Andersonville Theological Seminary

JGrayhound,

You are entitled to your opinion. But you should also look at all the facts.

Take me for example. I was not saved until I was 22 years old. By that time I was married and had a child. I was the primary provider, and we were barely getting by.

I was not called to preach for several years. By that time we were in debt (the American dream), with a house payment, loans, a car, plus monthly expenses. Although my family was the same size, my daughter was now in school, ballet, tap, and choir, all of which were very important to her (and cost money).

The thing is, should I have thrown it all to the wind, picked up my family and moved off to go to seminary, forcing my wife into the role of sole provider? And what about the debt that we would have incurred from the student loans, because I sure didn't have the money for it?

I do feel that I am missing out by not being in a regular seminary. I get much more out of a classroom eviroment than self-study. But I am the sole provider for my family, by choice, and have responsibilities to my family and my church.

This being the case, I have chosen Andersonville. While not perfect, it is better than nothing. It allows me the chance to learn more through the lectures that I receive in my coursework, because I can back up to what I missed or didn't understand the first time. It is also reasonably priced, with a payment plan that I can afford, even on our tight budget. By being self-study, there are no deadlines to have to fear, and i can work it into my schedule as I want.

Am I cheating myself? I don't feel that I am. I feel that I am being responsible for my family, which is mandated in the Bible. I try to educate myself as well by being well read, as well as my coursework. Although I may not have all the advantages of being in a full-time seminary, God is still using me. And that is good enough for me.

In Christ,
Trotter

 

Trotter,

The fact remains that it is not as good an education. That was my first point. That is true, and it can not really be disputed. Andersonville provides a diploma, but it does not provide a quality theological education.

Second, I know that not all people can move off to seminary for whatever reason. But, many seminaries offer internet courses where you can learn from an actual professor. These same schools offe 4 2-week terms a year where you can earn credit in the classroom.

Third, (my idealistic point), I think if men of God truly want a seminary education (which I view as critical to ministry, like it or not), then they should commit themselves (and their family) to getting a quality education, no matter how hard it is. I am at seminary and some of my best freinds here moved their family (children included) out of houses and into tiny apartments because they realize the importance of theological training for the minister. My wife and I could have a much more "comfortable" existence if we weren't living in a 2 room (not 2 bedroom...2 room) apartment and if I would have stayed in my home town working at the church I was at. I would have been serving at a church, and we would have more income...but I felt this was vital...so I moved 1000 miles away from home to devote three or four years to this training.

The problem is our churches have settled for un-trained men for so long, that we now see a seminary degree as a "that's nice" kind of thing, and not as vitl for ministry. Why is their doctrinal stagnancy in most churches? I think this is a main cause. You don't go to seminary for a diploma, you go to get trained in ministry by men of God who do that well. Andersonville, although well intentioned, does not do that.

Trotter, I understand your difficult poition. But, there are many men in your same boat who do go off to seminary. I trust that you made what you feel is the best decision, and I am not necessarily questioning YOUR decision but am addressing this issue as a whole.

Andersonville produces men with diplomas, but it cannot adequately train ministers in the way that seminaries should train ministers.

(I will step off my soapbox now.)

 

JGrayhound,

You say that Andersonville produces men with diplomas, and that may be true. Personally I am very blessed by the coursework that I have been through thus far, but I can see how anyone who wanted to trudge through the tapes and tests could "earn" a degree.

But, you see, it is God who makes the minister, not a school.

I am all for educating the minister. Heaven knows we have enough ignorance on display in far too many pulpits today. But no amount of schooling will replace the calling and the passion that God puts into the hearts of the men He purposes to use.

I may never get to darken the door of a fine, respected seminary, but I will allow God to grow me, to temper me in the way He sees fit.

At the very least, I am attempting to get in some type of education, inferior as it may be. I do know anyone who would call me ignorant (intellectually proud, or smarty-pants arrogant, maybe). But I do realize the importance of a good Bible education.

I may never be a big fish in the world's pond, but I want to be the best pastor that I can possibly be for the flock that God puts me over.

In Christ,
Trotter

 

Good point Trotter. Some of the godliest men and women I have been with were Christians in the public university. I saw those young people sharing their faith with their professors and fellow students. They were on the front lines.

We wrote editorials and spoke in the free speech platform on Christ. We led Bible studies on campus and taught others to reproduce themselves in the lives of others. That's what Christ has called everyone to do.

 

Sir, I respectfully disagree. True, there are a lot of mail order degree mills in Baptist circles but distance education is still a viable option. After all, the University of London and the University of South Africa (UNISA) offer world class distance education degrees. These institutions have offered external degrees for over one hundred years. UNISA is probably the world's largest university with 120-130,000 students. Yes, UNISA does offer theological degrees at all levels as well as degrees in Greek and Biblical Hebrew.

As for the value of interaction--that's debatable. (IMHO, most American seminarians are a flighty bunch and the profs are the guys who failed in the real world.) Look at the Puritans. Old Cotton Mather did his doctorate alone. His was the first doctorate made in America.

 

IMHO, most seminaries are milk and toast factories--just look at their products. Unfortunately, most profs at the major seminaries are not great men of God with spiritual discernment and knowledge, but they are academicians. They are not great missionaries, pastors or even teachers, but they are academicians who skinned by a dissertation committee. In their ivory towers, they are far removed from the real world and the problems of people.

Furthermore, the intellectual quality of seminaries is not overly impressive. Now days, they seem to focus on methods and how-to-do-it courses. These are not exactly the most rigorous courses in the world. Like Pascal, I tend to think that men ought to master the calculus and physics before tackling theology. I do think that Biblical languages and other traditional Bible-related seminary courses can be useful but these are largely ignored today in favor of trendy methodology, psychology and sociology courses.

Some of the most effective pastors, evangelists and missionaries are not seminary trained (I intentionally used trained instead of educated) but they are university educated. I’m quite skeptical of seminary training.

 

AMEN! And many of them hold seminary degrees from major Baptist seminaries too! It's not just Andersonville!

 

I believe that seminary (correspondance or on-site)is like any school .... you get out of it what you put into it.

I pastor a small, rural church in Louisiana. I am where God wants me, doing what God wants me to do. I heard of a bi-vo pastor in another part of the state who was called (by God) into the ministry. This man did not even finish the 6th grade! He is pastoring a rural/remote church where he ministers to the people and serves them and preaches God's Word to them. The congregation loves him. He knows the people, He loves the people. He is their PASTOR! Should he quit and move off to get a D.Min, P.HD, M.Th,etc... and come back so he can blow the congregation away with all those fancy words????

I believe that all men who are called by God into the ministry know that their life in one of a student. A pastor studies!!!!! THat is part of growing. No matter how it is done.

As for interaction with other students.... I get plenty of interaction right here on the Baptist Board! AMEN!

 

Originally posted by paidagogos:

Sorry but I beg to disagree. Your opening statement is simply not true regarding the Facualty of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Our professors, by and large, are also good pastors, evangelists, and especially great missionaries.

Likewise, every MDiv. student must complete 6 semester hours in both Greek and Hebrew (12 hours total). In other words no biblical languages equals no MDiv.

Finally, Southeastern College at Wake Forest (shares the campus with SEBTS) has developed a BA in History of Ideas and Biblical Studies. This is a double major degree that focuses on 2,500 years of the Great Books of the Western World and traditional Biblical Studies course work. It is a classical education that prepares the student for masters level work in seminary.

Yours in Christ,

Bible-boy

 

Sorry but I beg to disagree. Your opening statement is simply not true regarding the Facualty of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Our professors, by and large, are also good pastors, evangelists, and especially great missionaries.

Likewise, every MDiv. student must complete 6 semester hours in both Greek and Hebrew (12 hours total). In other words no biblical languages equals no MDiv.

Finally, Southeastern College at Wake Forest (shares the campus with SEBTS) has developed a BA in History of Ideas and Biblical Studies. This is a double major degree that focuses on 2,500 years of the Great Books of the Western World and traditional Biblical Studies course work. It is a classical education that prepares the student for masters level work in seminary.

Yours in Christ,

Bible-boy </font>[/QUOTE]Okay, you may be right but this no way negates what I said. Notice that I chose my words carefully using "most", "some", etc. I didn't say "all" or "none". Look at the whole field and you may agree with me.