Is Seminary Old School?

Q: Is Seminary Old School? How important is a degree for today's church leaders?

Forcing Contemplation

Ken Fong, Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles, California.

Sometimes I'm tempted to think that requiring all would-be ministers to go through seminary is sort of like hazing—I had to suffer through it, so everyone else should too! But I'm really not that cynical.

Earning both my seminary degrees put me through a rigorous, focused theological process. I read, wrote, and contemplated ideas I never would have touched if left to my own devices. So even though there are things that clearly need updating in order to equip missional leader-servants for the 21st century, most future ministers would benefit greatly if they did what I did.

Does seminary guarantee competence in the trenches? Absolutely not. Would it be richer and more helpful if it were culturally more comprehensive? You bet. Is it for everyone? No, especially those who aren't cut out for graduate level studying.

But even if a congregation isn't keen on higher education, a pastor owes it to them, to himself, and to the Lord to get both mind and heart in shape for many years of ministry.

Training in Church

Dave Ferguson, Community Christian Church, Naperville, Illinois

While I think a seminary education is very beneficial, I do not think it is essential for all church leaders. Most leaders in our church have extensive experience in the marketplace. After attending the church for a few years, they develop a passion for our vision and philosophy of ministry. Then they leave their marketplace position to join our ministry team, often at a significant pay cut. As a result they come to our staff with proven leadership skills. Rather than seeing these gifted leaders absent from ministry while they attend seminary, I favor a partnership between schools and churches to provide theological instruction for leaders while they remain connected to the church.

The church is an ideal environment for shaping, training, and giving leaders a philosophy of ministry. Seminaries are excellent sources of biblical and theological training. Ideally, I want to see more seminaries and churches working together to develop leaders.

Vital for Lifelong Learning

Cheryl Sanders, Third Street Church of God, Washington, D.C.

Formal seminary education is extremely important for today's church leaders. First and foremost, theological education equips one for the practice of ministry, including preaching, worship, counseling, and spiritual formation. In addition, it provides a baseline of content for preaching and teaching by offering courses in biblical studies, theology, ethics, and church history. Every theological student also gains prolonged exposure to a vital community of mentors and peers, and under ideal circumstances these relationships will endure and enrich ministry after graduation.

As a theological educator, my goal is to give my students a deep orientation to lifelong learning, in other words, to equip them to read and think critically as they process the steady stream of new information that is pertinent to effectiveness in leadership.

For church leaders who lack seminary education, my advice is to count the cost of submitting to the discipline of instruction. If theological instruction is not possible, for whatever reason, some of the gaps can be filled by (1) reading books and journals on church leadership, (2) attending conferences, and (3) acquiring mentors who will devote significant time and attention to nurturing leaders.

Accessible Wisdom

Dave Terpstra, The Next Level Church, Denver, Colorado

As with most pastors, I do not have as much time as I would like to spend with young leaders. Since I am a young leader myself (I'm 29) in a church full of young people (mostly 18 to 40), I need to surround myself with leaders who have more wisdom and experience in ministry than myself. As a recent graduate of Denver Seminary, I find the campus still provides me with mentors and friends, from both the faculty and administration, that I need as a young leader.

Also, since we always have seminary students in leadership in the church, our congregation benefits from the training and mentoring these leaders receive through the seminary.

Do I expect every pastor and elder in my church to attend seminary? No. Is our church (and the Kingdom of God) better for having a seminary just a few blocks away? Immeasurably so.