BSBKJVWEBYLTASVBBEWMBT4TDBY|HymnsMusicDonate
Menu
General

Bible college

J
John173 Mar 14, 2007

When I was first saved I looked around at the wide variety of churches in the United States and could find nothing that seemed to match the Christianity I was reading about in the bible. Nothing even came close! I looked at all these pastors and leaders and thought, what has your education and degrees bought you? A head full of knowledge and a complete lack of understanding of God's ways?

The fact is, I can find no biblical basis for bible colleges or seminaries. Zip, Zero, Nada, None. The only New Testament saint that I am aware of that had any institutional education was Paul. What was his opinion of it? Rubbish.

So what is your opinion, why is it that we persist in thinking that the ability to pass some man taught classes in theology, writing a few papers and passing some tests qualifies someone for leadership? Is this God's method or man's?

Seriously folks, what gives?

Doug

J
John173 Mar 14, 2007

Footnote

I do not mean to call into question every pastor or leader who has gone this route. However, if you are effective in ministry it is because you are walking with God and have grown into a level of maturity in Him that enables you to lead. There is nothing wrong with a good education, only in our over emphasis/belief in the idea that education equals qualification for leadership.

sermonindex Mar 14, 2007

John173 - I think most on this site would agree with you. I know there are annointed preachers who attended bible school or seminary, but in general this is just another product of todays babylonian church system.

New Testament Christianity Preacher
Baptised with fire and the Holy Spirit

Todays preacher
Baptised with a degree and a Willow Creek church plant package

In Christ - Jim

R
roaringlamb Mar 14, 2007

I think it all depends on what you do with the education you receive. There is much to be learned in studying Greek, and Hebrew for yourself. It also helps to have a grasp of History(both Church and World) so we know why we beieve the things we do.

Of course there are many who have taken advantage of the, "I don't need no school" idea, and have taught some very bizarre doctrines, and there also have been some who have gone to high ranking Seminaries that teach heresy. So who knows.

The biggest problems I see in Bible Schools is that the Bible becomes simply a text book rather than a divine wonder, and that there is a lack of prayer or spiritual development because there is so much emphasis on homework, and paper writing.

What would be amazing to have is a place where guys could get away for six weeks or so, and really get into the Bible, and maybe a little Church History, with lots of prayer time.

M
mom23beagles Mar 14, 2007

Just as an example, Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle in NYC never attended a seminary or bible school. His wife, Carol, leads the choir and arranges the music but cannot read nor write music, she never learned to do that. God has gifted them both with abilities to preach, teach and minister without formal training. Both have powerful ministries that are grounded in the Word of God, and inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Many denominations will not allow a pastor to be ordained to the pulpit without them having attended bible school/college. I don't think any of the apostles went to bible school ;-) - they learned from and were inspired by God the Father and Christ Jesus, and were also given boldness to preach the truth by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mia and Bailey, Dugan Buddy & Agnes the beagles.

I
InTheLight Mar 14, 2007

I understand what you are saying but, does there need to be a dichotomy between spirituality and the intellect? Must we choose between the two or can we develop them both?
Jesus said unto him, [i]Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.[/i] This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.(Mat 22:37-40).
Develop them all.

Here's a quote from Donald S. Whitney's book titled [i]A God Entranced Vision of All Things[/i], where he writes about Jonathan Edwards and spiritual disciplines...
In contrast to Edwards's example, most people seem to lean one way or the other, favoring devotion or doctrine, piety or theology. But strong piety will not excuse us from the study of theology, nor will a strong theology compensate for a lack of piety. [i]Edwards models the fact that a real understanding of the truth of God will set the heart on fire, and that the heart set on fire by God will burn with a love for learning his truth.[/i] As it was with Edwards, sometimes the things of God should appear so beautiful to our minds that we can't help but study and meditate on them and so ravish our hearts that we want to weep or sing (p. 128, emphasis mine).
In Christ,

Ron

H
HomeFree89 Mar 14, 2007

What about studying to show yourself approved?

Jordan

H
HomeFree89 Mar 14, 2007


John173 wrote:

The fact is, I can find no biblical basis for bible colleges or seminaries. Zip, Zero, Nada, None. The only New Testament saint that I am aware of that had any institutional education was Paul. What was his opinion of it? Rubbish.

Doug


There's also no biblical basis for denominations and other things in Christianity.

Jordan

L
lovegrace Mar 14, 2007


jimdied2sin wrote:
New Testament Christianity Preacher
Baptised with fire and the Holy Spirit

Todays preacher
Baptised with a degree and a Willow Creek church plant package

Sorry, that made me laugh.

:-P

T
tjservant Mar 14, 2007

There is nothing wrong with a good education, only in our over emphasis/belief in the idea that education equals qualification for leadership.


You nailed it!!!

I’m currently in a leadership class at Bible College.

The professor says we are deceiving ourselves if we think our education qualifies us for leadership more than those without degrees.

He says most times the congregation just expects the “educated” to lead, and that it takes time to explain that you can be an educated “non-leader”

T
tjservant Mar 14, 2007

I would like to mention that at the last “meeting of the ministers” association meeting I attended there were 34 ministers present. 32 ordained and 2 licensed. Only 2 of them had a Bible College education, both of them are over 65 years of age.

K
KingJimmy Mar 15, 2007


The fact is, I can find no biblical basis for bible colleges or seminaries

Paul taught in the School of Tyrannaus. Bible college is simply teachers teaching. And teaching is Biblical. What's it matter where the Word of God is taught at? Sunday school isn't anywhere in the Bible. Your pastor standing before the congregation week after week isn't taught anywhere in the Bible either.

J
John173 Mar 15, 2007

King Jimmy,

There is nothing wrong with attending a good bible college and getting grounded in the Word. The problem lies in the [i]fact[/i] that there are thousands of men preaching God's Word today that are, contrary to God's Word, leaning on [i]their own[/i] understanding. In other words, they are trusting in their education and not in the Holy Spirit's annointing, and so are their flocks. This is [i]one[/i] of the major reasons we have such dead churches.

The biblical pattern however is to get educated in the Word by studying it carefully and trusting Jesus promise that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. When men have followed this pattern they tend to be very good at what they do, which is to preach the word with power, authority and personal conviction.

Blessings to all,

Doug

PS: Great comments from everyone!

A
awakenwithin Mar 15, 2007

Doug that is so true!!
I have seen this first hand. It makes me so sad.
I have seen young pastors becoming so pridful and bosting in their education. WE need to see, education is good, but is only powerful with the Holy Spirit.
In his love
cahrlene

T
tjservant Mar 15, 2007

The problem lies in the fact that there are thousands of men preaching God's Word today that are, contrary to God's Word, leaning on their own understanding.

Many are doing this that have not attended college. Education is not the problem, lack of reliance on the Holy Spirit is.


The biblical pattern however is to get educated in the Word by studying it carefully and trusting Jesus promise that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth.


Timothy also had Paul to help in his education, and Paul also used materials other than scripture. Once again, education is not the problem; reliance on self in using said knowledge is.

They lack unction.

T
tjservant Mar 15, 2007

I have seen young pastors becoming so pridful and bosting in their education.

There are plenty of older ones doing this as well. The young ones have no monopoly on self reliance and pride.

sermonindex Mar 15, 2007

. What's it matter where the Word of God is taught at? Sunday school isn't anywhere in the Bible.

It matters when a preacher ends up in debt because of his education - by the time he's got a degree in hand he's already compromised with the world because "ye cannot serve God and mammon".

T
tjservant Mar 15, 2007

It matters when a preacher ends up in debt because of his education - by the time he's got a degree in hand he's already compromised with the world because "ye cannot serve God and mammon".


Debt equals compromise?

Is this only educational debt?

What about mortgage, and transportation debt?

Are these compromises with the world too?

sermonindex Mar 15, 2007

tjsevant said

Debt equals compromise?
Is this only educational debt?
What about mortgage, and transportation debt? Are these compromises with the world too?

Yes. No. Yes. Yes. It's either God or debt. Please read all the quotes.

"Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts." (Pr 22:26)

"If thou lend money to my people [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury." (Ex 22:25)

" Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury." (De 23:19)

"For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." (Revelation 18:3, 5)

"Banking was conceived in iniquity and was born in sin. The Bankers own the earth. Take it away from them, but leave them the power to create deposits, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough deposits to buy it back again. However, take it away from them, and all the great fortunes like mine will disappear, and they ought to disappear, for this would be a happier and better world to live in. But, if you wish to remain the slaves of Bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, let them continue to create deposits." (Sir Josiah Stamp Pres. of the Bank of England [1920's]. 2nd richest man in England.)

"I see in the future a crisis approaching that unnerves me, and causes me to tremble for the safety of our country; corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people, until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the public is destroyed." (Abraham Lincoln)

"History shows that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit and violent means possible to maintain control over governments by controlling the money and the issuance of it."17 "This (Federal Reserve) Act establishes the most gigantic trust on earth. When the president signs this bill, the invisible government by the Monetary Power will be legalized. The people may not know it immediately, but the day of reckoning is only a few years removed. The trust will soon realize that they have gone to far even for their own good. The people must make a declaration of independence to relieve themselves from the Monetary Power." 18 "The world has always been betrayed not by scoundrels but by decent men with bad ideas." (Sidney Harris)

"... 100% of what is collected is absorbed solely by interest on the Federal Debt ... all individual income tax revenues are gone before one nickel is spent on the services taxpayers expect from government" (1984 Grace Commission report submitted to President Ronald Reagan)

P
PreachParsly Mar 15, 2007

What constitutes "debt?"

Does it mean "owning somone?" Should we always pay for a meal before we eat it? Is it sinful if we don't pay for a meal before we eat it?

This discussion is locked.

Archived
1 of 31 posts