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Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by iknowsomething, Aug 1, 2006.

  1. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    ==I could have if I wanted to, yes. However I would not want to have done a MDiv online at Liberty since the languages would not have been included. I did a year of Greek, and some New Testament courses, at Southeastern Seminary in Raleigh before transfering to Liberty's dlp program (for personal reasons...job, etc). I don't know if SEBTS or SBTS would accept the MAR and roll it over into the MDiv the way Liberty would. I would have been able to enter their MDiv program(s) with advanced standing. However I chose not to do that. Instead I have gone to a state University to earn my degrees in history and ancient history. I was accepted into Liberty's MA/RS in Church History program (on campus program). However, after much prayer and consideration, I came to the conclusion that I needed a broader program than just church history. Thus the state University choice. It was a very hard decision, that took almost a year to make, because I always sort of viewed myself as teaching New Testament and Church History in a seminary, but I guess God had different plans. Now I will be teaching ancient history and focusing my academic/personal study and research on New Testament historical background. In the process of reading, studying, and praying about my next step I think I read every catalog from every major seminary in the country trying to make the right choice. So I know what a difficult choice this can be.


    ==It took me about three years to finish the MAR. Currently I am working on my second Masters degree.

    ==Yes that is a major minus in Liberty's program. Southern Evangelical Seminary is planning on putting their language courses online in the next year or so. They do have a MDiv with a Biblical Studies focus (online). However SES is TRACS (nationally) accredited and are not regionally accredited. That is not a bad thing, or a problem, but by going there you "could" limit the ThM or PhD programs you would be able to enter. I am a firm believer in distance learning and TRACS accreditation. However there are still some schools out there that don't accept TRACS (even though they are a recongized accrediting agency according to the US Dept. of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation).
     
  2. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    I second that! :thumbs:
     
  3. iknowsomething

    iknowsomething New Member

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    Yes, I really do want to. Why?
    For that exact reason. Their are way too many professors who are "snobs", full of themselves, prideful (and let's admit it, it's easy to be so, in such a position). In order to help you understand my motivation, I'll attach something I wrote recently explaining some of my thoughts on the issue. Hope this helps. Again, you guys have been wonderful.

    To quote myself; :)
     
    #23 iknowsomething, Aug 2, 2006
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 2, 2006
  4. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    Because for any given new class, there are at least 20 to 30 that say they will be a professor, but only a couple of PhD's graduate - the wash out rate is incredibly high. Don't know why so many go to be a professor and then quit.

     
    #24 El_Guero, Aug 2, 2006
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  5. Rhetorician

    Rhetorician Administrator
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    FWIW (for what it's worth)!

    To all who seek wisdom through learning:

    I would like to see more of a response than just mine to this opinion.

    It would be wise to re-consider if one wanted to get a PhD or other doctorate in order to teach or not. There is a real glut of PhDs out there in all of the theological disciplines. You may get all of those years of education and NOT BE ABLE TO FIND A TEACHING POSITION. You can hardly throw a rock w/out hitting an unemployed PhD person who would love to have the most menial position teaching at a small obscure college some where.

    May I make a few of suggestions:

    First, make sure that you are called and "have a word from God" to that ministry position. We can discuss what the call sounds like on another thread.

    Second, you must do something (hopefully many things) to set yourself apart from the crowd. That will give you and edge when you go to be hired. It may be the one w/whom you have studied. It may be the particular subject matter you have studied. It may be where you have studied. For an "SBC hand," it might be that you have done your PhD or ThD at Harvard. Those type things never hurt.

    Third; write, write, write, write! Write soon. Write early in your academic career! Write much! When all other things are seemingly equal the person with a long CV of written materials may be the one who gets the job. The writing could just tip the scale for the person who is the final one who does the hiring. Start with book reviews. Go to the ETS conferences or SBL or whatever your particular discipline might be.

    Please make sure that you know this is what God has called you to do. You could come to the end of a long road and be terribly disappointed.

    I don't mean to sound spiritual, but I have of course said all this with the will of a sovereign God as my primary assumption.

    PM or email me if anyone wants to talk further about these issues. I do have some personal experience and expertise in the area.

    Stay by the stuff!:thumbs:

    sdg!

    rd
     
  6. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    Rhet

    Not the 'H' School! Yuck! Harvard! Now I gotta go worsh out my mouth.

    :saint:

    Ya' coulda said a good liberal school. ;)
     
  7. iknowsomething

    iknowsomething New Member

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    First of all thanks for this, your wisdom and experience is appreciated. Reminds me of proverbs 1

    I seek such advice, and harken to it, as should anyone who desires wisdom. At any rate, how do yo go about getting published? That's a loaded quesiton I'm sure, but I've written a few pieces, never published or attempted to publish them. In my schooling, I'm sure I'll want/have to write more, and on deeper levels as well. I'm not going to be published in the Princeton Review anytime soon, so what journals could I start in? Who would publish a lay theologian? What topic to write upon, is of course, an entirely separate topic, hehe.

    Not getting a job after that much hardship is both eyeopening and a little disheartening. I'm guessing the same rules of finding work applies; who do you know, and more importantly, what do they know and think of you.
     
  8. iknowsomething

    iknowsomething New Member

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    I'm a little hesitant.. If you know of Gary Friesen's book, I think you'll know why. But nevertheless, your right, a new thread would be in order for such a topic. Feel free to start if you'd like. I'm personally more interested in yours and others direct experiences in doing what I've set forth for myself.
     
  9. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    ==Very important point. If someone is not "called" to be a pastor, they should not be a pastor. If someone is not called to be a nurse, they should not be a nurse. If someone is not called to be a school teacher, they should not be a school teacher. And if someone is not called to be a seminary professor, they should not be a seminary professor. Don't try to become a seminary professor simply because you want to or because you want to teach. There are other subjects out there, not just theology. If you want to teach the most important subject in the world, theology, make sure you are called of God to do so.

    I believe that many people are miserable in their lives because they have missed God's calling. They think that God only calls missionaries or pastors, but this is not so. God created each individual person with a purpose in mind and once a person is saved God can work through that person to achieve His purposes. We should all seek to do what God has called us to do.

    A very good way not to be able to find a job is get out of God's will.
     
  10. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    Well on the possitive side, the average PhD graduate that cannot teach gets more in ministry than a professor!

    But, on the negative side, that has gotta hurt after all that time and energy.

    Wayne


     
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