Prof. Livingstone

[APOSTLE (PROF)C D LIVINGSTONE]

The idea of geting all ministers to be seminary trained need not be over emphasised,becouse comon sense would help any pastor acess his need of being trained to fit well into the kings busines.If a surgon has to spent years to train before placing a patient on the theater table how much more need the man that deals with the soul, spirit and body of that same patient need to be properly trained not just to cut straight every word of truth into proper divisions, but properly send him to his balancing abode?

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

Though I do agree with training for all ministers(Apostles, Bishops, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Deacons, Teachers), we must understand "seminary". By the original definition, the Church itself is to be the seminary for all ministers, for it is the Church that knows the doctrine that it is to put out. Each individual Church/Ministry field has its own individual mission within the entire Body of Christ. The ministers that are to come and work within the Churches/Ministry fields that they come out of are better off being trained within the Church/Ministry field that they are going to serve within. GOD has been against the "cookie cutter mold" from the begin, for HE commanded that HIS houses and alters be made by uncut stones, not bricks. Each stone has its own look and feel. However, a brick is a brick is a brick......they all look the same.

Many that have come out of seminary schools have lost their own GOD-given identity within the "training". They all now preach alike, walk alike, talk alike, minister alike. If this is the case, then how can you find an error within the next one? If the mold is made uneven, then all bricks coming out of that mold will slant just as well.

It has been proven even in our education system that home-schooling has turned out better students than traditional schooling. Teach the ministers at home (the local Church). This makes the major difference between a Ministers who was a "Bible school student/attendant" and "an Apostolic disciple" of Christ.

[A.W. Bowman]

Throughout the history of our religion, it was generally accepted practice for prophets to train prophets, teachers to train teachers, etc. Even so, there was also a "general education" school called a Shul (a Shabbat training school for learning Hebrew history, language and the scriptures - held in the local Synagogue or Temple). Then, there is the Yeshiva (Hebrew higher learning school, a "university" for deeper study of the scriptures - held at the Temple, Synagogue or more frequently, at the teacher's home). All of this was followed by a system of mentors and disciples (students, talmidim) for Rabbi training. Even the original apostles went through the first stage (Shul), and they were still considered "unlearned" by members of the Sanhedrin, because they had not gone through Yeshiva training. But, that error was corrected when one noticed that these same men has spent three years with the Rabbi from Nazareth (a mentor) and were not to be considered as "unlearned".

It is not a case of having one or attending the other, but the proper role that each should play in the developing of candidates for spiritual leadership positions.

One Messianic Yeshiva I investigated for my own training turned out to be a disaster. The chief Rabbi made it very clear: The scriptures would be read, understood and applied according to his personal interpretation, and no other opinions would be considered or even tolerated. That was NOT a school for learning, but rather it was a specialized indoctrination (propaganda) facility. The same danger holds true for selecting a personal mentor. Even so, it is generally best to sit under a mentor (Pastor, Rabbi, Professor) who is not associated with either your local church, organization or seminary. Why? So the qualified candidate will be exposed to as many different modes of training, ideas and perspectives as possible. This will require the individual to sort out what it is that he thinks he knows from what the scriptures and the Spirit actually says.

Where everyone things alike, no one thinks very much. Author Unknown.

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

Your point hold much truth. Yes being exposed to various ministers and doctrines is beneficial for ministry and essential because it keeps you from moving like a horse with race blinders on against co-laborers. My own mentors came from various backgrounds, and I have had the privilege of speaking with, learning from and (my personal favorite) debating against various backgrounds including Jewish Rabbis, Baptists, various Pentecostals, Romans Catholics, & Greek Orthodox.

However, the ideals that you speak of are RARELY found within the seminary schools of today, if they are there at all! Within the fellowship of Churches lead by Apostolic leaders however (Apostolic meaning true Apostles & Prophets), I have found that such an ideal is located more than within the seminary schools.