A little blog from an upstart theologian that will do its best to exemplify Christ while sharing a thing or two along the way.
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| Preachin's Blog A little blog from an upstart theologian that will do its best to exemplify Christ while sharing a thing or two along the way. |
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Monday, December 13, 2004 thoughts on my seminary experience Well I have officially graduated from SWBTS and am happily moving forward towards vocational ministry service. As I look back upon my time at my beloved seminary I must say that leaving it is a bittersweet experience. I have truly benefited from my time at SWBTS and shall ever remain committed to promoting her virtues. As I leave I am a little less rigid, more committed to Christ, and wondering if I will ever get to talk with Kate T. when I get to Heaven. When one goes to seminary they know that this is a formative time for our theological, educational, ministerial, and relational development. Choosing the right seminary brings a host of factors, the most important is the question of where God desires us to be. I firmly believe that God intended for me to attend SWBTS and I have been greatly blessed because of His will. A seminary is a place where those who are called into vocational ministry are trained according to the calling. Most all seminaries (actually all the ones I know of) have been started as institutions dedicated to the theological training of pastors (both serving and called.) While we have joined together other portions of the seminary educational life (such as music and educational ministry tracks) the seminary remains devoted to theological training as a primary point of its purpose. As I considered a seminary I desired to find one that was conservative, held to strong biblical authority, situated in a place where I would have access to a large swath of ministry paradigms, a sound academic theology faculty, where I could develop meaningful ministry relationships, and a place where God wanted me to go. In Southwestern I found all of these components.I had heard so many stories and words of encouragement about going to seminary and finding like minded people who I could develop lifelong friendships with that I really looked forward to my time at seminary. Also the academic rigors were such that I knew I would be stretched. In both of these I can say that I found what many had, though I was a bit disappointed at some points. Southwestern will forever be endeared to me as the place where, not only did I meet my future wife, but I also further developed and refined exactly what I am called to do by God. I had sat down in my early days at my undergraduate alma mater and laid out my goals and vision for my life. While at seminary all of these were further focused and I am more committed to that which God has called me to years earlier for He has worked mightily in my life. Southwestern has been instrumental in my development as a pastor-theologian and I hope she continues to produce ministerial progeny who will trumpet the sound Gospel truth based on biblical authority. The faculty of Southwestern is comprised of wise and learned individuals who, for the most part, strive to connect with their students and train them to be the best ministers of the Gospel available for God's use. I have found in this faculty a group of individual dedicated to advancing the Kingdom and refining the called so, together we can impact the world. Out of this faculty come scholars and educators who stand ready to aid the church and perform for her a might and valuable service. They stretch the minds and enhance the hearts of their students. A fine collection of servants of our Lord and Savior. The students of Southwestern might be a bit of a different story. Being that Southwestern is one of the largest seminaries (if not the largest) in North America you would expect to get a diverse mixture of students in her hallowed halls. While this is the case the majority of the students are still married, white, males who have some sort of ministry position somewhere. In the mixture of students you will find people passionately devoted to their calling and training according. You will find missionaries patiently awaiting deployment into a dynamic ministry environment. You will pastor-theologians noisily sifting through difficult Greek lectures refining their knowledge. You will find slightly aloof budding scholars dealing with  difficult theological matters in hopes of better grasping the golden nuggets of thought which attempt to elude them. You will find music ministers pining away at a keyboard to deliver a performance worthy of their Lord. Youth ministers crafting some contemporary example of God's grace out of construction paper and computer animations. You will find international students joining with American students in fervent prayers for souls of those they don't even know. This is the hope that is at Southwestern. Yet in this hope it seems that far too many Southwestern students are hopelessly drawn into themselves and wish not dare great things for Christ while at seminary. The spiritual lives of some of these future ministers are as cold as the ice dawn after a February ice storm. You would do better to talk to the various statues of Jesus in the prayer garden than consult some of these about their lives. Deeply shrouded in a cloak of self-absorption they plod off to their classes, complaining about the immoral world around them but failing to offer their cloaks to the shriveled homeless sitting beneath their pathway. But this is only some, for even in spite of these few there is a growing population of driven and visionary students who go longer and reach higher than their surroundings seem to permit. I love all my Southwestern compatriots, I pray God's blessings and imparted passion into their lives.While the great halls of the legendary buildings which occupy her campus are often filled with profound theological discussion, Southwestern still sits in the heart of a state convention torn asunder by controversy and selfish motivations. It is sad that the internal war of various Baptist conventions of the state of Texas have marred this proud school. While attending classes in her classrooms I have seen a score of my professors leave or be "released" from their positions. In the midst of my studies I have watched the tenuous relations between old school and new school politics attempt to tear the heart of Southwestern apart. I have seen selfish men outside of the school proclaim vitriol against her chosen and appointed leaders. I have heard senseless lies spread about these leaders. Yet while people from both portions of the political landscape of Texas have attempted to tear down and reform what God has crafted Southwestern has stood as a stalwart beacon of His grace. Remembering days of past when arrogant preachers such as J. Frank Norris proclaimed Southwestern heretical and worthy of nothing but the torch, I know that Southwestern still will endure the harshest criticisms and survive to the next day. I know Southwestern will continue to train ministers for generations to come, and I know with great certainty that her greatest days are ahead of her. I learned early on that Southwestern exists to train up the called out ones, and they do an excellent job. Yet I also learned that Southwestern does not exist for the students but for those who run her and attempt to live out some strange existence of shouting between ivory towers. I have seen some who would attempt to question the leadership of this brave school smashed under a hailstorm of innuendo and false analogy from people who should be above these types of actions. When some have questioned the "resolved" theological absolutes of documents surrounding her heritage and source of funding they have branded all sorts of evil. As some have sought theological insight outside of the normal, established scholarly consensus of several of her highest ivory towers they have been derided and given veiled threats for all to see. In spite of all of these I know her best days are ahead of her. My time at Southwestern, though hard (as seminary should be) has been rewarding. The  loneliness which burdened me down at times has been lifted and replaced with such a beauty that I certainly do not deserve. I have indeed found friends with whom I share a common bond and a lasting friendship. Through the blood, sweat, and tears of working through difficult (dead) languages I plumbed a deep faith which I love and crave day after day. Inspecting my life before Southwestern and after Southwestern I have benefited from my time here. I am proud to be a Southwesterner and will forever carry that moniker the humility of knowledge of those far greater than I who also carry that title. Is Southwestern perfect? Certainly not, but neither am I. We are simple servants of great and mighty King.
posted by Preachin Jesus |
2:57 PM
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