#119 Spiritual Formation and the Seminary Student
“Let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained” (Philippians 3:16 NASB)
Introduction
If you are considering going to Seminary one of your chief concerns should be how the seminary experience will prepare you for ministry. Seminaries prepare you for ministry in many ways. By getting to know other students you gain a sense of what life in this season looks like and get peer to peer support. From the professors you are critiqued in the ways in which you need to improve for ministry. While the classes you take and the books you read formulate your thought processes that you may have for the rest of your life. Above all of this though there is your personal relationship with God. Seminary can improve or destroy your relationship with God depending on the type of seminary. When we put this all together though it might be called spiritual formation. Evan Howard once wrote that, “Christian spiritual formation is not simply improving the regularity of prayer or Bible study. It is not merely becoming personally accountable for our sins. Christian spiritual formation is the transformation of our spirit through the Spirit of Christ.”[1]
The Two Issues
Two major issues of spiritual formation are how you care for others in your environment and how your relationship with God is supported. These have been the main issues that I have had to deal with in the realm of spiritual formation while I have been in seminary.
Merging The Two Realms
In seminary the demands of school can distract from family and friends. But you need to be present in the life of your friends and family. In seminary you can merge your education with your familial and friend responsibilities. This can be done by sharing the concepts you have learned and engaging in a dialogue on those topics. This is how the student becomes the teacher, helping you to fully understand the ideas you are learning. Furthermore, you can use what you are learning in seminary to address issues that arise in your life early on and from a biblical perspective which can prove to be a blessing to both your family and future ministry. The book Surviving and Thriving in Seminary says, “we strongly encourage you to integrate your studies into the fabric of your spiritual and devotional life.”[2] The book also mentions that while it is good to integrate the ideas you are learning in seminary you shouldn’t assume that all the ideas are applicable.
Your Relationship With God?
The other major issue of spiritual formation in seminary is how your spiritual formation is being supported. I have been blessed to have a supportive wife and family. But in seminary there are many big ideas thrown around that can mess with your faith. Oftentimes your professors may come from a different denomination from you or not even believe in God. This is a dangerous situation to find yourself in as a seminary student. When a professor you trust vehemently supports an idea you know nothing about, the temptation is to accept what they say as the truth. Yet without proper spiritual formation support you may not realize that what your professor teaches is contrary to your foundational beliefs. This is why the choice of seminary is so very important and having voices in your life that have been through seminary is important.
“Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us” (Philippians 3:17)
What to do about it
Knowing that these two issues are real and present in your life if you go to seminary how can you deal with them? Well first of all pray! Secondly, remember your foundation. The Bible is the foundation of everything that you learn in seminary. If you cannot back up what you are learning using the Bible then you must reject it. Beyond this, I have found the single most important thing to be connected to your local church. If you regularly speak to your pastors about the ideas you are learning they can guide you towards truth and catch when you are headed in the wrong direction. While being involved in a local small group ministry can inspire new ideas and questions. While reminding you why you are in seminary in the first place. I know that every time that I go to a men's Bible study, I leave feeling more secure in my faith and with more questions to study and to ask my professors. This is all also true of caring for those in your family. By being the one in seminary you will become the spiritual head of your family. Your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, even cousins, may come to see you as the person that is their pastor or spiritual leader. Even if they are not Christians, they will hold you as the standard of conduct and may ask you to pray at meals. You must study and show yourself prepared to serve your family and friends.
My Advice
Seminary is challenging. It is easy to forget why you are doing it. My advice to you is to stay connected to the local church throughout the whole process.
Let me tell you a story. I am from California. I went to Bible college in Oregon and in the process lost all connection to my home church. After this I moved to Washington and then back to California while in seminary online through Fuller Theological Seminary. This was a problem because through all the moving around I did not have a home church and pastors that could keep me from straying from my original goals. My faith was badly rattled by the whole experience. It took me several years to go back to seminary to finish my degree. But now I will not do it without my home church. You need your home church. It’s small groups and pastors to remind you why you are in seminary and of what you believe. Take my experience into consideration and save yourself a world of pain. As a final statement, “Spiritual formation is not a magical occurrence resulting from the presence of Christians gathered together in the same place, whether online or on campus. There must also be intentionality, reflection, engagement, and interaction between and among those gathered.”[3]
[1] Evan Howard, “Three Temptations of Spiritual Formation,” Christianity Today (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 2002), 48.
[2] H. Daniel Zacharias and Benjamin K. Forrest, Surviving and Thriving in Seminary: An Academic and Spiritual Handbook (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017), 42.
[3] Stephen D. Lowe and Mary E. Lowe, Ecologies of Faith in a Digital Age: Spiritual Growth through Online Education (Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2018), 85.
