Hi,
I'm currently seeking to find a school/seminary that will please God and give me not just education. I'm not exactly sure what i'm looking for, I pray God will lay one in front of me, but i'm taking the effort to find a good one.
If anyone could give me there opinion of the best seminaries they know of and why I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks and In Love,
Joe
Joe,
I would suggest that you go to Field seminary.
Get in the field and begin to work. Spend a year or two in the orphanages in Mexico, Uganda, Romania, etc... This is the best schooling that you will ever need.
If the Lord places "school" on your heart after serving, then go. But I would highly suggest mission work and to plant the Lord's flag where it has never been planted before.
Blessings!
Here are some institutions and school experiences that are not large seminaries but good practical steps towards ministry with the Lord.
GFA School Of Discipleship
http://www.gfa.org/schoolofdiscipleship/
Calvary Chapel Bible College Colorado
http://www.ccbccolorado.com/
Ellerslie Training College
http://www.ellerslie.com/Home.html
Ecclesia College
http://www.ecollege.edu/
I would suggest that you go to Field seminary.
This is exactly what I feel is needed, but I don't know how to go about it. I can't find a good program or group. The ones I mostly find are "pay money and come with us a few weeks". Any advise one this route?
I'm still open to all suggestions though. Thanks for the input this far.
Are you looking to be paid to go on mission work?
There are tons of missionary work that can be done. In my circle we send missionaries down to an orphanage in Huajuapan de'leon in Oaxaca, Mexico. It can be anywhere from 2 weeks, to 3+ years. The usuall time down is 6-12 months. Free room and board is the only pay that they get. These missionaries do raise their own support I would like to add.
I would suggest not setting your mind on being paid if you are a missionary. Its an all out service position that pays in heavenly currency only. But, it is the only currency that matters.
I would suggest looking into places like this if you are truly looking to go. Let the Lord lead you. What's the worst that could happen? Death?
Having been to Bible School, thinking that I needed to set 2 years of my life aside to just study Bible related things, I would say, in retrospect that you don't need it.
You only need the School of the Spirit in real life everyday.
Bible School/Seminary is an unrealistic cocoon that does not have much to do with real life.
Most everything that I have learned that has any eternal value I learned in the School of the Spirit raising a family, going to work, interacting with the lost everyday.
Most of these institutions train you in such a way that you will be a supporter of Institutional Christianity.
If you want to find God's calling on your life, get with God. You don't need a Bible School/Seminary to know and understand and walk in God's ways. In many ways, they can be a detriment.
No matter what I or anyone else in this thread says to you, you have to hear God's voice. Can you hear His voice? You don't learn this in Bible Schools. You learn this on your own. You and the Lord, together.
The best way to learn is to start pressing into the Lord right where you are, spending a lot of time in prayer and His Word, being a Doer of the Word and walking as Jesus walked. Bible Schools, actually create a lot of textbook activity which results oftentimes in creating Hearers of the Word, Debaters, Theologians, Professional Clergy, etc. Is this what you want? Many people go to these schools for a career thinking that this is the way to be a minister.
In my opinion, based on experience and knowing many that have graduated from these schools, you would be better off, in spending your money on something that can help you earn a living and support your family if you have one or ever hope to have one. You are not suppose to earn a living off of the Gospel. Don't know if you have ever heard that or not, but you will certainly read about it in the NT.
Knowledge puffs up (grows our pride), but love edifies.
You don't need Bible School to learn to walk in love and walk as Jesus walked. However, you do need Seminary and a degree to have a religious career.
Bottom Line: Can you hear God's voice in your life?
The only reason that I'd go to school is to learn hermeneutics, exegesis and Greek and/or Hebrew - If it's a desire to go deeper into His WORD. As it's said, "that in the fulness of times, Christ came" - that it was ordained by GOD that "Greek" be the international language at that time as well, because it was the most exact language of all time - but to learn "doctrine" - I'd have to say No, imo.
Otherwise, I'd just roll up my sleeves and go to a ministry like brother Greg told us about in California with the homeless.
America needs missionaries more than most!
What good does it do for everyone to go to other nations when ours is so in need of the pure Gospel and so many are in our cities are destitute and bound by addictions, etc. and that will certainly increase in the coming days. Drastically increase, that is.
I strongly hang to John 16:13, 14 - so I'm in agreement that HE is and should or must be our teacher, doctrinally speaking. Though I don't fault anyone wanting to learn 'how' to study His WORD in more depth. It all depends on what you feel is your calling. Teacher, missionary, pastor or so forth.
Love & prayers.
Your Sis
I'm 25 years old, Korean, and I was looking for a seminary as well anywhere in the world.
The life seminary thing is a good idea, but we learn by seeing. I've been looking out my whole life for a mentor with grace and truth and have never found one close by.
So i'm open to more suggestions.
Looking into ones that Greg recommended and I only see white people lol no offence.
I'm gonna listen to their sermons and stuff to check it out. Thanks Greg for the post.
It would be very nice to have suggestions for more international communities.
Thanks in advance for you suggestions.
You don't need to go to Bible schools to get a "mentor".
I don't know how else to say this to you and you may not even understand this, but brother or sister, your MENTOR is the Holy Spirit.
What is it that you want to know? Can you articulate it? Ask the Lord, search the Scriptures.
Don't lean upon your own understanding. Lean on the Lord.
To respond to some of the questions.
Are you looking to be paid to go on mission work?
Can you hear His voice?
Again thanks for all the input.
In Love,
Joe
InLove.
Yes. He isn't telling me where to go or how and I'll tell you why. I have a fear of doing something, at all, if i'm not sure God is 100% in it. Now He has highlighted this fear and making me address it. I believe He wants me to take a leap of faith. IMO it would be better for me to fail for God than sit and do nothing.
This is exactly where my wife and I are at the moment. Thanks you for sharing.
Unless things have changed since I had experience with it, CFNI (Christ for the Nations Institute) in Dallas is a great place.
quote]Yes. He isn't telling me where to go or how and I'll tell you why. I have a fear of doing something, at all, if i'm not sure God is 100% in it. Now He has highlighted this fear and making me address it. I believe He wants me to take a leap of faith. IMO it would be better for me to fail for God than sit and do nothing.
Where did you get that thinking? God does not tell you to take a leap of faith unless He gives you an objective/direction/command.
This is your idea and you are going to attribute it to God.
Better for you to wait and do nothing, as you say rather than to make a decision that could throw your life off course for 10 years. So, you would take the chance and do something out of God's will, where you have not heard His voice and then hope it turns into His will? This is exactly what I am talking about. "God, please bless my plans". Brother or Sister, what you need to learn you won't learn in a Seminary/Bible School. I am mentoring you now. You better sit tight and wait on the Lord.
This is just not sound, Holy Spirit led thinking.
I spent some time at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. I found it both intellectually and spiritually rich. I've also heard good things about Denver Seminary.
There are some people who speak against seminary. They often like to jokingly call it "cemetary." But the truth of the matter is that seminary will be whatever you choose to make it, in the Lord.
Well, if you are going to end up going, here is a guy currently in Seminary with some on the ground advice.
http://www.goingtoseminary.com/failing-seminary-for-the-glory-of-god/
hi, i find it amazing that ignorant people always promote ignorance.bible college and seminary give one opposing views that cause you to dig into Gods word and dig into God Himself. allow the Lord to lead you to the place He wants you to go to. apply yourself to growing in God so that you change lives in this world.jimp p.s. ravenhill always told me that he went to bush u.; burning bush.but he was well educated as were almost all the great leaders in the histoy of christianity.
And if you are unable to go to seminary for some reason, lock yourself in a room with about $5,000 worth of books for a few years, and you'll get about the same education. Many seminaries have recommended reading lists that you can freely obtain from them. And if you can find one locally, you often work out something where they will allow you to use their library for free. That way you can save the $5,000 :-)
Well, you've got a lot of advice from different corners of the room. May the Lord lead you and may you answer His call and walk in the way that He directs you, even if it ends up being opposite of what you may have wanted.
Where did you get that thinking? God does not tell you to take a leap of faith unless He gives you an objective/ direction/command.
I wasn't going to respond to this but I would like you to understand and others not to be miss led.
I have waited on the Lord a long time now. He had guided me, instructed me and now He had been leading me to move, to take action, to do sonething. I have fasted, prayed so much about this. I know without a doubt He isnt going to show me exactly what to do. I believe He's saying I've shown you and taught you enought to make a move. I will be with you all the way.
This is a very hard building point for me. I believe sometimes He gives us the choice, to learn, to grow toward Him.
I'm not trying to be mean but you can't tell me how God is speaking to me, or anyone else because He hasn't spoke to you in the same way.
May God bless you all
In Love,
Joe
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