Tag - the seminary journey

Asking the right questions

Most of what we learn in life is determined by the questions we bring to it. As a young seminarian, fresh out of college, I don’t have significant pastoral experience. In my classrooms are older men and women, several of them in their sixties...

The Flip Side of “Practice Makes Perfect”

Imagine a very little boy sitting on his father’s lap, watching a basketball game. The father talks with the boy about the game as they watch, telling him all sorts of things about the players and the rules and things like that. Most of these things...

Finishing For Them!

Is it worth it? The time? The money? The sacrifices? Those were just a few of the questions running through my head and heart as I stood over the washing machine a number of years ago moving a load into the dryer. It was not a good season in many...

Sharpening your skills

During seminary, you’ll develop a unique set of skills. You’ll be able to parse every Greek verb in the New Testament, list the minor prophets in canonical and chronological order, create Turabian or APA style footnotes in a flash, and...

Six Side Jobs for Seminarians

Seminary doesn’t pay for itself, nor does the rent. But, what jobs are best to balance the study load and the budget? After talking with some seminarians, here are six ideas to get you started finding a job to help support your study habits. 1...

Teaching the Word in the Spirit

I read a book called Out of Context by Richard Schultz last semester for a seminary class. The author goes through common exegetical and interpretive mistakes in teaching the Bible, including those that famous preachers or authors have made, and...

Surrendering in Seminary

The great greatest personal change I have experienced during my time in seminary is to daily surrender to God. Before seminary I went to a summer discipleship program a year or two ago. The program helped change me and I was able to see how to daily...

How to Live Free in Your Ministry

“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;” Hebrews 12:15 I have been alive long enough to have a good share of life experiences. Many that...

Being a Seminarian in a Christian Community

“By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” — John 13:35 Some say that they don’t go to church because Christians are hypocrites. We could easily respond and say that we are all hypocrites to one...

The First Shall Be Last

Going to Seminary is an obvious step towards our calling. Being part of God’s harvest and furthering His Kingdom on earth is such a privilege to be part of and the workers are few. Going to Seminary is a unique calling on one’s life. We leave in two...

Saving the Bible from Seminary

My one year at the first seminary I attended was perhaps the most formative time of theological change in my life. The seminary itself was in the midst of a redefinition and realigning of its commitments and leanings, and so points and counterpoints...

Some Thoughts on Rhythm and Life

Do you have any rituals? My roommate gets up most every morning at around the same time, goes for a run, makes a French press of coffee and sits out our kitchen table and reads his giant red-leather Study Bible and journals for a long time after. I...

Discouragement

Avoiding discouragement is part of the battle. When the world looks at only using the scientific method and tangible evidence as the sole means of valid decision making, it becomes difficult to convince even believers that what God has designed you...

Finding a Church During Seminary

If you’re like me, you had to make the difficult decision of uprooting and leaving a wonderful church to attend seminary. Others of you have chosen to stay local, have been commissioned by your denomination, or aren’t terribly particular...

Finding Community at Seminary

There are a variety of ways to find community on a seminary campus. I certainly don’t mean to offer this writing as the only way. Every day I’ve found people gathered in the community room watching football, or a great show. I watch other seminary...

God at Work in Your Classes

There is that old time “joke” of calling seminary, “cemeteries.” What is the cause of this notorious designation you ask? I can personally testify to experiencing some of this so called “deadening” as the Bible becomes a piece of literature to...

Compline: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Confession: I’m a night owl. I can’t do mornings. And yet, there is a long tradition in the Church of beginning your day with devotional meditation with God. I’m working on it. But in the meantime, one of the great ironies is that few things can put...

Sometimes, Seminary Can Be Fun!

In one of the first episodes of the U.S. version of The Office (about a paper company), one of the employees is asked why, though he hates his job, he doesn’t quit. He says something like, “Because what would I do with all these useless facts about...

Brotherhood in Semianry

What is brotherhood? One definition I came across is, “the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group of people or all people.” I would like to venture to say that brotherhood is necessary in seminary and generally, in life. As a second year...

Time Management & Eternity

I’m writing this article so I don’t have to do Greek homework. The worst part is I know I’m procrastinating. Actually, that’s not the worst part… I have put my Greek homework off for the whole week. Now that I have that confessions off my chest, we...

Developing a Prayer Life in Seminary

How often do we need to pray? What does prayer look like? How can I know I’m doing it right? Often, the interesting aspect of beginning seminary life is not the amount of security you find, but the lack of depth you uncover. It was during my first...

Mentorship during Seminary? Is it overrated?

Perhaps you have heard repeatedly about the importance of having a mentor during seminary. Perhaps you are at a seminary that requires it. Or perhaps you believe that mentorship is overrated and really isn’t beneficial. Regardless of where you stand...

The Books You Read in Seminary

My mom, an avid reader who often is in the middle of four books at the same time, once passed on some counsel to me: Don’t read good books, only great ones. The advice is both challenging and inherently futile; for how can you know if a book is...

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