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.
j j j j j j j j j j 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.
j j j j j j j j j j 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
j j j j j j j j j j 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.
