Why Earn a PHD?

Tom, schooling can be a really good thing, but schooling alone will not make a good pastor, perhaps a very knowledgable one but it's God's calling that makes a good one. When you go to get a degree or phd do it not so you will know a lot but becasue you will be able to help guide the flock better with it.

Bugman

 

He received his D.Min back in 1983 or 1984, so things may have been a little different... but the Religious Education schools has not had the turnover the Theology school has had in the wake of the "resurgence". It was my understanding that the R.E. degrees were much easier to obtain than the theology degrees (at least that's what I told myself while I was working on my M.Div!).

As I understand things, this friend should have tried to get an D.Min in the R.E. school since he was a pastor. (Frankly, I think he went after the degree simply for the title.) It is my understanding the D.Min degrees in the theology department have always been a substantial degree.

 

Agreed.

 

When I was growing up, my mother, wanting me to go to college, always told me, you can't be too educated, and there's never been a class that's been a waste: Even if you didn't learn what you wanted, you learned something.

I'm sure that's the case. God may be no respector of persons, but if you feel called to the ministry you darn well better make sure you equip yourself well for the task.

If pastor chooses to seek a third stripe on his/her sleeve, then more power to him/her, because the congregation will get to reap the rewards.

Yeah, there are ALWAYS going to be people to say that college degrees don't get someone into heaven, but they can equip a pastor to get someone there.

So to all the Reverend Doctors Fill-in-the-blanks out there, I thank you for your hard work and dilligence. Take a bow!!