The Joy of Glory

Discovering endless joy in the boundless glory of God…

Tag: seminary

June 11, 2013

Letter #6: You are Not Justified by Grades Alone

Dear Jonathan,

Sorry to hear that your first paper did not turn out exactly as you hoped. Even though it was “bleeding red” (your words, not mine), I’m sure it was not actually as bad as you thought.

red_ink_paperfailAfter all…you are not justified by grades alone!

I couldn’t resist that little theological joke.  You know that you are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone! Your grades have no eternal bearing on your relationship with Christ, and they say nothing about your worth as a child of God.

Now don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying that your grades have no importance whatsoever, but what I am saying is that grades should not be your goal, and they should not be controlling your emotional state or how you view your worth.

You worth is found in Christ! You are his servant and your goal in seminary is to grow in him for the purpose of serving his church. My question for you would be, “Did this paper help you grow in Christ and further equip you to serve his bride?”

I am willing to bet the answer to that question is yes…and if I’m right, then the grade really doesn’t matter, except to help you learn more. Read over all the painful red markings on that paper, take in the correction, learn from it, and soldier on.

This is actually a great grace that God has given you! To be learning from some incredible scholars and to have the opportunity to get their feedback is a great grace!

Do not substitute grades for grace!

Seminary is not about trying to climb the ladder of grades to stand victoriously on the mountaintop of academic achievement! No! Seminary is about receiving the grace of theological training so that you may be equipped to humbly serve the Lord and his people.

To whom much is given, much will be required and, Jonathan, you are being given much grace…receive it, red markings and all. Receive God’s equipping grace with gladness and humility.  And remember…

You are not justified by grades alone, in fact, you are not justified by grades at all.

Grace and Peace,

J

*To know/understand the premise behind these letters please click here.

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May 28, 2013

Letter #4: God is Not a Subject

Dear Jonathan,

Congratulations! I’m so excited to hear that you have been accepted by Beeson Divinity School and will begin classes this fall! Your life is about to change, and I pray it is for the better.

I’m glad that all your preparations seem to be coming along smoothly. It is amazing that your house sold in the midst of this market…that is truly a blessing from the Lord. But, as you go through all the practical, physical preparations of moving…I would encourage you to be preparing your mind as well.

You might be changing the physical, geographical location of your family, but you are also moving your mind into new territory and it needs to be prepared. For the next three to four years you will be studying/mastering theology. Theos = God. Logos = word (or in this case, study of). Theology = the study of God. How does one prepare their mind to “study God” or “master theology.” I would suggest that you begin with one simple, anchoring fact…

cap_diplomaGod is not a subject to be mastered.

Studying theology is different from any other discipline, for God is not an object to be put under a microscope, prodded, and analyzed until you can fit the discovered data into your head. No. The more you come to know God through study, the more he should be mastering you…not the other way around.

Your degree program is ironically called “Master of Divinity.” I would give you the same advice that one of my profs, Ken Matthews, gave to my class on our first day of seminary. He looked at all of us and simply said, “So…you’re future masters of divinity huh?…Don’t you believe it!”

Jonathan…don’t you believe it!

God is not a class to be aced or a subject to be mastered. Humble your heart and ask that through your studies he would be mastering you more and more! That is the point of seminary…not to become a master, but to be mastered! As you prepare to move your family to another state, prepare to move your mind into a state of submission to the Lord. Because…

God is not a subject to be mastered…he is the master over his subjects.

Grace and Peace,

J

*To know/understand the premise behind these letters please click here.

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May 14, 2013

Letter #3: Pick a Prof

Dear Jonathan,

So the search has begun…you are officially looking for a seminary. You’re freaking out aren’t you? You don’t even know where to begin. I heard that you started pulling books off of your shelf to read author bios and see where they went to school. I assure you, a game of author roulette is not the best method for choosing a seminary. Google is not a real viable option either.

I do trust that God can providentially guide you to a good school despite your ignorance, but might I offer one thought that perhaps God, in his providence, will use in your search.

At the end of the day, the relationships you form at seminary will be what impact your life and ministry the most. It is through relationships with friends and professors that the Holy Spirit will wield the truth of God’s Word in your life. You will be taught the Word by people, discuss it with people, pray over it with people, believe it and learn to obey it with people.

Screen Shot 2013-05-14 at 9.16.46 AMPeople are essential to your seminarian journey.

Obviously you cannot choose who will attend seminary alongside you, but you can choose your professors. As you look at schools, I would encourage you to direct most of your attention to the faculty. Before you look at the prestigious name of a place, its course line-up, the campus, the city, etc. look at who will be pouring into your life.

God designed the Christian life to be one of perpetual discipleship and seminary is an unique opportunity to be discipled intensely. Therefore, be wise about who will disciple you. Think about your calling and find a professor who will guide, encourage, and educate you in that direction.

I understand that you are called to pastor and want to be an effective communicator of the Gospel, so look for someone who can train you as a pastor and preacher. Find a mentor, a discipler, a friend and sit under them.

Jonathan, when it comes to choosing a seminary, do not pick a place…pick a prof.

Grace and Peace,

J

*To know/understand the premise behind these letters please click here.

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