exhortation to teach interns

I am in an unpaid internship. I cannot afford to quit my full time job. I am studying through seminary extension and my pastor offered me an internship. He is grooming me for the pastoral part of ministry, as opposed to the preaching part. He said that preaching will come and a good pastor is able to minister out of the pulpet. He is very active in visitation and counselling. I am learning much more and all I have read has meant more now than ever before. How many pastors are taking the time to mentor and train a newly surrendered minister?

 

there is one published by Seminary Extension. Fortunately, pastor has 55 or 56 years in ministry. He started me with small responsibilities, and grown my job as I have grown in experience and confidence. Of course, the Lord has blessed me tremendously. You may have to develop that based upon the candidate and the particular mentor. Much like Jesus trained his Apostles for ministry. He met each one's particular needs as the opportunity arose.

 

so Dr. Bob, you are saying that because I have not done years of Bible college I would not be a candidate? Hmmm. I surrendered to preach at the age of 36 and have a family to support. There is no way I can quit my job and go to school full time. I am, however, studying through Seminary Extension. I had been studying the Bible for 15 years before surrendering to the ministry. would you consider me to be underqualified to serve as an intern?
I have been serving as an intern for almost a year now. The pastor looks at my tests and comments on the answers I provide. He insisted that I do Seminary Classes to accompany the practical ministry.

 

I am willing to learn. I spent a good bit of time reading about ministry, and studying the Bible. I used various studie guides and some independant study also. I wont say that I know more than a man who went to college, but the Lord has blessed me with many tools and aids along with people willing to share their learning with me.

 

Dr Bob,
I think I may have over-reacted to you. I am sorry to come off that way. I had just had a discussion with someone with a similar veiwpoint. He just finished Bible college and seminary and was ordained. He He has no ministry experience at all and wants a pastor position at "his own church." Really makes me concerned. But anyway, he said that there is no way I can be as prepared as him without formal Bible college. I do not feel that formal school is definately better than any other style of learning.
I have a cousin who did a similar thing. right from college and seminary went to his own pastorate. After a year or so he stepped down from that position and went to another church as associate pastor. He is doing much better after 2 years under an experienced man.

 

I agree. But I surrendered to the call of the Holy Spirit at the age of 36. ( that was aug 2002) I have to maintain a full time job to support myself and family. I have been told I don't have enough faith or I would quit my job and go to school full time, but that seems impractical. I am, in my pastor's educated opinion well grounded and ready to do seminary level training. ( I am using Seminary Extension's Independant study program) Along with this training I am involved in ministry work. It is awesome to look at the journal the pastor insisted I start keeping. I really can see the learning and growth that have taken place as a result of the training I have received. I agree, study to show yourself approved, and work under an experienced mentor. great formula for successful ministry preparation.

 

Ok I understand. I do have a secular degree. In looking back, I assumed you said a Bible degree. I disagree about the "formal" degree, though. I have learned much from nonformal venues. I am not sure why "college" is as important as learning is. A degree does not equal competence. I guess I learn better in nontraditional ways than the traditional.
I think the weak point of a bulletin board is that body language and tonal inflections are lost. As any effective communicator knows these elements convey a good third or more of the meaning of the words used.

[ May 02, 2003, 02:14 PM: Message edited by: j_barner2000 ]

 

cool. at least we agree that being interned/mentored is an important portion of training for ministry. I still believe that self-directed (spirit-directed) study can be a valid way of learning too.
edited to fix misspelling.

 

I think I understand Ernie. There are many very good books about the Bible. But, if you want to understand the Bible, you need to read the Bible, not just books about it. Books about the Bible are great tools to help understand it, but no substitute to studying it. Classes about the Bible can help you understand the Bible, too, but the tool is no substitute for the Bible. It is like this, your battery on your car goes dead, you can use a tool to remove it and install the replacement. However, the tool will not do the work of the battery. Likewise, you can use a study aid (book or class) to help understand the Bible, they cannot replace studying the Bible itself.