For many years the accepted training for ministers has been seminary. Individuals wanting to enter the ministry would prepare by going to seminary for two or three years to earn their master's degree, and then they would enter the ministry by going to their first church. I remember when I felt my call to ministry. My church licensed me to the ministry, and I contacted our judicatory leader letting him know of my call to ministry and my interest in having opportunities to preach. I still remember his response. He told me to let him know when I completed seminary and he would be glad to assist me in finding a church. Since I had only a high school education at the time that meant I would have to quit my job and spend the next seven years in college and seminary before he would offer any assistance. A few months later I left that church and denomination and began pastoring a small, bivocational church in our community and served that church for twenty years.
Today, there are many ways a bivocational minister can receive the training he or she needs that does not require one to spend three years in seminary. Some denominations and judicatories offer leadership development programs that offer classes to prepare bivocational ministers for ministry. Our judicatory offers the Church Leadership Institute that is doing a great job of training bivocational ministers and lay leaders to serve in our churches. Some Christian colleges and seminaries now offer on-line certificate programs to provide excellent training for persons who feel called to bivocational ministry but may not be able to attend a traditional seminary. Campbellsville University has an excellent 27 hour program specifically developed by their School of Theology for bivocational ministers that is very affordable and entirely on-line. While there are not yet a lot of these types of programs, there are a number of schools that provide similar training. Obviously, one advantage of such on-line programs is that you don't have to leave your home, your church, or your other employment to receive the training you need to be a more effective minister.
For those who want a more traditional seminary education, there are a number of good options available on-line as well. Campbellsville University also offers a fully-accredited Master of Theology on-line that provides a wonderful education for any bivocational minister. I earned my master's and doctorate through Liberty Theological Seminary's online program. There are a number of seminaries and Bible colleges now offering such degrees, and they are certainly worth checking out.
In my next posting I'll discuss my views on what to consider when thinking about a seminary education. I'll tell you upfront that some of my views may be a little controversial, but that's the nice thing about having a blog. You can share anything you believe to be true! Readers can always decide if they agree or disagree and then act on what they believe. But, I want to conclude this blog by mentioning the one thing that I think is essential for every bivocational minister who wants to succeed in the calling God has given him or her.
No matter what you decide to do regarding your initial training for ministry, commit to being a life-long learner. You may decide you do not want any formal training beyond high school or you may decide you want a PhD. Regardless of where you finish your formal education, never stop learning. Find at least one workshop or conference each year to attend that will help you develop some ministry or personal skill. Every pastor receives information on dozens of such training events near their community, and you should determine that you will attend at least one of them each year. Once in awhile you'll attend one that wasn't what you thought it would be, but even in those you can still learn one or two things that will benefit your ministry. Don't let the occasional disappointment stop you from attending other events in the future. Our world is changing at a rapid pace, and the way we go about ministry must change as well if we want to reach out to our communities in meaningful ways. Find the workshops that will sharpen the tools God has given you for ministry and see if they don't make a difference in your life and in the life of your church.
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