When a man and a woman make a baby, what kind of baby do they make? A human baby. Frogs make more frogs, fish make more fish, and dragonflies make more dragonflies. Like begets like; you reproduce what you are. The same is true in education. When I was learning to be a school bus […]
In this lovely little recording, Alistair Roberts — himself a product of the conventional ministry preparation system — gives a run-down on the areas where his formal training did not, in fact, prepare him for ministry. The recording is only a tad over 15 minutes, and it’s well worth your time. Roberts is not complaining. […]
We don’t have a standard reading list, for the very good reason that we can’t. The mentor tailors the reading to the student. But I can give you an idea of the menu I’m picking from, and the sort of things I might have someone read. So here’s a start, anyway. The Bible. First, last, […]
I have seen more than one ministry implode. Beyond the obvious scandalous causes (pastor sleeps with counselee, treasurer runs off with the money), there are some less-discussed, but very common, patterns. I’ve seen relational problems build up over time: petty power plays, minor wrongs never confessed, refusal to forgive, etc. Then one day, BOOM! The […]
Even before we meet you for the first time, there are a few things we already know about you: God built you in your mother’s womb; He assembled you for a purpose. Even before your tiny heart began to beat, God saw your whole life, and He put into you the desires and strengths that […]
When Jesus called Matthew, He didn’t put him in a classroom. He took him on a three-year adventure. They cast out demons, healed the sick, baptized converts, preached the Kingdom of God. They did the work together, and along the way, Matthew absorbed Jesus’ teaching so well that he eventually wrote a book about it—the […]
So let’s talk about seminary. You ship yourself off for two to four years of preparation, and come out the end ready to go, a newly-minted ministry professional. What’s not to love, right? Well… You’re attending an Institution of Higher Learning. There are Impressive Buildings, Distinguished Faculty Members, and Excellent Administrators (more layers of them […]
In my experience with grad schools, I’ve found that unfortunately, they mostly think of character formation as someone else’s job. The church should do it, or the students should find a mentor on their own, or…well, someone else, anyhow. The school focuses on knowledge, and somebody else can worry about the students’ character. It makes […]