Should I Go To Seminary?

[@jamesgossweiler1349]

I am currently pursing an MA Divinity. I have chosen this, long, exhaustive, expensive "narrow gate" because (a) I can't imagine presenting myself as a pastor, etc. without extensive, documented training and study, (b) I believe in "spiritual authority," acknowledging and yielding to persons who have achieved levels of biblical comprehension I do not possess but would like to, (c) I owe it to God to commit to learning God's Word in meaningful and provable way, and (d) I have a duty to anyone who should seek me for guidance on Christian doctrine and teachings. All of my professors are active, Ph.D. pastors...brilliant, articulate, learned, devoted men of God. I am blessed to receive their instruction. I attend Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.

[@Jack-si2pg]

Careful what you learn in there. I believe there are good seminaries, but based on what I've seen, lots of "scholars" get the Bible wrong bc they don't have the Holy Spirit. Thats why there are so many pastors now that embrace lgbtq.

[@FrKevinDaugherty]

Should Christian ministers and teachers be knowledgeable and trained? Yes, but the current educational system is incredibly broken. University debt is at an all-time high, and college is becoming something only the upper class can afford. The church should offer training freely, as it is the Spirit that calls ministers, not the check book. The church has unfortunately partnered itself with a for-profit system. I am thankful to be active in denominations that do not require any degrees for ministers, but do provide ministerial training in other ways.

[@ShardTown]

which denominations would those be, out of curiosity?

[@FrKevinDaugherty]

There are several that offer different roads to ministry. For me, it was primarily the Mennonites and nondenominational groups, but many Brethren, Baptist, Charismatic, etc. churches also do not have specific degree requirements.

[@ShardTown]

I see, thanks for telling me!

[@francsiscog]

I agree to a point. I think Seminaries are a good thing, but they come from a bad situation. The bad situation is that the Church is failing in teaching men the things they ought to be taught. If each church was teaching their flock correctly, then there would be no need for seminaries, the churches would be the seminaries. But since we have failed, and continue failing, there is another option, and that is seminary.

[@francsiscog]

And sure, there are some churches that teach, but not many will teach at the level that they teach in seminaries. You don't hear of many churches teaching Hebrew or Greek...

[@PastorDCShaw]

This is the most well thought out argument for higher theological education that I have ever heard and it deserves wayyyy more views than it has! Thank you for your wisdom sir. Blessings to you.

[@ryanoconnor8207]

You're the 3rd video I watched on this today and I liked yours by far the most out of all of them. Thank you for your honest approach to the question and God Bless you. ☺

[@2phone_ike]

Just want to say Thank you Matt for the advive on "Should I Go To Seminary". Im getting ready to take my first EVER visit to a Seminary I've been looking into and I'm like nervous, but the Lord will help me. Im considering RST Reformed Theological Seminary as one of my choices. Thanks again God bless! Elder Cotton

[@MatthewEverhard]

Anthony Cotton great! Thanks and congratulations!

[@murphyjones100]

I'm a year and a half into pastoral ministry and every week it's becoming more and more apparent how ill-equipped I am with my lowly Batchelor of Biblical Studies degree. Part of me thinks I'm too old to pursue seminary at 44 years old but I can't stop thinking about it. I'd love to get an MDiv or a ThM. I like that quote: "If you're going to chop down trees, why not have the sharpest axe you can possibly get."

[@judahsamaria5250]

It's good to know that you approve of getting the best education a person can get. We have Paul who is a great example of a person who valued the discipline of studying which is a biblical Jewish tradition in the past and still is today. In today's world, there are available online studies that can at least fill in those things we do not know about theology, philosophy, history and other disciplines. So studying and getting the best education we can is extremely important.

[@scottclarke8522]

Hi Matthew: I am 47, looking at getting into pastoral ministry. Is it to late for me to go back to bible college and start from scratch? I am not looking to be a senior pastor necessarily, but more of a staff member of a church. Currently in a secular business role, looking to change out of that.

[@BillWalkerWarren]

Hello pastor Mathew . Cool vid and channel. Question are there any books you recommend for study for those that won’t be going to seminary. Thinking along the lines of commentaries,lexicons and the like . If you have any recommendations please post a video. Blessings

[@shawndurham297]

what kind of camera do you use to make your videos

[@jamesjlee0521]

Hi Pastor Matthew, Im halfway thru my MAT at Fuller but I dont want to continue because Im miserable and have no goal what I want to do with it. I used to enjoy teaching the Bible but I lost that desire 6 yrs ago. Plus reading and writing so much is straining my eyes and neck after a 40 hr work week. Theology is interesting learning but I have no real purpose being here except for fear of missing out. What do you think? Thank you in advance

[@brotherarn]

There are interpretive grids that we need to learn in order to approach the scriptures however. Each university has its own methodology and its own biases you can't escape that bias you're not going to get a balanced education from one particular University you going to get their particular perspective.

[@TheJesusNerd40]

This is one of your best videos along with your reviews and note taking skills. Keep them coming Dr. Reverend Matt! Where did you get or who did you get the 4 categories you mentioned in this video regarding our knowledge and epistemology? Thanks.

[@JG-np1qg]

I heard it from the secretary of defense on the news, Donald Rumsfeld. And the stupid media laughed at him. Probably because they don’t know what they don’t know.

[@Amilton5solas]

What’s a good online seminary that I can start at? I want to further my education but I can’t find a sound seminary.

[@marthavalentine7569]

I'm sorry to sound so cynical but many ( not all) of our seminaries are what is wrong with our churches today. I don't think you need to go but if you do be very careful. Don't go to one because it has a good reputation - many of those are falling into error. Trust godly pastors to guide you.

[@MrEarthwaterwind]

Good video. I can't go to a bible college. I was saved 7 years after getting my BS. Do these colleges cost a lot of money?

[@ordosolutis]

I am taking semenary extension classes. Right now on Preaching, which is a 6 wk class @ $150 total. Preach at the end of the 6 weeks to pass that course. It's pretty affordable. 😁

[@bethelnewlifeinternational424]

Interested

[@kingjamesbiblebeliever8387]

I call them cemeteries. Most of the time, faith is destroyed and undermined in these “educational facilities.” I’d say, read a lot of great books on many subjects to be well learned.

[@OrthodoxJourney359]

I have a earned Masters from a KJV only Bible College and I'm now in a crisis. I realize how ignorant I am on so many subjects, especially when it comes to the original languages. Is there home Correspondence classes I could take, books I could learn from or should I go to seminary? Blessings

[@davejonescue]

Hey Pastor Brian. The below link is not spam. It is a PDF I put together after 4-5 years of research. It contains links to over 150+ Theology courses located FREE online. You can preview the PDF before you download it. It contains links to courses like Greek I & II, Greek Exegesis I & II, Hebrew I & II, and Hebrew Exegesis I & II. What I am getting at is you can receive the same if not better "knowledge" based training than many get at a 90 credit M.Div program for free, what you will lack is the scholastic mentorship. If that is worth $50,000 in loans, then you may want to go to seminary, if you are looking for an alternative, check out the PDF. It is not a collection of KJV only schools, so dont know if you will still be interested, but hey, its free... Best wishes and share this PDF with anyone you may know. God Bless. drive.google.com/file/d/1p4rHG28t-SsQNNoaIZkgK9qQt3T_Wg9Z/view

[@jordansitler]

Education Underground Thank you for sharing this!

[@OrthodoxJourney359]

@@davejonescue Oh wow! Thank you.

[@davejonescue]

No problem guys. Hope it benefits yall greatly, and God Bless.

[@davejonescue]

@Bible Review Central With Pastor Brian You are very welcome. What I like to do, is for the reading, when I come to a course, type something in Google like if I was watching an Apologetics lecture series off the PDF is "Apologetics Syllabus." Make sure it is a Seminary that lines up pretty close to your convictions, but must on the essentials, and look at the Syllabus and see what they are reading for the class. Many times you can find the book(s) on Ebay or Amazon for under $10, and many times under $5 (especially if it is a later edition) and this will supplement the lectures with an actual text. That way you are really digging into the content. For your Greek and Hebrew, I would go with Basics of Biblical Greek (Mounce), Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Wallace), Invitation to Biblical Hebrew (Fuller/Choi) and Invitation to Hebrew Syntax (Fuller/Choi.) The Hebrew books just came out, so they will be a little investment, but you can get Mounce used for $5, and should be able to get Wallace for around $18-$22. Best wishes, and God Bless.

[@bradberry6201]

how can i begin evangelistic minstry

[@busterrabbit8869]

I do agree but the high cost of higher education (seminary ) is a big cause for our shortage of church leaders. What to do???

[@WayOfHaQodesh]

What happens when your seminaries teach you how to sin? When they want to teach you how to perpetuate man-made heretical and pagan traditions ie Christmas (never mentioned once in the Scriptures) and Easter (Ishtar worship) and you just want to be truthful to the Holy Scriptures...?

[@rewild209]

Nice poster of Jonathan Edwards hanging in your office. Loved your miscellanies video.

[@margaretturrubiartes8134]

I know several people who believe they can be lone rider Christian. There reasoning of how to study the Bible is way off. They also follow people on iTunes that say Jesus comes down daily and take me to heaven to visit and that god teleports the from an airport bathroom to African one. 😢

[@amandamarie.2624]

If you don't go to formal school you should find a truly experienced man who is either the pastor or assistant pastor or someone he recommends as a mentor to help guide and train you. Don't just wing it. Lol.

[@someperson9536]

Let's say someone does not want to become a pastor or an ordained minister, but wants to learn enough about the Bible and theology to teach at Sunday School or at a Bible study. Would it be better to take some classes at a seminary or try to acquire a knowledge of the Bible and theology without taking any classes?

[@persaralinyouthborne1556]

God know you...it's okay what ever you talk., 😔😔because u don't know what Bible say.. God bless you friend.. Amen

[@peri5966]

*Freemartian academia, yuck.*