Church leaders and theological and seminary training

[Floatingaxe]

Do you think leaders in the church ( Pastors, Apostles, Prophets, Elders, Bishops and Deacons ) should be required to get college training in theology? I saw this brought up in another thread. I was wondering how other believers felt about this. Should it be a requirement? If you don't believe that Apostles or Prophets are for today that's fine. I'm not looking to debate that here, please just ignore those 2. Just curious how other Christians are wanting their Church leadership qualified . Can God qualify someone on his own without college training in theology? Is there a concern that college training in theology is just getting the doctrine of men and/or the approval of man?

 

 

 

God bless 

Firestormx

 

It isn't compulsory for God. He just wants a yielded heart and life.

[ricky]

I would generally be supportive of seminary education, for reasons Shiloh has already pointed out. That said I do know at least one person who has a pastoral gifting who to my knowledge has never attended seminary, yet is extremely knowledgeable about the Bible and theology, through years of personal study. There are also those who have attended seminary who have no place in the pulpit. 

[FresnoJoe]

I do know at least one person who has a pastoral gifting who to my knowledge has never attended seminary....

 

yet is extremely knowledgeable about the Bible and theology, through years of personal study....

 

There are also those who have attended seminary....

 

who have no place in the pulpit.... 

 

 

Hear

 

And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Jeremiah 3:15

 

Hear

 

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

 

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Timothy 4:1-4

[Littlelambseativy]

I fully agree that a seminary is not a requirement for leaspdership....but it is for ministers. Too many times students who attend seminaries come out confused and with teaching that is not scriptural. It depends on the seminary and the professors...are they liberal or fully based on the Word of God. As for elders, deacons...sometimes it seems as though it becomes a popularity contest or who do yo know. They are asked to read Timothy and if they can truly answer that they are as Timothy states then they are accepted by vote or by some other method....it is then a matter for God to judge them for their response. The same with teachers of children. They should ALL be born again believers subject to God. I do not know if in the U.S. they must have security clearances to work with the young or elderly but we in Canada do.

[Guest shiloh357]

Most false teachings do not originate in seminaries and Christian universities.   If they are a result of a minister's education, they are usually the product of independent and unaccredited Bible Colleges that are based on the teachings of their founders (Like Rhema Bible College in Broken Arrow, OK).  

 

Most seminaries that are sound and are under strict oversight require a four year degree from an accredited university before you can attend.   It is important to note that there is a difference between a Bible College and a Christian university and a seminary.   There are different typess of degree tracks based on your area of calling be it pastoral, missions, church music/worship, Christian education, counseling, evangelism or some kind of lay ministry.

 

False teaching will mostly arise from what a pastor is either reading or the kinds of pastor's conferences he attends.  False teaching is not defined as, "any view that I disagree with," but rather, they are views that go against established church/doctrinal orthodoxy.

 

Seminaries teaching different views based on their demoninational slant but they have a lot in common.  Seminary helps with understanding practical things like Church administration, tax laws that govern a church, legal issues and how to keep your church from being sued and what happens if there is a lawsuit brought against the church.   People sue churches if they fall in the parking lot or slip and fall in the church building.   Seminaries teach a whole host of practical issues, and not simply Bible classes.  They have classes on Christian ethics and pastoral counseling and public speaking and so on.   Seminary has an immense amount of value.   They can't teach you everything because much of ministry is something you have to simply learn as you go along.   But seminary can help you avoid the most important pitfalls that befall uneducated ministers who think that ministry simply means preaching and teaching.

[ayin jade]

People sue churches if they fall in the parking lot or slip and fall in the church building.   

 

Shame on them. The bible speaks against suing brethren.

[Marilyn C]

Hi Shiloh357,

 

Now you said -

 

 

`Seminaries teaching different views based on their demoninational slant but they have a lot in common. Seminary helps with understanding practical things like Church administration, tax laws that govern a church, legal issues and how to keep your church from being sued and what happens if there is a lawsuit brought against the church. People sue churches if they fall in the parking lot or slip and fall in the church building. Seminaries teach a whole host of practical issues, and not simply Bible classes....

 

Man`s organisations are legally based, thus the teaching of how to operate in the world system.

 

As to being a shepherd/pastor, evangelist, teacher etc well that is the work of the Holy Spirit. And part of that `training` of the Holy Spirit will be to study what God has shown those who have gone before.

 

Marilyn.

[Guest shiloh357]

We live in the world and there are laws in our country we have to abide by, even churches have to abide by them.   We need to know the tax laws so that we are good stewards with God's money.  We need to know administration skills to manage our affairs with skill and there are biblical principles that speak to all of these things

 

pastors can get into a lot of legal hot water if tries to counsel someone and is not skilled in that area.  If problems ensue that can be linked to his bad counsel, he and/or the church can be sued.    There are lots of things we need to know to operate in the world we live in.

 

Seminaries are full of men who have gone on before.  Most seminary professors are men and women who have been in the trenches of ministry and who  have lots of advice and wisdom to impart.  They are not stodgy dusty old men who haven't done anything.  Seminary gets a bad rap, but it really is a cool place and lots of the professors open their homes to students to them over for dinner and it is a good place for fellow ministers to build ministry relationships that will benefit them in the future. 

[Openly Curious]

Hi Shiloh357,

 

Now you said -

 

 

 

`Seminaries teaching different views based on their demoninational slant but they have a lot in common. Seminary helps with understanding practical things like Church administration, tax laws that govern a church, legal issues and how to keep your church from being sued and what happens if there is a lawsuit brought against the church. People sue churches if they fall in the parking lot or slip and fall in the church building. Seminaries teach a whole host of practical issues, and not simply Bible classes....

 

Man`s organisations are legally based, thus the teaching of how to operate in the world system.

 

As to being a shepherd/pastor, evangelist, teacher etc well that is the work of the Holy Spirit. And part of that `training` of the Holy Spirit will be to study what God has shown those who have gone before.

 

Marilyn.

I agree Marilyn

[Marilyn C]

We live in the world and there are laws in our country we have to abide by, even churches have to abide by them.   We need to know the tax laws so that we are good stewards with God's money.  We need to know administration skills to manage our affairs with skill and there are biblical principles that speak to all of these things

 

pastors can get into a lot of legal hot water if tries to counsel someone and is not skilled in that area.  If problems ensue that can be linked to his bad counsel, he and/or the church can be sued.    There are lots of things we need to know to operate in the world we live in.

 

Seminaries are full of men who have gone on before.  Most seminary professors are men and women who have been in the trenches of ministry and who  have lots of advice and wisdom to impart.  They are not stodgy dusty old men who haven't done anything.  Seminary gets a bad rap, but it really is a cool place and lots of the professors open their homes to students to them over for dinner and it is a good place for fellow ministers to build ministry relationships that will benefit them in the future.

Hi Shiloh357,

 

Yes we do need to obey the laws, (if not against God) However Jesus never told us to start an organisation & `lord it over` the members. That`s man`s idea of how to function as the Body of Christ. And it is quite obvious that man has not the wisdom & understanding, nor the capabilities to do that.

 

As to seminars, & bible colleges, -  I went to one in the `60`s at my fellowship & was taught by godly men, then later in the `80`s I went to a bible college in the mountains of New Zealand. Great grounding, & then in the `school of the Holy Spirit` it is a life long learning from the master.

 

Marilyn.