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]
k k k k k k k k k k 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.
