This series arose out of extended reflection on the Scriptures, out of which the Lord has made clear to me some of the perils of seminary, many of which I have succumbed to or been tempted by over the past decade and a half. I have attempted to communicate these perils to those of you who would read this post and might benefit from it. Although I have interjected humor at several points, I could … [Read More]
On the Dangers of Seminary (Pt. 7): On the Danger of Being THAT GUY
This installment is the last one in which I deal with the dangers of seminary (although I plan to follow up with a post speaking to the many positive aspects of seminary). I am certainly not saying that there are no more dangers. In fact, more than a few of you have pounded my inbox with suggestions for additional “dangers” that could be mentioned. Some of the suggestions were serious, but most of them were…not … [Read More]
On the Dangers of Seminary (Pt. 6): The Danger of Becoming A Punk
Leviticus 19:15-18: “You shall do no injustice in judgment…You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor…You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Galatians 6:10: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
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Southern Baptist seminaries … [Read More]
On the Dangers of Seminary (Pt. 5): The Danger of Seeking Academic Acclaim
Ps. 111:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments.”
Titus 1:7-9: “For a bishop must be blameless…a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught….”
Sometimes seminary people forget that theology is primarily a spiritual task, done for the glory of God and the good of his church. If you are at seminary … [Read More]
On the Dangers of Seminary (Pt. 3): The Danger of Allowing Seminary to Replace Church
Hebrews 10: 24-25: “And let us…not [forsake] the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another….”
Ephesians 4:1-3: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
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My years in college were four of … [Read More]
On the Dangers of Seminary
[Note: This is a revision and re-posting of an eight-part series published at Between the Times in 2009.]
This post is a confession of sorts, a confession that I hope will be beneficial to some who read it. In essence, it is about one thing—the fact that God’s grace toward me has been overwhelming and that at the same time I often have not lived in a manner worthy of his grace. The particular focus of … [Read More]
Teaching Theology from a Great Commission Perspective
Recently, President Akin challenged the faculty of Southeastern Seminary to make every classroom a “Great Commission classroom.” This challenge may seem to be easily met in courses on missions or evangelism, but what about courses in theology, philosophy, or church history? What could it possibly mean for a theology course to be a “Great Commission course”? Should the professor wear a Mao shirt or some lederhosen to class, in order to demonstrate his cross-cultural awareness? … [Read More]
Facts and Feelings from Orlando: The Road Back for Young Leaders and the SBC, Part 2
In part 1 of my post (link), I pointed out that the SBC messengers were not as young as we might have hoped. Since facts are our friends, we need to ask, “Why?” Certainly, this is not just an issue for Southern Baptists. Five decades ago, few would have written an article feeling the need to defend the existence and relevance of denominations, yet I felt compelled to do that very thing in the May … [Read More]
Facts and Feelings from Orlando: The Road Back for Young Leaders and the SBC, Part 1
It sure looked a lot younger at the SBC annual meeting this year. Many of us commented on the presence, involvement and impact of young leaders and an intergenerational look to the meeting.
The Pastors’ Conference elected “contemporary” (sorry to use that word) leaders in their late 30’s, early 40’s. The Baptist 21 (www.baptisttwentyone.com) panel boasted an attendance of “around” 1300, many of whom were first time SBC attendees. Pastors’ Conference speakers, as well as the … [Read More]
