Wednesday, December 3, 2008

SAVED by GRACE not Seminary

This is just a thought that came to me today. In todays modern American church most people who are in the mainstream reformed ministry are seminary trained. Not all, but most. I know a few and love their insight they have on the definitions and meanings of the scripture.
Now after prefacing this with what I just said. I am finding a lot of people are reading and devouring books by the Pipers, Mars Hills movers and shakers to name a couple. In doing so they seem to be ignoring the scriptures. They love to quote these other men and their wisdom or insights without seemingly remembering these are mere men.
So that is what the title is about. We are saved by grace. And that not from man and their seminary teachings, but a gift of God.
I feel we are becoming to much like the Greeks. Seeking wisdom over seeking the one who gives us wisdom. In turn our outreaches are not maturing or happening. I challenge those with seminary degrees to go outside of the "church" and into the streets. I know one time when I mentioned to someone that I was going to street preach and they just looked like I had just said a bad word. It is as if you are not trained by "professors" or such that you can't go out and reach the lost. We have houses full of babies and no one is maturing. We are losing to the world because we have become like the world. I am not against seminary teaching or students. No, I just would like for the seminaries to truly do more organic teaching outside of the classrooms. Then maybe reality would hit the students and instructors as to what is really happening in the world.
Somethings can't be taught out of a book they must be learned first hand. I struggled in school trying to read and learn from books. I have been more hands on and that's what God is doing for me now. I am learning hands on what the bible is about. Reaching the lost with the gospel. Granted not everyone is an evangelist for the streets, but we can all learn from each other.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Do you not know, that seminary is grace"?!!! You see God gave us seminary so that you and I can read and quote books by these men. Spurgeon once said "a man who will not read the works of other men is a fool"

Steven O. said...

Lionel,
I knew there may be some controversy on what I said. That's why I prefaced it. I am not against seminary training. Where I am coming from is today with the men I fellowship with I hear more quotes from Piper and Cahill, Devers etc. than from the word. It is like during the teaching time we are encouraged to dig into these mens works more than the word itself. That becomes idolatry. Again it seems we are becoming more and more interested in sermons instead of the Word. Just as I said also it is like if you are not preaching on a pulpit your not preaching. I am meeting kids in seminary who are hungary to do those things and yet don't know how to start. They are taught to preach a three pointer and conclusion. Not go out and present to the lost. So again, I am not against writings or seminary. NO,I am just saying they need to add some hands on street people ministry. The majority of the people we hang out with are saved people. Jesus hung out with SINNERS.

Anonymous said...

I was acutally joking 8)

Steven O. said...

Hey, Lionel I don't know when you are joking or serious since you are in seminary. You know those dry senses working. joke...
So as Paul said to be ready in season or out. I have an excuse for almost everything. LOL!!!!