1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Getting education God chooses to use.

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by SATS PROF, Aug 19, 2016.

  1. SATS PROF

    SATS PROF Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2016
    Messages:
    103
    Likes Received:
    24
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I was converted in Tim LaHaye's Scott Memorial Baptist Church in San Diego when I was 19....57 years ago. I entered Linda Vista Baptist BC/Sem .(now defunct) on a trial basis as I never graduated from high school. I finished a BA in Bible and ThB there. From there I completed two teaching credentials: one in English from the Univ of San Diego and one in teaching Special education in Oregon State. I taught public school for 35 years. But my real love was Theology. So I did the MA in Religion from Point Loma Nazarene (then Pasadena College), completed requirements for the MDiv, followed by the Th.M. with Western Seminary (Portland). From there I entered the Doctorate in Systematic Theology with Unizul in 2001 and finished that in 2005 one year after retiring from public school teaching. Up to then I was just satifying my love for Biblical-Theological study, but in 2006 I joined the faculty of the South African Theological Seminary and supervised both doctoral and masters students and supervised up to six courses at a time. But after a debiltating stroke and heart attack this January, my SATS load is reduced to teaching one ThB Honours course. God DOES NOT require any one's education to advance His plan or KIngdom, but I thank Him that He has graciously allowed me to use mine. When it comes to learning, let's do our very best for Christ! Bill Grover.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Winner Winner x 1
  2. Rhetorician

    Rhetorician Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2005
    Messages:
    2,208
    Likes Received:
    68
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Bro. Bill,

    I am sorry to hear of your debilitation.

    Thanks for the true words.

    I have just retired from the college classroom after 19 years of teaching. That was just three weeks ago. I started back just two weeks later teaching and leading a Spiritual Formations for Ministry here at another denominational seminary. I started preaching at a local rescue mission and have been appointed to a missions position at Wycliffe. We will travel to Orlando for orientation in Oct. I say amen to what you have said above. I think that my two masters in religion and my DMin from an accredited university has done me well. You and I have always agreed on our understanding of what formal education for ministry meant and what God can do for one who gives himself to the ministry.

    I pray God you will improve and be given many more opportunities to serve.

    God speed!

    rd
     
    • Like Like x 1
  3. SATS PROF

    SATS PROF Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2016
    Messages:
    103
    Likes Received:
    24
    Faith:
    Baptist
    ----
    Thank you Rhet!
     
  4. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2000
    Messages:
    30,285
    Likes Received:
    507
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I agree with the premise to "get all the education you can" and "use education for God's glory". Pray each might, like Bro Grover, never lose that vision.

    A lot of us "older" (I'm old but not THAT old) generation continued to get more and more education in both formal and informal training throughout life. Not just a "year or two of bible college and ready to pastor" that we see today. With the 'net, it is a shame if a pastor is not in a REAL program of strengthening his education in a class.
     
  5. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2012
    Messages:
    52,624
    Likes Received:
    2,742
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Think our assistant pastor got this balance right, as he received his BS from Liberty University, but then went into Youth pastoring and marriage and a family, and after about 10 year, went back and earned his MDiv from liberty, and had saved his monies to take it debt free, and also had aquired much needed experience along the way!
     
  6. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2000
    Messages:
    30,285
    Likes Received:
    507
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Highly commendable. Basic training, experience and maturity and THEN further refining/training for eldership. I was ordained a couple days before I was 25 and THAT is young. I had worked hard in churches thru high school, college, grad school and then 2 full-time years as Assoc Pastor for college/youth, but then then I'm not sure that I would have voted for me to be a senior pastor/elder. :Whistling
     
  7. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2005
    Messages:
    20,080
    Likes Received:
    3,490
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Otto Reese. One of the finest Christian gentlemen it has ever been my privilege to know. And Linda Vista Baptist College and Seminary became the core of what is now Southern California Seminary, which has been fully accredited for 11 years now.
     
  8. Rhetorician

    Rhetorician Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2005
    Messages:
    2,208
    Likes Received:
    68
    Faith:
    Baptist
    This is dedicated to all of us who want to "wear out rather than rust out!" I retired last August 10th from 18 years at a small SBC professional college where we trained nurses and allied health professionals. I was the religion professor and also taught in the areas of communication hence the handle.

    In the last couple of years I prepared four addresses on William Carey entitled, "The Four Callings of William Carey." These were prepared to be given at a pastor friend's church but the conference did not come to fruition. So I did my best to convert the papers each into a book chapter. So since I have retired I have been turned down by two publishers. (This is always humbling!). So I set about to see how to do this self publishing thing and will soon publish the mss in an e-book for Kindle and Amazon.

    In the meantime I talked to the Co-director of the William Carey Center for the Study of the Life and Work of William Carey, William Carey University, Hattiesburg, MS. He told me to have them bound and send them to him for placement in their Carey Library which I have just done this week.

    I have also formed a consulting company. I have spoken recently every week in some venues I would not have thought possible before I retired. I am doing volunteer editing for Wycliffe Bible Publishers. I went to Orlando in February for my orientation with them. I have been asked to be the co-editor on a volume of academic essays honoring one of my mentors and scholars of the SBC. And I have two other writing projects that have been on the back burner that I now have time to possibly finish?

    I am teaching at Memphis Theological Seminary and Union University in the areas of Formation for Ministry and Public Communication respectively. I say all that to say, "Stay by the stuff!" in ministry as long as you can be used by our lovely Lord Christ.

    And most if not all of this would not be possible had I not gotten doctoral level education that enabled me to teach and have that expertise.

    So to all of the young bucks out there who might read this, get all of the education you can for as long as you can be a better, sharper tool in our Lord's hands to be used all of your life.

    sdg!

    rd
     
Loading...