The Value of a Seminary Education

Last weekend, I went out to Pasadena, CA to investigate Fuller Seminary's main campus. I left expecting to be affirmed in my plans to move there and pursue a more intense theological academic. But I returned with some odd leadings and plenty to wrestle with. I came back questioning my call, the value of ministry experience and the value of a seminary education. The three go hand-in-hand for me. Depending on my call, I might pursue different preparatory experiences and degrees.

In the midst of these questions, one has risen to the top. What is the value of a seminary education in my life with Christ. Here are some raw reflections:

PROS

1. Seminary prepares the mind of the future minister by teaching how to interpret and preach the Scriptures. Seminary also gives practical advice on how to lead, administer, handle conflicts, counsel, etc. Many of these lessons are very important and can save lots of time and energy in trial & error.

2. Seminary can provide key future ministry connections. Seminary is a great place to be in community with other people who have a similar heart and call. Through this community, students can stregthen each other in their learning. Ideally, students will also find accountability for Godly living, but this has not been my experience thus far. Seminary is a bubble-community away from the world, and perhaps away from the heart of God.

3. Seminary will give the credentials needed to get a nice, comfortable ministry position. When candidating a church, a seminary degree tells them, like God couldn't/wouldn't that your the man/woman to fill their needs. If they vote for you, you'll make all their wildest dreams come true, because you went to seminary! In a sense, seminary is a very expensive and laborious set of dues at many churches. These same churches can't help but exclude the founders of the church [see below]

CONS

1. Seminary rarely models the discipler/disciple model suggested in Scripture, especially with Jesus. Jesus taught with his entire life. Everything they did was an opportunity to teach into the early disciples life. Jesus focus was not primarily on what the disciples knew, but what they did. I believe Jesus desired an inner-transformation that went beyond mere knowledge. The disciples had to become like him. Seminary falls very short of this in my experience. Only rarely is a professor teaching for soul transformation. Most of the lessons are academic in nature. Seminary's message: If you know these things, you will be more prepared for ministry.

2. Seminary is very expensive and I have a problem with significant debt. These days, you are going to drop $50,000-80,000 getting the "qualifying degree." Most seminarians will carry school loans halfway into their ministry. Most importantly, they will have to get the right position in the right ministry, not based on God's call, but on which one can provide financially. The preparation for ministry God has for his shepherds shouldn't cost them two years wages.

3. Seminary can dry you out spiritually. I've seen and read about this often. Some people graduate from seminary burnt out spiritually. Time they should have been spending with Jesus got thrown to the backburner, for late night papers and test preparations. All for what? To impress professors. I am not convinced that making good grades and impressing professors, matters at all to God. America is in love with credentials. We worship our resumes like idols: "Gotta have the right experiences and education to work at our church." I'm thankful Jesus didn't operate on this system. None of the twelve disciples or even Paul would get call-backs at most of today's churches. They definitely couldn't go mainline for sure. They might sneak into some non-denominational church somewhere.


The wrestling continues and this probably reeks of overstatements, ignorance and bias, but so it goes...

How was it?

Last Thursday, JR and I had a great time at U2's second Denver show. It was amazing on so many levels. Many people have come up to me since and said, "So how was the show?" Seriously folks, that's a dumb question... How was the show? How was the show? The show set the bar for all other shows ever. U2 knows how to do things well. From the song transitions to the visual effects. Perhaps, their greatest acheivement has been putting out songs everyone knows well and was singing throughout the show.



Some of the personal highlights for me were the the setlist. I was very excited to hear Gloria and Bad, two songs they have just been adding to their setlists recently. Bad live was awesome. Where The Streets Have No Name was really powerful; they scrolled country flags across the screens throughout. During One Bono had the audience get out the "lighters of our generation" It was amazing to look across a see thousands of blue cell phone lights. The boys came out for two encores and finished with 40. I was exhausted at the end of the night and am just starting to get my hearing back. If you ever get a chance to goto a U2 show, go for it. They won't disappoint!

The Theology of a Child

No where does the silly and the profound interact as frequently as in the thoughts of children. The following is a small child's reflection on God. Watch for the profound...

"One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth."

"He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way, He doesn't have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk, He can just leave that to mothers and fathers."

"God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times besides bedtime."

"God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off."

"Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in our town. At least there aren't any who come to our church."

"Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him."

"But He was good and kind like His Father and He told His Father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said OK. His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn't have to go out on the road anymore, He could stay in heaven. So He did."

"And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary only more important."

"You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to hear you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the times."

"You should always go to Church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God."

"Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong! And, besides, the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway."

"If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can."

"It is good to know He's around you when you're scared in the dark or when you can't swim very good and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids."

"But you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases."

"And that's why I believe in God."

The Solar Death Ray

Here's a guy my mom definantly wouldn't have let me be friends with growing up...

www.solardeathray.com

William Law (1686-1761)

William Law was a spiritual giant. Among his great gifts to the church, Christian Perfection, the Grounds and Reasons of Christian Regeneration; Spirit of Prayer, the Way to Divine Knowledge; Spirit of Love and best-known of all, A Serious Call To a Devout and Holy Life. His books called for the church to grow in piety and seriousness, as it walked with Christ. I'm always challenged by his intensity. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead.

This, and this alone, is Christianity, a universal holiness in every part of life, a heavenly wisdom in all our actions, not conforming to the spirit and temper of the world but turning all worldly enjoyments into means of piety and devotion to God.

We must alter our lives in order to alter our hearts, for it is impossible to live one way and pray another.

Where did we come up with this concept of "spare time," anyway? Is there any time for which we aren't accountable to God? Is there any time during which God doesn't care what you are doing? No Christian has ever had spare time. You may have spare time from labor or necessity, you may stop working and refresh yourself, but no Christian ever had time off from living like a Christian.

The Time Draws Near

U2's Denver concerts next Wednesday and Thursday are rapidly approaching and I can't wait. I'm one of those sick people who have been comparing set lists, and trying to figure out what songs and what order both nights. They've performed With or Without You only a couple times now. The show is going to be an exciting time regardless what they play! This will be my first U2 concert.

If anyone has been searching for tickets to Denver Wednesday night (4/20), I might know where you can get one or two for about $80 a piece. Let me know...

DEMOTIVATION

That this company is successful proves Americans have way too much time on their hands! Funny stuff all the same...

www.despair.com/indem.html

Cookie Monster to Learn Self-Control

Sesame Street is giving the beloved Cookie Monster a character change. I don't know whether they sent him to Curves, Weight Watchers, or Gold's Gym; but the new Cookie Monster isn't the muppet I laughed at as a child. Producers have decided, in light of the growing obesity problem among America's children, to make some changes.

First, the Cookie Monster song, "C is for cookie, that's good enough for me" has been reworked to "A Cookie is a Sometimes Food" What the heck?!? They can't possibly think this is going to help things. Kids will just start watching more Alias and CSI reruns on their parent's TEVOs. Then, they'll turn on XBOX and kill everything that moves in every way imaginable.

As Cookie Monster learns how to control his cookie cravings, he'll be helped along by his new friends, the talking eggplant and the talking carrot. Another questionable decision by the producers. "Hey kids, your friends are delicious, your friends are good for you. Eat your friends like Cookie Monster."

Actually, I think its great somebody is doing something to work against the huge epidemic of obesity in children. The stats are pretty scary and this will affect us all when these kids start requiring advanced medical interventions. I guess it just won't be the same for me when Cookie Monster nibbles on a cookie and then scarfs a plate of eggplant. Sesame Street's new improved message to kids, "When all your friends and family are killing themselves at McDonalds one fry at a time, you stick with your raw fruits and veggies just like Cookie Monster."

Google Maps now with Satellite Photos of Everywhere!

As if Google hadn't already given the rest of the internet the knockout punch with Gmail in the battle to be the internet's "Camelot", their wizards have come out with Google Maps: Satellite Edition. This is absolutely amazing!

I've found satellite pictures of my townhouse, where I work, where I went to college, where I grew up, where I'd like to move, my car, and even me waving!

Check out satellite shots of major airports (LAX, ORD, ATL, DEN); skyscrapers; Las Vegas; and New York City for starters. My roommate and I even found airplanes in the air, with shadows below. Rock on Google!

Why Piper is my Hero

John Piper never ceases to amaze me. Whether you agree with his theology completely or not, you've got to respect the man's passion for the Lord. I happen to agree with most of his thoughts on God and have read many of his books more then once. I have made it a weekly ritual to download and listen to his latest sermon on www.biblicalpreaching.info

The other day, I came across a letter he wrote to his congregation informing them about a writing leave he's taking from April 1st to May 5th. How much can we expect him to write during this time? Oh, a mere two books. The man is a machine! You can read more about the new projects here Piper's Letter He expects to finish one of the books in 8 days.

This is just one of the many reasons, Piper has earned hero status in my life.

Kids' Letters to God

• Dear GOD, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don’t You just keep the ones You have?—Jane

• Dear GOD, Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother.—Larry

• Dear GOD, If You watch me in church on Sunday, I’ll show You my new shoes.—Mickey

• Dear GOD, In school they told us what You do. Who does it when You are on vacation?—Jane

• Dear GOD, I read the Bible. What does “begat” mean? Nobody will tell me. Love, Alison

• Dear GOD, Are You really invisible or is it just a trick?—Lucy

• Dear GOD, Is it true my father won’t get in Heaven if he uses his bowling words in the house?—Anita

• Dear GOD, Did You mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident?—Norma

• Dear GOD, Who draws the lines around the countries?—Nan

• Dear GOD, I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay?—Neil

• Dear GOD, Thank you for the baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy.—Joyce

• Dear GOD, Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up.—Bruce

• Dear GOD, I want to be just like my Daddy when I get big but not with so much hair all over.—Sam

• Dear GOD, You don’t have to worry about me. I always look both ways.—Dean

• Dear GOD, I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions.—Ruth M.

• Dear GOD, I think about You sometimes even when I’m not praying.—Elliott

• Dear GOD, Of all the people who work for You I like Noah and David the best.—Rob

• Dear GOD, My brother told me about being born but it doesn’t sound right. They’re just kidding, aren’t they?—Marsha

• Dear GOD, I would like to live nine hundred years like the guy in the Bible.—Love, Chris

• Dear GOD, We read Thomas Edison made light. But in Sunday school they said You did it. So I bet he stole your idea.—Sincerely, Donna

• Dear GOD, I didn’t think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset You made on Tuesday. That was cool.—Eugene

Outraged...

I found this acticle on the web this morning:

SKYBOXES, CLUB CARDS WOO 'CHURCH CUSTOMERS'

FRESNO, CA, April 1 — On Sunday morning at the 18,000-member Calvary Church, tithers flash green Costco-like cards at greeters, who let them in early and usher them to special seating areas.

"The seats have more padding, and they recline," says tither Dan Phelps, kicking back before the sermon. "I feel a little guilty, but you can't knock the comfort."

Calvary is believed to be the first church in America to use membership cards to dole out privileges to certain members. First-time visitors are offered the best seats — plush recliners in the orchestra section — while non-tithing attendees carry orange membership cards and are forced to sit in hard, stadium-style seats on the mezzanine.

"We give honor to whom honor is due," says pastor Jerald Dennis. "If you tithe or volunteer in some way, you deserve a special thank you."

Churches like his are drawing wealthier "church consumers" by promoting luxury and social stratification inside the sanctuary. As rich people attend, the theory goes, tithe revenues increase and the church better promotes the gospel.

At Life Family Center in Abilene, Texas, members at all levels earn "reward points" similar to frequent flyer miles for tithing and attending. The points add up to free hotel stays, vacation packages and tickets to NASCAR events.

Ringing the church's cavernous sanctuary are private skyboxes where groups watch the service while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and deep leather chairs. Some pay only occasional attention to what takes place on the platform.

"We compete with professional sporting events, not other churches," says pastor Lovey Pederson. "I would rather people come here than a football stadium, so I offer bigger perks."

This year, at least a dozen more mega-churches will introduce some form of "club card."

"The credit card commercial said it best: 'Membership has its privileges,'" says Pederson.