One thing that has baffled me since I was in school is the high cost of Christian education. The majority of my co-workers are college students. They are pursuing fields such as ministry, social work and education and attend a local Christian University. It makes my heart sad that they will be starting their careers thousands of dollars in debt due to the exorbitant cost of tuition. I understand that the university system is pricey but what I don't understand is why we force our young pastors and missionaries into that system. When the Gospel was first spread over the face of the ancient world, most of the missionaries were uneducated and relied entirely on the training they received from their elders and the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Obviously, I am not promoting the idea of no education at all, but I wonder if we are not missing the mark by sending our students to four or five years in the classroom (more if they go to seminary) rather than training/teaching them in the field as apprentices.
In my opinion seminary is just an opportunity to indoctrinate a student in the beliefs of a particular denomination and should be avoided at all costs!(pun intended).
Instead of burdening these youngsters with a mountain of debt, why not take advantage of the wealth of wisdom available from veteran pastors and missionaries. They will be taking in so much more knowledge than that which is available in a classroom. If my own memories of classroom lectures are anything to go by, they will be memorizing and regurgitating facts instead of truly learning the skills they need to be effective ministers. If Christian Universities would offer streamlined courses without all the programs and distractions I believe all necessary education could take place in 1 to 2 years putting their feet on the ground more quickly and keeping their minds focused on the Gospel instead of cramming them full of marketing strategies and slanted theology. I know the universities are money making machines for denominations but just think how much more effective these students would be if they could truly be excited about learning how to care for the world rather than how to market the message of the Gospel.
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