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Do Pastors Need Seminary?
The short answer to this may also come as a surprise. If I had to answer with simply a “yes” or “no,” I would answer “no.” Of course, this no would be very very nuanced and incomplete. It would also be an answer to the question as asked- do pastors need to go to seminary. C. H. Spurgeon, arguably one of the greatest preachers to have lived, did not go to seminary. I also personally know a lot of pastors who have not been professionally trained at a seminary who are also incredibly gifted, biblically faithful pastors. It is telling, however, that what these men have in common is that they spend large amounts of time in prayer- for their congregations and for their sermons. They also are incredibly well read, both in the Scriptures and in books by sound preachers and theologians. In other words, they are training for their calling, just not in a formally academic setting. It is also telling, I think, that one of the things Spurgeon set out to do, and did, was to build a school for the training of pastors- what we would today call a “seminary.” The question now must shift- from need to should. Should pastors get training in seminary? Ultimately, that’s between them and God. But let us consider that a lot of, or even maybe most, pastors should. The reason a lot of people scoff at the idea of seminary is because they take the office of pastor as some sort of mystical calling, different from other vocational callings, and that all they need is the holy spirit. After making some sort of statement like the previous one, they say “look at the Apostles!” Unfortunately for this line of arguing, however, is that even the Apostles had three years of training under a masterful theologian (that would be Jesus, by the way). Let me see if I can show how absurd this argument is by switching roles and asking a question. Would you let a surgeon who had no training operate on you? You might say that it is a different case, because a pastor is called by God to that position, but would a surgeon not also be called to his vocation? Let me assure you that you don’t want me performing your surgery. Of course, you might also not want me to preach a sermon, but that’s another matter. The two are not really as at odds at it may first seem. In fact, if it makes you feel better, let’s say that the surgeon is a Christian. He feels that it is calling to be a surgeon. Surely, we would say that the Holy Spirit is guiding that person, yet he also should have the necessary training. To say that one should rely on the Holy Spirit only (in the way that most people mean when referring to being a pastor) is to remove the means which the Holy Spirit uses to reach the ends. As with everything else in life, including the Christian life, nothing is achieved without means. In other words, things don’t magically happen- e.g. evangelism, sanctification, etc. Neither does one become a good pastor without training (which itself lasts a lifetime). One option for this training is, of course, seminary. That being said, we must realize that seminary is not the end-all of pastoral training. It serves its purpose, and serves it well, but it is not a holistic experience. By that I mean that it doesn’t cover everything a pastor must know. The biggest issue that comes up is application. Seminary is highly academic, but usually light on practicality. Most seminaries try to have some sort of mandatory applied ministry course, but it is limited at best. This means that many seminary graduates are going into churches with no practical experience, that is, no idea how to deal with real issues in the church. If someone goes to seminary, they must remember that it must be married to serving in a local church. This does not mean that you must pastor. In fact, it might be better for you to start serving in other ways. Either way, it is a necessity that the seminary student not coast in their local church, and get their hands dirty in actual service to their local congregation. So, to sum up, seminary is not necessary for being a pastor, but training is. Seminary is certainly a great option for such training. At the same time, the seminary student must realize that it is only part of the equation, and the academic side must be married to actual ministry. 15 comments to Do Pastors Need Seminary? |
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Seeing as how I’m a seminary student I’m sure that many will find my answer to this question ‘biased.’ I think, however, that if you read this honestly you will see that I have tried to keep any biases out. In fact, at the end I will spell out my biggest problem with seminary.
I had some similar thoughts a few months back. I think it is arrogant to say that one doesn’t need any training in order to shepherd a flock. Everyone isn’t able to go to seminary, but everyone can receive training.
Hey Nick,
Definitely seems like we are in agreement here. We even pointed out the same thought- the apostles were trained themselves!
Brian, good stuff! Pastors need proper training to minister to the God’s people and the lost. If a pastor can get proper training without going to seminary, then he should not go. It would be of no benefit to him.
But many have found seminary, not all seminaries, the place to receive proper training for the ministry.
I commend the seminary as the place for concentrated and disciplined training, which is lacking elsewhere.
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Now that I have been accepted to the best seminary in the world, SBTS, I just want to comment on this. I had to make the decision whether or not to go to seminary. I think aspiring pastors need to go to seminary as a rule. Now the rule does have exceptions. So i think typically most pastors ought to go but perhaps not always. I think that is another way of saying the same think you just said.
Stephen
Good assessment. I think I agree with everything I see. I’ve thought a good bit about this issue recently in relation to missions and church planting, which have different titles, but really aren’t terribly different from pastoral ministry in many senses. I’ve talked to countless people, it seems, who desire to become missionaries and are contemplating going to seminary first. I (almost) always recommend that they attend seminary because I haven’t seen many people who challenge themselves in learning biblically and theologically without attending seminary. Many of the issues that are presented in seminary, at least for me, are issues that I haven’t ever thought about or have given very little attention previously. I think many people are like me in that respect and I think it’s important for the protection of the purity of the church — especially as it’s started in new places — that missionary prospects be prepared, knowledgeable, and faithful.
I’ve had the immeasurably wonderful privilege of being taught and mentored by my elders, and I’ve remarked on several occasions–even to them–that I’ve learned as much about the church and ministry in the last several months spent with them than I have in all my coursework at SBTS thus far.
To me, it seems that seminary is valuable for training preachers, but rather lacking in producing pastors. Seminary has taught me much about the Scriptures–original languages, systematic theology, OT/NT survey, etc. Seminary doesn’t offer courses in how to help someone die. There aren’t courses for handling intra-congregational conflict. There aren’t courses in how to do church discipline with compassion and trembling. These things can’t be taught in a classroom, but they can be demonstrated in real-life, in-the-trenches ministry.
Steve, Steve, and Wes all give great points, that I believe really bring out what I was trying to say.
I think Steven Robertson put it extremely well with “To me, it seems that seminary is valuable for training preachers, but rather lacking in producing pastors.”
Also, I am certainly in agreement with Wes’s experience that “[m]any of the issues that are presented in seminary, at least for me, are issues that I haven’t ever thought about or have given very little attention previously.”
Thanks for the comments, guys!
I am a big, big fan of yours.
Some great points here about training. I pastor a small church in Bedford, Indiana and have not gone to seminary yet. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been trained. It is all about what you make of your calling. I read books constantly and study the Word intensely every day. I think that’s why I’m able to do the work God has called me to do. It took me 11 years to get out of Indiana University with my undergraduate degree. I long for the day I am able to enroll at Southern. But let me make one distinction here. It’s not because I feel that I need it. Rather, it is because I wantit! I will be constantly training myself over the course of my life. Seminary is just an aid to that training – a jump start so to speak. I know enough right now to fulfill my calling, but I want to learn more so I can be better at it.
I also agree that Seminary is lacking in the practical aspects of ministry. While it will help me to be a better expositor of the Word and I greatly desire that in my life, it won’t teach me how to do a funeral or hold someone’s hand when they find out they have a serious illness. It won’t teach me how to counsel a marriage in crisis. Seminary won’t teach me how to handle an upset Sunday School teacher yelling at a class member in the middle of the class just because he disagrees with something just said. It won’t teach me how to exercise church discipline in removing that teacher from his teaching duties. Seminary also won’t teach me how to react properly when in the middle of my PM Sermon one night, a gentleman stands up and starts vocally disagreeing with what I say! All of these things and more have happened to me since I’ve been pastoring. No training prepared me for them. I simply had to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me through each situation. It’s sort of an adventure, but it’s wonderful knowing God is there every step of the way.
Seminary is great for the academic training, but my recommendation for anyone going into ministry is to find a small church and start pastoring. There is nothing like getting your feet wet in ministry. If you can put a sermon together already, you are in good shape. And you’ll learn a whole lot by actually doing it instead of talking about it..
Michael Wilhite
http://www.michaelwilhite.net
I would say seminary is not necessary, but education of some sort is. Spurgeon had a personal library of over 10,000 books, so he was not uneducated. John Bunyan also comes to mind.
On the flip side, I know of a few seminary grads who have no business being behind a pulpit.
Bottom line, pastors need to know what they are talking about.
[...] immature. Bryan Lilly’s blog, KATAGRAPHAIS, also shared his thoughts on the subject – Do Pastor’s Need Seminary? Lilly’s thoughts are essentially the same as mine. Does a pastor need seminary? No! But that [...]
Micheal and Steven’s comments lend credence to the need for seminary students to consider following up their degree program with a year of clinical pastoral education (CPE), usually in a hosptial setting, where one gains pastoral ministry skills one never faced in seminary. CPE is a sort of residency program for pastors (not all have to become chaplains per se, but it will enrich your pastoral ministry immensely) not unlike how doctors do a year of residency following their MD programs. They become medical doctors, we become spiritual doctors.
Brian,
I think that’s an excellent idea. I’m one of the lucky few whose church sees the need for picking up what is lacking in academic education and is purposeful about giving that sort of training. I think a CPE is an excellent idea, especially for those who are lacking the situation I’m in, and for those like me who do have such an opportunity.
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