The significance of being a theologically informed Christian is quite important. The
ministry desperately needs those with theological, philosophical, and practical
knowledge. Those that
believe
they have the knowledge of scripture or philosophy or
history can do more harm to their members instead of doing well. There is a different
between being theologically informed and participating in Christian ministry. Yet,
neither is better than the other as the two must work together to make the man of God
fully equipped for the good works. “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
possible for a person to carry on the will of God in reaching the loss without seminary
training. There are countless testimonies of lives transformed simply because
someone shared the love of Jesus Christ with them. There are a vast number of
pastors and preachers I have witnessed the preaching anointing upon them without
seminary training. These men and women were led by the Holy Spirit in the way they
command the scriptures.
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 equipt 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 previously studied – choose academia and the Holy
Spirit. The Apostle Peter preached one of the most life transforming sermons in Acts
2 that led three thousand individuals to declare their Lord and Savior to be Jesus.
Peter was not considered a learned man, but he learned by spending intimate time
with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
I believe all preachers should desire to attend seminary. To fully walk in the calling,
one must be well equipped in the arena. To be transparent, I do not believe theological
trainings is necessary to accomplish the Great Commission. The world of Academia
needs thought-leaders to study and teach, and the vocation need qualified pastors to
teach the word in a practical manner. Vanhoozer states, “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.”[2]
i i i i i i i i i i A theologically informed pastor is a pastor who revealed himself as approved
according to the scripture (2 Tim. 2:15). 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.”[3] Part of him being a step ahead of his flocks requires
him being theologically informed accompanied with a theological vision, because
without theological vision, the pastors perish.[4]
Bibliography
McQuilkin,, Robertson, and Paul Copan.
An Introduction to Biblical Ethics.
Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017.
