Biblical Christian Worldview
Media Missionaries where Christianity and Culture collide. Providing honest reporting and analysis on the intersection of contemporary issues and theology, based on a Biblical Christian Worldview. We report regularly on a broad range of contemporary topics in the areas of ethics, false theology, family, technology, megatrends, politics, freedoms, law, church, and eschatology. Our podcast and website (BCWorldview.org) are intended to strengthen the systematic theology of Biblical Christian underpinnings. Thank you for taking the time to listen.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Biblical Christian Worldview
The Danger of a Seminary Education
Listening to some podcasts and reading some of the deep theological constructs currently being debated by seminarians, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the minutia. It reminds me of a quote many years ago by J. Vernon McGee who frequently stated his goal was to present the Bible in a clear, straightforward manner. Quoting Dr. Ironside, his desire in teaching the Bible was to “put the cookies on the bottom shelf”. There is nothing inherently wrong with seminaries and Biblical scholars debating the finer points of theology. However, there are at least five areas of caution for the layperson.
Recently I had a conversation with a very educated brother in Christ who posed the question, “Does one need to be seminary-trained to be a church pastor?” My initial opinion was that a Biblical Christian seminary provides a foundation for teaching and acts as a filter, both in core theology and an ability to deliver value to a pastoral role and/or missionary opportunity. However, stepping back, there are areas where we should not accept the value of educational institutions, even seminaries, without a degree of skepticism and caution. This is not to say that there are not wonderful seminaries and Bible colleges that teach students to be amazing disciplers and evangelists. We just need to not take formal Christian education at face value.
