I think it is very important that preachers of today need to be seminary trained .

[Delbert Vaughn]

i say that because there are no more dumb folk in the church and i feel that it is a sad day for the preacher if he has somebody in the congregation that knows more about the bible than the preacher. Also i feel that if the pulpit is dumb then the pews are dumb.

[andre]

I THINK ALSO THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PREACHERS OF TODAY TO BE TRAINED BY SEMINARY, BECAUSE LIKE MY SELF I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THE LORD HAS CALLED ME, BUT IN ORDER TO TEACH PEOPLE I NEED TO BE TAUGHT MY SELF. STUDY TO SHOW THY SELF APPROVED!!!!!! IM NOT TO PRIDEFUL TO SAY I NEED THE SCHOOLING BECAUSE IF I GO THEN I KNOW IM GOING TO LEARN MORE THAN I EVER WOULD KNOW ,ALL THERE IS TO LEARN ABOUT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST I WANNA KNOW!!!! SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND!!!! BROTHER, ANDRE HAYDEN

[andre]

I ALSO THINK IF EVERYBODY BE HONEST WITH THEM SELVES ,THEY TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN LEARN ALOT FROM SEMINARY,BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS IT ALL,AND BESIDES YOU WOULD JUST BE ADDING A LITTLE MORE KNOWLEDGE TO WHAT YOU ALREAY KNOW AND ALSO BE UP UNDER THE OLDER MINSTERS WHO HAS MORE KNOWLEDGE THAN YOU DO. [SOME!] I JUST WANNA ALWAYS LEARN AS MUCH AS I CAN!!! CROWN MY HEAD WITH MORE KNOWLEDGE AND MORE WISDOM WHETHER IT BE BY STUDYING YOUR WORD OR BY WAY OF SEMINARY IN JESUS NAME I PRAY ;;;;AMEN!!!!!! I JUST WANNA STUDY TO STAND APPROVED BEFORE MEN AND GOD!!!

[John]

Just stand approved before God and everything else will be alright!

[swagger]

well i dont believe that you are dumb because you dont have a degree the anointing is smarter and more powerful then any college education. but i do believe that preacher should want to educate them selves

[Pastor Nola Francis]

Greetings:
I would like to emphasize the importance of preachers being taught to teach others. This will help the ministry. I also feel strongly that preachers need to have the anointing on their lives, this is very important for them to detect and defeat the plan of the devil. It is good to be born again, but let us take a close look at those with the anointing on their lives, they are living witnesses of what the word declare. "sign shall follow them that believe"
We need holy ghost men and women to preach the word today, people who will not compromise the gospel
Just take a look at the apostles, they stayed continually in prayer and they performed many miracles. What's wrong with today's preachers. Some people can't even detect when their sheep is in danger. God is calling us to a move up to a higher standard in him.
College education is wonderful, but man must be led by the spirit of God so that they can function effectively in the ministry. Heaven bless you
Pastor Nola Francis

[HOPE - Psalm 43:5]

I agree that the ministers are not the only ones who should be studying but the disciples should be given something that holds them accountable. I love giving people "homework" withouth them realizing it is homework.....LOL

Just last night I asked a young lady to look up a passage in 5 different translations and write it out and give it to me next week. It can be simple, nothing elaborate. But as teachers, we know that those we teach SHOULD be self-motivated but that isn't always so. Sometimes you must create the expectation in them that MORE will be expected FROM them than to be little babies being fed previously chewed food. We are to teach them to find the food for themselves....train up a child....

[Bishop S. JaNine Hyman, Ph.D.]

Bro. Ware...."Jesus" was a Rabbi, which meant he was formally trained, even from his childhood. One could not just be a rabbi because he was anointed. As a master teacher and master prophet, he taught his students a minimum of three years (as Christian tradition has it). Ironically, it also takes three years to obtain a seminary degree. Typically, seminaries do not teach much doctrine, although Bible colleges often do.

From my understanding, Shaul (Paul) was highly educated--as an official of the Roman government, he had to be. In fact, he had studied since the age of five. He was sent to Jerusalem at about the age of ten to attend the rabbinical school of Gamaliel, who was the son of Simeon the son of Hillel. Gamaliel was a most eminent rabbi who was mentioned both in the Talmud and in the New Testament (Acts 5:24-40; 22:3). Gamaliel was called Rabban - one of only seven teachers so called. This lets us know of the quality and longevity of Shaul's educational process. Also, the Prophets of the OT were oftain trained for years, and sometimes this was in seclusion.

I believe that the scripture to which you were referencing was more about false apostles coming in behind the true apostles with another doctrine. Thank you for sharing it---I'll have to do a little more research on the context in which it was written.

Even if we have discernment and the Holy Ghost, does this mean that we are skillful in communicating revelation to others? The Spirit may download the revelation to us, but the anointing does not SKILL us as teachers. Everyone needs training in whatever their vocational endeavor-- I would think. If we need no man, JUST discernment and the Holy Ghost, then ALL of us preachers should be out of a job ---because all our sheep would need is the same--the do not need US either to teach them...lol I do agree, that we should not count preacher out because they did not go to seminary --but they do need to go somewhere and sit at the feet of some anointed, well trained man or woman of God for a few years....if nothing else, to obtain wisdom, to have acountability, for supervision, and for character development. I don't know WHERE I would be had I not sat at the feet of my father and mother in ministry for 15 years (who were both anointed, prophetic, and educated). I would have made it without seminary, though I would not be as proficient and skilled in the delivery of the word and the study of it. But I would be nothing without the man and woman of God who were divinely and strategically placed in my life. I am still submitted to leaders though I myself am now doing what they trained me to do.

[Bishop S. JaNine Hyman, Ph.D.]

This is true Moreh...the scripture says that it was the WISDOM of God that gave us the apostles and the prophets....to deny them as being conduits of the Ruach and Rhema would be to deny the very Wisdom of Holy One....good point....now it's bad when THEY don't have the Wisdom of God....but I also agree that the FOLDS should be collectively leading and teaching the congregation---THAT'LL get rid of some of the leaven and some of the foolishness....I'd LOVE to see that in operation in every congregation....lol

[Ashley]

My pastor was trained in seminary, but always says that you can go anywhere you want, but the true teacher is the Holy Spirit. I do believe you should search the scriptures and if God leads you there, then that is fine. I think, however, sometimes people get so caught up in seminary training that they forget about the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit for the accurate interpretation of scripture. If you went to some seminaries here, the word is not divided according to how God intends. Women are still rejected for attending seminary and going into ministry. The puplpit become dumb(as you say) because SOME(not all and that is clear that a distinction is made) ministers do not study the word. They go based on their own knowledge or the lack there of. So let us promote studying according to 2 Timothy 2:15--and to continue to seek training..whether that be through seminary, educational workshops. Let ministry not become something ritualistic. I liked the comment someone mentioned about Jesus not going to seminary--but he was trained. The Pharisees though--with all there book sense had no spiritual sense. This was a very good discussion and I appreciate you posting it.

[Rev. Evita L. Smith]

As one preparing to complete seminary in May 2009, I feel that it is important, though not necessary, for preachers of today to be seminary trained. Seminary provides helpful insight into understanding the biblical text and helping individuals to develop a cohesive understanding of the Christian faith, as well as other traditions. We cannot minister about what we do not know. When you have the information about other faith traditions you know how to defend your own. Additionally some of the other skills needed by pastors and ministers can be developed in seminary. For example: areas such as pastoral care, preaching, religious education development, Christian theologians. All of these are areas in which you will find helpful information and training in to make you a more developed pastor/leader. Education tends to be overlooked in the African American church tradition but there is some necessity to the seminary experience as we move forward in a more educated society. It is not the totality of your ministry but I do believe it provides you with added tools in your toolkit for more effective ministry.

[Bishop S. JaNine Hyman, Ph.D.]

VERY well said Rev. Evita....best wishes on the completion of your seminary journey....just a few more months before the GREAT TRIUMPH! I'm excited for you.

Finish strong and with joy,
+++sjh

[Bishop Robert Durgan]

Oustanding you are right Hope and trust that you are in the blessings of the Lord...