Ministerial Training: To Learn or Not to Learn?

Ministerial Training: To Learn or Not to Learn?

To learn or not to learn? That is the question. Or is it? Perhaps the question should be quite different. By “learning,” most people mean formal training. The question then should be, “To go to school or not go to school?” This might not be as black and white as it seems though. There are many instances where God clearly leads one serving in the gospel ministry to pursue formal training. This is not always the case though. Each person is different, and so is each calling. I would like to explore this question and, in answering it, I want to provide some thoughts.

Christians Should Strive to Always Learn

            As believers, we should always be learning. This is true for all humans. If we are not moving forward, we are moving backward. There is no maintaining. Part of loving God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength and doing all to the glory of God is continuously learning. Look for all opportunities to learn. The trouble with learning is that often is requires work and many times hard work. This is why most people do not want to learn. We should take every available opportunity to learn though, particularly those of us who are leaders in the local church.

Formal Education Is Not Always Necessary

            Learning does not constitute formal education though. While some churches may have a standard of some type of formal training, it is not absolutely necessary for the broad spectrum of serving God. The truth is that we should do what God leads us to do and learn in the ways he sets in front of us, but to pursue formal training when he is perhaps leading us in another direction is nothing other than sin.

Sometimes Formal Education Is Necessary

            Having said that formal education is not always necessary, there are times when it is. There are particular fields that require a certain type and level of education. Christians should determine what the Lord is leading them to do and pursue the educational requirements of that field. Even in more specific circumstances such as ministry positions in a particular church, sometimes specific training is required. There are churches, for example, that require their pastor to hold a Master of Divinity or their worship pastor to hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in music or worship. This does not necessarily mean that these churches are wrong (although it could if the Lord desires someone without those particular credentials to serve there); it does mean, however, that the person(s) God desires to serve there should seek that kind of training.

There Is Not a “Cookie Cutter” Ministerial Training

            We often have an idea that there is a single path all ministers take and then end up in varying roles. This is ludicrous and illogical though. To think that all pastors should possess a Master of Divinity or any type of degree at all with the same training as other pastors is to say that God has not uniquely called individuals to a particular place and time. Just as all people are different, all churches and ministries are different and should embrace those differences might I add. Therefore, training for ministry should not look the same. Not only that, but we should consider experiences as training from God himself. We learn better through experiences than we do through formal education. God has uniquely qualified his called people for a specific time and place.

Walk by the Spirit

            In all of our worldly pursuits and strivings to give undeserved credit to humankind, we must be careful that we never lose sight of the fact that we are people who are to walk by the faith and not by sight; we are to walk by the Spirit. Just as God’s Spirit might lead someone to pursue a seminary master’s or doctorate, he might also lead someone specifically to not do so. He also might lead someone else to pursue a law degree yet become a pastor. I once heard someone say that God does not call the qualified, but he qualifies the called. When we are led by the Spirit, we cannot go wrong because God is with us at all times. Trust him.

Conclusion

            The conclusion of the matter is this: trust God and lean not on your own understanding. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? There is a reason Proverbs 3:5 tells us to do this. When we rely on our own understanding, we will fail. It is always a guarantee. But with God, we will never fail. Even when it seems that we are failing, we are not, and it is, in fact, during those times that we must continue to trust him. Whatever training God has in store for his chosen ones, we must all trust his leadership and follow him.

Stop Using Scripture and Christian Morality to Justify Your Unbiblical Point of View

Stop Using Scripture and Christian Morality to Justify Your Unbiblical Point of View

            With various social issues in our culture, we seem to be confused. We often say that there are two sides to each coin, but in our culture, we seem to have more than that at times. This is why it is very difficult for Christians to rebuke sin. We are certainly called to do so, but not only do our rebukes often contradict cultural norms, they often contradict the teachings of other Christians. This should not be the case. Believers should be unified in their approach and in their biblical world view. I do not dismiss the fact that there can be differences in interpretations of secondary issues, but in primary issues, we must be unified. One of those primary issues is the fact that sin is sin when clearly spelled out in scripture. We cannot justify sin period. I could point to many sin issues in our culture to give examples, but it is likely very easy to think of some on the spot yourself. What makes these issues so complicated to some is that often scripture and Christian morality is used to justify unbiblical points of view. On social media, we see many who may even profess to be Christians (but in no way live like that) using scripture to justify their sin or their points of view. Why would one use a book they don’t even follow to justify their stance? Perhaps even they, deep down, realize that morality is based on the word of God. Whatever the case, it needs to stop.

            Christians are often caught up in this trap as well but almost in another way. Many professing Christians use the Bible to justify the corrupt or sinful behavior of others in the name of loving them. The truth, however, is that if we do not rebuke sin, we are not loving them. I, for one, know of sin’s stronghold and how easy it is to justify sin on our own merits without it holding up under God’s holiness. Sin is sin period and should be seen as hated by God no matter how much we desire it, and let’s be honest; we all are not only tempted by sin but we often love it. In fact, when we sin, we are saying that we love it more than God, and we need God to work in our hearts and lives, convict us, and bring us to a point of repentance where we do not make excuses but seek to live in holiness.

            Often people using the Bible and Christian morality to justify sin are not even Christians themselves. Whether the issue is homosexuality, abortion, racism, or anything else, the Bible is clear that sin is sin and dishonors God no matter how we feel about it. If we are going to live by the word of God, we cannot justify sin, and when we make mistakes (which will happen), we should immediately repent and turn from it. The point is this. Stop using the Bible to justify actions and behaviors that are already against the Bible. It is not only a contradiction, but it is a lie. We can say Jesus calls us to love everyone including sinners, which is true, but it is only a half truth, for Jesus also said to go and sin no more. Loving people does not mean neglecting sin. It does not work. So to people who seem to blame Christians for all the world’s trouble, stop; to people who are not Christians but seem to be OK with using the Bible to justify your position, stop; to people who are Christians but neglect sin in your life and in the lives of others, stop; and to people who absolutely do not care about anything going on in our culture, stop. God is still at work, and he is still in control. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. I just hope and pray that those who bow and confess do so before that day as well. Be holy, for he is holy. Amen.