10 Lessons Seminary Never Taught Me

I was reading a blog post by a pastor and seminary graduate that I couldn't like and agree with more. He gave 10 lessons that Seminary never taught him. As someone that was in ministry and then went back to seminary, I had a unique perspective and was able to see a lot of these things in myself when I left Bible College. The zeal of young can be a wonderful strength, but it can also bring with it, complete arrogance and downright stupidity, both of which I was guilty of early in ministry.

Jeff Robinson in his post gives these 10 things he never learned in ministry. I will just summarize them here and for a more detailed and really well written version please read his full version here.

1. Ministry is war
2. My fictional church, was a fictional church.
3. Theological knowledge, does not equal pastoral maturity
4. Love surpasses knowledge
5. If I will become a useful instrument in God's hand I must suffer.
6. Because of my western definition of success is worldly, it will bother me when attendance is low or they don't respond well to my teaching.
7. I will often exhibit an acute fear of man.
8. Many people in my church will not like me, no matter how much I love them or treat them with kindness.
9. I will often be mystified and frustrated that my ministerial labors do not yield "product."
10. My theological heroes didn't have it easy either.

Why is church membership so important?

9 Marks ministries gives these 3 great reasons to have a well-defined and clarified church membership. Check out their website at 9marks.org

1. Showing the world who is a Christian and who is not. The clearer the line between Christian and non-Christian, the clearer the gospel will be.
2. Demonstrating that the gospel is a life-transforming message. When a church is full of people who have been set free from slavery to sin and now are slaves of righteousness (Rom. 6:15-23), it will show the world that the gospel really is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16), and that this salvation necessarily involves living a radically new life of holiness and obedience to God.
3. Displaying the power of the gospel to unite people. When a church is composed of Christians who are united in faith and love, that church demonstrates that the gospel has power to unite people who would otherwise be divided. It also shows that the gospel is not limited to any ethnic or social group, but is rather a universally relevant message that calls all people to repent and offers eternal life to everyone who believes in Christ.

How Can Homosexuality Be Wrong if it Doesn't Harm Anyone?

This is a great video from J.D Greear, Voodie Bauchman and Russell Moore via The Gospel Coalition that answer this question, "How can Homosexuality Be Wrong if it Doesn't Harm Anyone?" It is definitely worth the 10 minutes to watch this clip.



How Can Homosexuality Be Wrong if It Doesn't Harm Anyone? from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.