education and influence remains true

today in our world,

Walk with the wise and become wise (Proverbs 13:20).

Ultimately it comes down to how much you want to do

for God.

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Conclusion

Knowledge is the key that unlocks all the doors. You can be green-skinned with yellow polka dots and come

from Mars, but if you have knowledge that people need,

instead of beating you, theyll beat a path to your door. Dr. Ben Carson

Having a seminary degree will change your life, and

thats the way you need to look at it: over a lifetime. Having renowned professors teaching you at the highest

levels about the Bible, theology, and ministry will

transform you.

The balance of knowledge and character is critical to

your success as a servant of Jesus Christ. As Paul

warned in 1 Corinthians 8:1, knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

Look at what Jerram Barrs, one of the premier authors

and seminary professors in America, had to say about

this balance:

I regularly tell our seminary students that if I happen to visit the church in which one of them serves, I will not

ask first, Is this man a good preacher? Rather, first of all I will ask the secretaries, office staff, janitors, and

cleaners what it is like to work for this pastor. I will ask,

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What kind of man is he? Is he a servant? Is he demanding and harsh, or is he patient, kind, and

forbearing as a man in authority? One of our graduates may preach great sermons, but if he is a pain to work for,

then you know he will cause major problems in any

congregation. Leaders in the church are required by

Scripture to set an example in the areas of love, kindness,

gentleness, patience, and forbearance before they are

appointed to preach, teach, and rule. If we obediently

require these attitudes and character traits of our

leaders, what will our new community look like?

Thats the goal. Spiritual maturity to serve others for Jesus Christ, like Jesus Christ.

Experience is a good teacher, but coupled with a

seminary degree, youll have the best of both worldsknowledge and characterand, as Dr. Ben Carson says, Knowledge is the key that unlocks all the doors.