One of the finest tributes to the name "Practical Theology" came from Mr. Thomas Elliott, religious editor of the famed newspaper, The Atlanta Constitution. He wrote an editorial, the substance of which was as follows:
I have had correspondence from a minister whose letterhead carries the inscription, "Department of Practical Theology." This is most heartening and assuring, for certainly this is the only kind of theology that in the final sum and substance is of any value.
Perhaps this expresses a conclusion with a specific finality that some will not accept, but it does affirm a fundamental concept of this department in the Seminary. It is our purpose to instill such basic principles in the minds of our students as will inspire ready and practical utterance and a living translation of ideals into life.
First and foremost is the possession of spiritual life and vitality. It is not enough to know about God. A minister must know God. A minister must not only know the proper procedures and homiletical processes of sermon development, but he must be made to realize that a sermon becomes genuine only as it makes articulate personality. History becomes valuable and useful only as the student can translate its record into contemporary settings and thereby suggest a way out of present-day dilemmas.
Philosophy and human relations become important only in the same relative degree that they spark the flame of larger thinking in human behavior. Evangelism becomes indispensable only to the degree that it fans the fires of the heart to genuine passion for helping men. Its theories and ideals are empty and meaningless vagaries of words unless love becomes alive in flesh and life. Theology standing alone may become merely the proud edifice of failure if the study about God does not lead the searcher to God. Regardless of the high pretenses, noble words, defense of faith, and even death itself for an idea, if a man does not translate his acts, deeds, ministry, and life into the channels of helpful service, large-heartedness, honesty, and faithfulness, he denies Christ—whatever the profession may be. It is, therefore, our objective and purpose first of all to direct all service into practical channels so as to bear fruit in the lives of others.
Techniques
To achieve this, many practical means must be employed. Equipment must be at hand to, give the student the feel of the tool and the sense of the occasion.
Recording equipment, both of sound and of image, is essential. If it is necessary for the student of voice to evaluate the finished product by hearing it, so likewise can the student best appreciate the artistry of his technique if he can see the product. Provision for this is made in our Special Services class, for example.
During this course our students prepare the communion bread, baking it themselves. They set the table and note the little details that make the difference between the professional and the amateurish service. All of this is recorded on film and the student views his work objectively, thus seeing himself literally as others see him. The same procedure holds true for the baptismal service. He stands in the pool and practices administering the rite of baptism. Thus he literally secures the feel of the service and a sense of security for future services. The playback of the film is a most necessary and eagerly-awaited class session. Students have acclaimed this as a most practical and appreciated teaching technique.
For the funeral services we visit a nearby funeral home. There the funeral director lectures on what he expects of the minister, and also explains the best professional points of the service to remember. This visit to the funeral home has proved most helpful.
In the matter of the wedding, the students are asked to attend a non-Adventist wedding at some time during the quarter. They can do this by watching the announcements in the public press. In class the students perform a marriage ceremony. The sermon notes are projected on a screen. Thus the students may copy each other's notes, and during the quarter may exchange as many as twenty-five sermons. This, of course, is a much appreciated advantage of this class technique.
Field Development Program
Preaching, like art, cannot be made beautiful or worthwhile until it is translated on the canvas of human experience. A sermon is not a lecture; it is not beautiful phraseology, or vocabulary genius. It is not words at all. Words are merely the conveyers of the thought. They translate the person into articulate expression. A sermon is the very virtue or life of the minister. To give expression to his message and experience is the preacher's vocation. To this end he must serve. The finest service the Seminary can render a man is to enable him to see how best to give expression to his message and life.
To do this the Seminary must have field opportunities, but not in the sense of a mere practice program. Most churches have a justified horror of becoming experimental stations for would-be or untried ministers. The field program of the Seminary is not presenting to a church an untried vessel. We present men who have passed through a vigorous classroom training. Many have also grown to a maturity of experience in the field. Therefore it is the presentation of a man whose experience presses upon him and demands release to bless the people.
Pastorates
The Seminary needs churches that afford pastoral opportunities; not for mere experimentation, but to give opportunity for vigorous expression by men who desire to serve efficiently. The pastoral letter becomes more than an empty theory—it is the technique of expression of a worker who wishes to lead a congregation into service without the sacrifice of the worship hour. Thus to lead is no longer an act of experimentation in the Seminary pastorate, but it is now a marvelously soul-satisfying experience to both minister and congregation.
A minister needs to be close to experienced counsel during introductory periods of his work. Here the Seminary can be of invaluable aid and service. A student pastor may face a church board problem. He need not meet it by the trial and error method. He has access to a faculty of experienced workers, resident pastors, and counselors who will not only give him words of wisdom, but will demonstrate practically a method of meeting church board problems.
Evangelism
Evangelism demands all there is of a man in the field of human relations. It is of prime importance that men be given opportunity to enter into larger aspects of a public-relations and soul-winning program.
How valuable is the opportunity of a Seminary student to fraternize with ministers of surrounding community churches! This practice is generally carried forward on a far too limited basis by Seventh-day Adventist ministers.
How important are the social and spiritual contacts made in the homes during a practical field program!
It is good to draw on the blackboard a newspaper advertisement, but how incomparable is one taken from the weekend
Star! It is fine to point with pride to a book of techniques entitled How to Make an Altar Call, but what can compare with the meeting where the student can see a crowd of spiritually hungry people move forward to clasp the hand of Christ?
Here is an important deviation of our concept from that of the average training program. Usually a young man moves forward to hold a meeting on his own. This only serves to point up how very much he needs to know. If it does not prove that to him, a year or two in the field surely will. At this point in their experience scores of young men come to our school. They freely say, "This is my weakness. Here is the area where I need help." Then they present a long list of problems. We might mention a few:
I. Weakness in advertising
- Faulty sermon illustrations
- Weak technique in the appeal
- Improper subject sequence
- Poor public relations
- Troublesome "isms"
- Inhibited speaking traits
- Awkward gesturing
- Poor musical appreciation
Ad infinitum! So the students say, in spirit at least, "What is the solution?"
A large order indeed! If adequate evangelistic opportunities are provided, the instructor can draw from his experience and profit with his students by the challenge of the need, and in the fear of Almighty God thus move forward. It is no ordinary campaign in any sense of the word. The challenge is unique. The instructor is surrounded by a group of eager men who press into the campaign determined to excel where once they knew failure. The net result is bound to reveal a deep, genuine interest, profound enthusiasm, serious application, and an unswerving determination to succeed. Can an evangelistic campaign surrounded with these elements fail? That is why we believe that a strong Seminary field program is the most practical and valuable contribution we can make in men, substance, and spirit.
The Challenge This Poses to the Department
There is perhaps no element in all our work more vital than these problems. As the great task looms before us, we can only groan in spirit and pray earnestly, "Who is able, Lord, for these things?" What a completely humiliating challenge this is! To meet its demands we pray for added grace.
With an expanding program we will need additional instructors. Give us the tools with which to work, the field in which to labor, students who wish to share in a rewarding service, and by God's mercy and through His enabling power miracles will constantly be wrought. Give us men from the field who long to grow more efficient, give us those who desire only to serve God faithfully, and we will labor with them as God gives us strength to make theology truly practical!
