From your reading and your own experience as a Christian and in the Church,
your will post a thread discussing the significance of being a theologically
informed Christian. More than ever, Christians in the ministry and in general are
lacking the theological and philosophical knowledge in order to reach and
speak to society and the Church. Some Christians and ministers do not feel it
is important to be informed or studied in scripture, philosophy, history, etc. So,
where do you stand? Make sure to reference the Learn material for Module 1:
Week 1 as these various readings are to lend in sharpening or reshaping your
perspective (there is no maximum reference requirement). In addition, pay
attention to the presentation on Christian Ethics and how this may inform your
post as to the ethics behind being a Christian who is informed theologically.
h h h h h h h h h Yes, of course there is a different between being theologically
informed and participating in Christian ministry. However, neither one is better
than the other because the two must work together to make the man of God
fully equipped for the good works God has called him to do. “Institutional
powers and academic principalities have put asunder what had originally been
joined together under God: theology and church life, biblical studies and
theology, pastor and theologian.”[1] Nevertheless, it is not impossible for a
person to carry on the will of God in reaching the loss without being
theologically informed. There have been testimonies of people lives being
transformed simply because someone shared the love of Jesus Christ with
them just by knowing little of the Bible. I have sat under the teaching and
ministry of men highly anointed under the leadership of the Holy Spirit that
have inspire my life in ministry that were not theologically scholars or
academia as other might called it. “It is not by might, neither by power, but by
the Spirit said the Lord of host.”[2] It is not about the intellect, but it is more
about the Spirit that is leading the person. There is always power in the word
of God. Hebrew 4:12 states the word of God as, “living and alive.” There is
always power that is generated when God’s word is share with His people.
Nevertheless, a man of God cannot be fully equip if he had never studied to
show himself approve of God’s word. The Holy Spirit will only bring back to
your remembrance the things you have studied; so, study and be academia, but
do not forget it is the Holy Spirit who does the work. The greatest sermon
preacher in the Bible by the Apostle Peter in Act 2, was done under the
leadership of the Holy Spirit when three thousands souls were added to the
church, and became member in the breaking of bread.
h h h h h h h h h This is one of the reason why I believe the two go hand in hand,
because you cannot teach a man one thing and expect him to be excellent in
the area he was never taught. Only the Holy Spirit is capable of doing such
things. This is why according to Vanhoozer, “seminaries should do more to
encourage their brightest students to consider working in the church rather
than the academy, precisely because cultivating the wisdom of Jesus Christ on
the ground requires more intelligence and creativity than writing scholarly
articles does.”[3] The person might be a scholar when it comes to writing
scholarly articles, but might be naïve when it comes to working and running
Christian ministry. As previously stated, a theologically informed pastor is a
pastor who has studied to show himself approve as Scriptures command. A
pastor is always to be one step ahead of his flocks (congregation) because he
represents the authority of God and he “is responsible for communicating
Christ and for ministering God’s Word, at all times, to everyone, and in many
ways.”[4] Part of him being a step ahead of his flocks requires him being
theologically informed accompany with a theological vision, because without
theological vision, the pastors perish.[5]
Bibliography
h h h h h h h h h Vanhoozer, Kevin and Owen Strachan. The Pastor as Public
Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision. Grand Rapids: Baker Academics, 2015
[1] Kevin Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan, The Pastor as Public Theologian:
Reclaiming a Lost Vision, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academics, 2015), 6
[2] Zechariah 4:6, (King James Version).
[3] Kevin Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan, The Pastor as Public Theologian:
Reclaiming a Lost Vision, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academics, 2015), 2
[4] Ibid., 2
[5] Ibid., 3.
