How important is it for a minister to have a seminary degree?

[Job8]

Yes, that's it. He has a degree, Mr.Tilton, and yet he's not exactly an honorable shepherd.

And speaking of honorable shepherds, the Lord (along with the apostles) has warned us that in the last days there will be wolves in sheep's clothing, false shepherds, false teachers, and false prophets. So unless a Christian is solidly grounded in Scripture, he or she will be led astray by every wind of doctrine. Why have so many fallen (and are falling) for dishonorable televangelists, preachers, prophets, and healers, etc.? Because they were not solidly grounded.

 

[dcalling]

And speaking of honorable shepherds, the Lord (along with the apostles) has warned us that in the last days there will be wolves in sheep's clothing, false shepherds, false teachers, and false prophets. So unless a Christian is solidly grounded in Scripture, he or she will be led astray by every wind of doctrine. Why have so many fallen (and are falling) for dishonorable televangelists, preachers, prophets, and healers, etc.? Because they were not solidly grounded.

I doubt they fall of not so solid ground (of studying scripture), anyone who got a degree has a lot of studying. Knowledge is only secondary in Christianity, as inspiration from God is the most important. There will be many wolves in sheep's' clothing, and that is why most of my friends told me not to trust anyone (pastors, church elders, etc), but the scripture alone.

 

[Deidre32]

This doesn't come from a seminary degree though, it comes from abiding in Him. That is to always be alive in the spirit and to be controlling the desires of the flesh. If you look at the Wikipedia article about the seven deadly sins, you can see it is observed to destroy the "grace and charity" of a person, which is to say that a person is not demonstrating the fruits of living on a spiritual path as described in Galatians 5 but rather the fruits of living on a path to serve the flesh. It is interesting to observe in one's self, how our behaviours are impacted by where we focus our energies: on the things of spiritual need, or the things of physical desire. Although someone without a seminary degree can demonstrate these fruits of the spirit, they might not have the breadth and accuracy of information that comes from having studied a curriculum. Then again, studying a curriculum and obtaining knowledge will not necessarily cause one to pursue spiritual health and to lift themselves out of a self-oriented lifestyle. That has to be why Jesus was describing to Nicodemus "you can study the scriptures with all your strength, but you will remain dead in your trespasses because you refuse to come to me, to have life".

I agree with this. And he said to his followers 'take up your cross and follow Me.' That's the hardest part (sometimes), yanno. lol

I would say a degree is nice to have but not totally necessary. If a person was inspired by God, nothing is more important.

I have read bad stories about how some of the schools are now totally corrupted, the good news is if some pastor graduated from those schools still believe in God, it is a guaranty that he/she is indeed inspired by God

So the most important thing is check and see if God are with that congregation, and second is knowledge, and knowledge does make faith stronger. I was atheist, and went from thinking Christians are laughable to amazed that some pastors actually believe in evolution... When the most we can do is making RNAs that can only replicate half of itself (in another word, total failure). You can only cover the truth some of the time, not all of the time.

Uh ohhh...evolution. A thread for another time.

Yes agree, and maybe I wasn't clear in my intent with a seminary degree for a Pastor. I just think it shows a seriousness to becoming a leader in whatever faith that person is 'teaching.' This isn't to say that there aren't morally bankrupt people who are in religious life as a vocation for the wrong reasons, there definitely are those. Some of this comes from a Catholic upbringing where all priests are required to go to seminary.

 

[dcalling]

Yes agree, and maybe I wasn't clear in my intent with a seminary degree for a Pastor. I just think it shows a seriousness to becoming a leader in whatever faith that person is 'teaching.' This isn't to say that there aren't morally bankrupt people who are in religious life as a vocation for the wrong reasons, there definitely are those. Some of this comes from a Catholic upbringing where all priests are required to go to seminary.

Agreed. But sometimes you just have to let God guide you, i.e. when everyone in the group has a day job, or if the group is too small to support a pastor, degree or not is not as important.

 

[Deidre32]

Agreed. But sometimes you just have to let God guide you, i.e. when everyone in the group has a day job, or if the group is too small to support a pastor, degree or not is not as important.

That is true, I agree. I've only ever attended churches where the pastor's job though was his day job.

I have decided I think on attending Catholic mass (at the parish I left behind 4 years ago, hoping the priest I remember is still there) and also choosing another church...Lutheran perhaps? I have a friend who wants me to attend her Baptist church, idk. What do some of you think? I've never ever attended a Baptist service, it might be different in a good way. lol

Would it be wrong to not join a church, but just 'visit' churches? Being away for as long as I have ...I'm still feeling my way back.

 

[paul1149]

Would it be wrong to not join a church, but just 'visit' churches?

I think that's a great way to start out. The important thing is pursuing a relationship with Jesus. The church thing will work itself out in due time. At some point it may be advantageous to commit to one body, but in the beginning I don't see the need for that at all, and looking around may have some real advantages.

 

[Deidre32]

I think that's a great way to start out. The important thing is pursuing a relationship with Jesus. The church thing will work itself out in due time. At some point it may be advantageous to commit to one body, but in the beginning I don't see the need for that at all, and looking around may have some real advantages.

okay, thank youuu

 

[Albion]

When I was a practicing Christian, I was part of the Catholic faith, and so never had lay people presiding over the service. (mass) Well, they could read and help with mass, but there was always a priest to preside over the mass, and present the Gospel message, and his homily/sermon.

I've been thinking of going to church again, have been experiencing feelings of missing my faith, and there is a non-denominational church in town that I may explore. I looked it up online tonight, and there were 'reviews' for it, one person commenting how the ministers are lay people with no seminary degrees.

How important is it do you think to attend a church where someone has a degree from a seminary? Weren't the Apostles...lay people?

Thought I'd ask your opinion on this. Thank you...

In short, it probably helps.

BUT there are many excellent pastors who have college degrees in something other than seminary work and there are also some graduates of accredited seminaries about whom you'd have to say "How did he ever graduate?" There is no absolute answer to this except to say "no," it's not essential.

The idea of the ministers being "lay people," however, is another matter. This is a formula for the teaching of false doctrine and often winds up being a case of the blind leading the blind.

 

[Deidre32]

I think that's a great way to start out. The important thing is pursuing a relationship with Jesus. The church thing will work itself out in due time. At some point it may be advantageous to commit to one body, but in the beginning I don't see the need for that at all, and looking around may have some real advantages.

you know what you come to find out when you leave Christianity, and try it alone for a while...when you return, you realize Jesus has always been pursuing you.

 

[paul1149]

That is so true, Deidre, and to see that is incredibly important. Before I understood, I thought everything was on me. I was laboring under a performance mentality. But when I saw that Jesus was Author as well as Finisher of our faith (Heb 13), it took the weight off me. It's all of Him, and my job is to say Yes.

In a way we are parallel to each other. I left the church when I was young in the Lord when the leadership really dropped the ball and hurt a lot of people. I left the Lord too, which was a function of my blindness back then. I entered a very dark time, and through a very graphic vision I saw my predicament was absolutely impossible and that my death was in fact immanent. I fully expected to spend eternity outside of Christ, and resigned myself to it and began to put my affairs in order. Over time though, it didn't happen, and I was both confused and perplexed, as I knew the vision was true. As more time passed it finally dawned on me that Jesus had held onto me when I couldn't hold onto myself. He had never said a word, He just waited for me to realize this myself on my own. When I saw it, I was absolutely broken by this kind of love, faithful in the face of faithlessness, when He was under absolutely no obligation to do anything for me. At that point I was both humbled and elated, and regained assurance of salvation - an assurance that has persisted because it is rooted in His faithfulness, not my ability to perform.

The great thing is that God fulfilled Rom. 8.28 and worked it for good. He used the failing of the church to show me the love I always needed but never could find, and to free me from denominationalism (even though it was the non-denominational flavor!). I'm now not a denomination man, I'm a Jesus man, and I know He works in all denominations in people who are open to His Spirit and Word.

I think you are on the right track!