1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Martin's Thoughts On School and The Future

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by Martin, Aug 14, 2007.

  1. Martin

    Martin Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2005
    Messages:
    5,229
    Likes Received:
    0
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Classes start back for me tomorrow night. :praying:

    I am taking two this semester: History of the New South and Historical Research Methods. I will also continue working on my major research project ("a thesis which is not a thesis"...my advisors joke). The course on the new south has 10 textbooks and only one of those books is small! I about fell out when I saw that. Still I think it will be a great class.

    Anyway I am still stressing over my PhD options. One friend told me that I am worrying about building the bridge before the highway is even laid (or something like that). However I am a long term planner, I like to lay things out "just so" years in advance (I think it is also called OCD :laugh: ). Anyway I have now counted Southern Seminary out. I was interested in their PhD/Church History program but they will not work with me at all. They demand 90hrs in theology (etc) before they would even consider admission to the program. What that means is that I would be required to earn a THIRD masters degree and that is not going to happen. George Mason University's PhD in American History is still looking good, as are simular programs at UNC-Greensboro, The University of South Carolina, and George Washington University. I have also set my eyes upon a PhD in Systematic Theology from Piedmont Baptist College. Why? It would be a first PhD and it contains a historical element. I am also no longer sure I want to teach at a university/seminary. There is a very good chance that I will be perfectly happy teaching history/religion at a community college for the rest of my life. If that proves to be the case I see no reason in moving to another state and all that goes along with that. I could stay put, teach, and commute to Winston-Salem. Why am I shying away from university teaching? Because I work at a university and I see what some of these professors have to do on top of their normal teaching/research. I have also worked at a community college and their teachers focused on teaching (etc). That is what I want to do...teach. However I do want a PhD and Piedmont would give me the chance to earn one.

    Interesting and, at this time, totally beside the point. I have to finish the program I am in and then I will probably teach for 2, 3, maybe 5 years before entering a PhD program of any sort. So I suppose the direction I take will be determined by where I am then and the direction I need to head in. It will sort of be like the Captain on the Enterprise (sp?) in the movie Star Trek I. He was asked where to go and he looked around and just pointed and said..."that way". The future is wide open, it and I are in the hands of the Lord, and I am sure it will interesting and fun. Despite all of my careful planning and mapping.

    Since I foresee that I will be very, very busy between work and school over the next few months I imagine that my posting habits will decrease. Well at least I have been able to join the 3,000 club this summer. So between work, research, surgery, and church/social activities, I have been a busy little poster this summer. What is sad is that I have not been on my jet ski once this summer. I did not even get around to putting it in the water until about a week ago, and there it sits. When I have had time I have not felt well enough to ride and when I have felt well enough I have not had the time. I guess this is what they call growing up??? It had to happen!!
     
    #1 Martin, Aug 14, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 14, 2007
  2. Rhetorician

    Rhetorician Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2005
    Messages:
    2,208
    Likes Received:
    68
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Martin Reply

    Hey Martin,

    God bless you my brother!! I have been where you are and with family, job, church, et al it is really hard to make those types of decisions.

    I know you have been on and around the BB for a while. I think I understand your predicament somewhat? But, why may I ask:? Piedmont Baptist College? You are getting a classic and RA education. And I am in no doubt at the price you have paid and the route you are taking that you will be a tried and true scholar when you are done.

    Having lauded all of your experience and education, why then would you choose a non-accredited school like Piedmont Baptist College for your terminal degree? Although I know it has good people who teach in the PhD program. Please help me understand this? You, after all know all of the issues pro & con? Help a brother out here would you please.:laugh:

    sdg!:thumbs:

    rd
     
  3. Martin

    Martin Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2005
    Messages:
    5,229
    Likes Received:
    0
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I Feel Ashamed

    ==Piedmont was only the option if I were to stay teaching at the community college level for my whole career. To be perfectly honest, if I did that, there would be no reason to pursue a PhD anyway.

    I'll probably want to move past the community college level at some point. While I would no longer consider Southern Seminary for my PhD, I would look to earn a PhD from schools such as George Mason University or the University of South Carolina. I think maybe, due to my frustration with work and Southern Seminary, I gave more room to Piedmont than I should have. I probably should have cooled a bit before I wrote the OP.

    I would like to reach "scholar" stage one day, Lord willing.


    ==Your right I don't want that.

    Like I stated in the OP, I can be a bit OCD about making plans (etc) and when things don't go right I sometimes throw my hands up and walk away. Maybe that is what I was doing (mentally) earlier today when Piedmont was looking so good (and when I wrote the OP).

    I think I had already snapped out of it but your reply snapped me totally out of it. I have to learn to keep things in perspective. We are going through the Gospel of Matthew in church on Sunday mornings. Maybe I should have listened better this past week when the pastor preached from Matthew 6:25-34? I am going to review my notes.
     
  4. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2005
    Messages:
    7,051
    Likes Received:
    3
    How much do you want for that jet ski?



    :laugh: :laugh:
     
  5. Martin

    Martin Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2005
    Messages:
    5,229
    Likes Received:
    0
    Faith:
    Baptist
    ==Very funny :laugh: . Actually I did get out in a friend's boat yesterday and almost got beat to death it was so choppy. I was going to get out on the jet ski today but it looks worse than it did yesterday. So I think I will stay in today and catch up on reading (and I have plenty to do).

    My jet ski is a Yamaha Waverunner. It is a wonderful machine but it drinks gas like it is going out of style. The way I drive it certainly does not help. I can seem to stay straight for long before I am doing doughnuts and backturns. I love getting wet with the spray.

    The pic below is what it looks like. I thought I had some pictures of mine but I looked through my pics folder and could not find them. Now I have to figure out what happened to them. I really need to clean my computer up a bit.

    [​IMG]
     
Loading...