Discovery
Posted on September 25th, 2007
Since my second semester of college, I have pursued a certain path. That semester, an adjunct professor talked to me after a class called Introduction to Christian Ministry and highly encouraged me to keep up with my studies, let nothing stop me, and one day complete a Ph.D. He thought I was intellectually capable and had a lot to offer to the world of academia (and beyond) all that from a couple of hours a week in an introductory ministry course.
Ever since then, that has been my path. Well, I will say that I am pretty sure I was already on that path before he said that, but he certainly did nothing to dissuade me from putting that “Dr.” in front of my name. I idolized my college professors. Not necessarily any one of them particularly, but the group of them who were in the building that taught in my Biblical Studies major. They worked hard to stay abreast of their respective academic interests, they cared deeply for their students, and they spent their Sundays as church deacons, interim pastors, Sunday school teachers, or on church staff part-time at little and not-so-little churches around our county and beyond.
And I wanted to do all of that, too.
Seminary was a disappointment for me. Mostly because my undergraduate professors did such a good job of imparting the kind of education one goes to seminary to gain. I could have gone to a school that offered advanced standing for those with biblical studies undergraduate degrees. I could have gone to one that offered a wide variety of electives and specialties. But I didn’t. I went to a small school with two tracks: the track designed for a pastor, and the track that took the pastor track and removed the preaching and language components.
So I was bitter and frustrated most of the way through seminary. It didn’t really dawn on me until I was in a Greek exegesis course in seminary (after 18 hours of Greek as an undergrad – there wasn’t much new here for me), and I discovered how much I truly dislike Greek exegesis. I understood the need for it. I understood WHAT to do and even HOW to do it. I just did not understand why I should do it.
It’s only taken another four years for me to realize that the same goes for a Ph.D. I understand the need for it. I understand what and how. I even understand why – at least for other people. It’s just not for me. And I have finally been able to let go of striving for it. It’s wonderful to be free of the burden of the next degree, the next step toward finally achieving what I was “destined” to achieve.
Tags: Church & Theology, Life in general, Ministry
Filed under Ponderings | 1 Comment »
Forgetful
Posted on October 5th, 2006
Sometimes our world seems very surreal.
I read philosophy and theology and get swept away by all of the thoughts and ideas, the “big picture.” I forget that there is a reality out there. I forget that there are parents mourning their children, men frustrated by another dead-end job lead, college students scared about the future, citizens wondering if the next drunk driver is going to hit them, families trying to decide what to have for dinner, communities seeking to figure out how to best use their resources to benefit everyone, cronies in politics and business grabbing everything they can for themselves, the poor trying to get a share of the pie – whether or not that share is “fair,” children trying to remember their multiplication tables, immigrants wondering if their dreams are going to be dashed, fanatics plotting their next show, artists struggling to get their ideas out. In short, there really is life out there. There is a point to our ideas, our theologizing, our work. And the point is to help people to live, and to live well – to the fullest.
Everything else is vanity and a chasing after the wind.
But sometimes I just get caught up in the ideas for the sake of the ideas, with no respect of the point: people living. I tend to like to think seemingly just for the sake of thinking. But there is more than that, particularly as a minister (or maybe that really makes no difference). People are in the crossfires of everything we do. People are the point. To help people live well – live fully.
Sometimes I forget.
Tags: Life in general
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Transitions
Posted on August 7th, 2006
My wife and I have landed. Moving is such a chaotic thing. Note to anyone who rents their own truck to move: U-hauls (at least the one we had) don’t do well in the mountains. 20 mph up hill through beautiful moutain terrain makes for one long haul. Especially when we are in a time crunch.
Anyway, we made it. We got everything packed, some professional movers did a great job loading the truck for us, and a team of volunteers did a marvelous job of unloading the truck. All that and I never even had to drive it!
We have spent the last week arranging and unpacking everything that had taken us weeks to load and pack. I think this was the part that was more fun. I think. We have both decided to not move any time soon. Which I am sure is a great relief to my new employer.
Anyway, I wanted to confirm to anyone who is actually reading this that we are alive. And now that we are moved in and have internet access again, I will hopefully start posting more regularly.
Tags: Life in general
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