Featured Master of Divinity Mini Discussion

Gentleman, the minimum prerequisites for a Pastor are clearly set forth in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 and there is nothing said about going to schools, degree programs or a "gold standard." When we start requiring more than the Bible requires then we are treading on thin ice.

Don't get me wrong, I have a graduate and four post-graduate degrees and so I value education. However, I value scripture a little bit more. I have seen Ph.D's that should not be in a seminary or pastorate.

Whom God calls, God prepares and the classroom is not always the ivory halls of academia.

 

C.H. Spurgeon had no qualifications and all those that Martyn Lloyd-Jones had were medical, not theological.
I am far from criticizing academic qualifications for the ministry, but I do believe that studying at some seminaries is more of a hindrance than an advantage.

In the city near where I live in Britain there is a fine Baptist church. About 10 years ago when its Pastor left (or was pushed!), the church decided that the next Pastor would have to declare his belief in the entire Bible as the word of God. Over the next few years, they were sent at least six seminary-trained men by the Baptist Union, but none of them were able to make the required declaration. Eventually, they went outside the Baptist Union to take on a man, who, although not uneducated nor untrained, did not have a seminary degree. The church has gone from strength to strength under that man's leadership.

 

Do you think you get a better product with seminary edu.?

 

Up here in NJ, they no longer believe & teach doctrine......or so I'm told. LOL!

But you know, there is subtle indoctrination from each of the churches I have been involved in.....IE the RCC indoctrinated me in its DOGMA & Ways, The Presbys (the Orthodox ones ....not the Liberals) attempted to do the same....& finally baptists (both Reformed & Anominian) have all attempted to do the same. So who is right & who is wrong? I don't know, but a good education in basics of Christianity / Doctrine of Christ, Bible Study, Greek & Hebrew, all help. Especially if you intend to lead others.

 

Out of curiosity Jon, are there churches that would actually train you & send you to Seminary?

I got a feeling that the Landmark Churches would do it....they tend to groom you 'womb to tomb" & beyond. Tell the truth, I have become much more interested in their brand of religion to date.

 

So your saying that experience is more important than Seminary? What if the Pastor cannot translate from Greek & Hebrew.....is that a problem?

I'm asking this because the Church I attend is now searching for a New Pastor.

 

Wow, where do you find such a church.....Ive looked high & low and to date, none of that ilk ever materialized. Perhaps this is why the area I live in is so non caring for one another (shakes head)

 

Thats a long way from my home town. We got pleanty of Catholics though.....go a block theres one, another block still another, 1/2 mile oh there's one......and one & on & on. Say the word "Baptist" and watch the face turn . Yea we got one. Its in three towns over....no wait, its a furniture store now.! Gee I don't know fella......How bout a Methodist church, its right down the street! "AND I TAINT KIDDIN"

 

I'm saying that the Holy Spirit prepares a man for ministry. I'm sure that a seminary education is a great advantage, but it is more important that God has called and prepared him.
I'm not sure that a knowledge of Greek and Hebrew is vital, though it is certainly very helpful. Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones taught themselves those languages.

I hope your church finds a good man. Choose a godly man over a learned one, but God willing, you will get both.

 

Brother, thanks but they are still another Antonomian Church & they are all around here....so whatever they get they get. God willing, they will choose a Doctrines of Grace guy & perhaps even .... well I wont go there, its in the future.

 

I loved the church I attended in Mackinaw, IL. It was a small church (70-100), and never grew beyond that. But it had new members coming in all the time. What was happening is that we had a ton of "preacherboys" (of which I was one) and they were expected to train under the pastor for a few years, preaching in jails, nursing homes, and sometimes even on the street. After a few years of training, they would go out and plant churches or full pulpits in churches looking for pastors.

It was a nice, energetic atmosphere. It ran that way for years. Unfortunately, (without any details) the church underwent some trying times that ended with the pastor leaving, and then the church splitting over the decision of who the new pastor should be.

Before that though, it was on fire, pumping out preachers and establishing new ministries.

Sent from my QTAQZ3 using Tapatalk

 

Ohhhh, but it didn't last!?! Now there is the RUB...and disturbing. I suspect human frailty did it in.