Slow Boat

The seminary boat that I am traveling on is moving so slow that I often think the current is moving me backwards. Two nights ago I got into a conversation about my role and purpose of seminary as it relates to my local minister’s license (I have applied and might not get it according to this XYZ). It appeared to my conversyee that there were two main options for seminary graduates while working as a local minister. One being a pastor and the other being a theologian (which can be broken down into a variety of formats. I may inter change theologian with professor). I didn’t and don’t see myself as either and yet I wanted to answer both. Let me explain:

I don’t believe that a pastor can be a pastor without being a teacher. Likewise, a theologian/professor of religion (Christianity in particular) cannot be a theologian/professor without being a pastor. The juxtaposition of the two vocations are often contrasted against each other(when they are seperated one or both dies). However instead of putting them in opposition or in two different career paths I believe that they belong side by side. They are like peas and carrots, chips and dip, Bonnie and Clyde, they are two half’s that make a whole. The scale might be tipped by a couple peas or carrots in one direction or the other, but both are needed to complete the meal. All too often seminaries forget that they are preparing men and women for the mission to give lifeblood to their congregations. Seminaries create spiritual leaders. The purpose of seminary is to lay a solid foundation needed to spring these spiritual leaders into the world. The problem is that seminaries often focus on preparing scholars, which is essential to the trade of pastorship, but is secondary to its primary mission of preparing new disciples of Jesus.

As I am sitting and thinking about my purpose in school, I am thinking of my decision to go to Fuller. I am realizing that I chose it because it was the most respectable, well known, and biblically sound seminary around the area in which I reside. I remember my first preview day. The professors touted themselves as belonging to the Harvard of Theology (even though Harvard has their own school of divinity) due to being the most published seminary in the world. As I remember sitting in my seat I got really excited. Why? Because I had gone to a small private school without the notoriety that I desired. The only cool thing about my alma matar was the location. In fact I steered away from mentioning my school’s name because no one knew it. It wasn’t a USD, UCSD, or SDSU…it was the other SD university. When people played the guessing game and couldn’t come up with the answer I had to tell them. There response… a polite puzzled look. My reply, “don’t worry, not many people have heard about it.”

What I find ironic about my desire to obtain an elite degree from the prestigious university to adorn my office is that I want to become one of the "first of these..." so that I can show I am worth something (people today are snobs who don’t care much or give much attention to a project manager from the construction world). What is ironic is the degree I am seeking is one which is supposed to be teaching me to be a servant leader...one of the least of these.

My current diploma is lost, packed away, or under some boxes in my office I am realizing that despite myself conscious feeling towards the name on my degree, He has given me worth and named me worth. God’s Kingdom, which Jesus displayed so uniquely, is very different from the kingdoms currently occupying the area in which I live. My purpose in seminary is to learn how to become a better server, lover, and evangelist for the one true God.

So why am I on this slow boat? What is my role with my local minister's license? I couldn't give you a certain answer but right now I am just trying to figure out how to become one of the least of these while loving, serving, and sharing about this crazy guy named Jesus. Sorry if I cannot differentiate between theolgian and pastor like Rob Bell. My world view only allows me to see an enmeshed view of pastor and teaher/theolgian.