THROUGHOUT Christian history God has called men of varying backgrounds to the Christian ministry. He used fishermen like Peter and philosophers like Paul. He used an obscure shoe clerk, Dwight L. Moody, and he also used a university-trained scholar, Martin Luther. However, when God calls a young man to devote his life to the ministry, He expects him to secure some measure of formal preparation. The question is, How much education should a young aspirant to the ministry seek to attain?
The answer is largely determined by circumstances. An adequate training for successful ministry in a primitive area would be different from adequate training for similar work in a highly cultural university center. Adequate training in the 1860's when few people finished high school, is different from adequate training in the 1960's when many people finish college. We may agree that, as a rule, a minister's education should be comparable to the education of other professional people in his community. Ellen G. White stresses this principle in the following statements.
Those who engage in the business of school teaching prepare for the work. They qualify themselves by attending school and interesting their minds in study. They are not allowed to teach children and youth in the sciences unless they are capable of instructing them. Upon applying for a situation as teacher, they have to pass an examination before competent persons. It is an important work to deal with young minds and instruct them correctly in the sciences. But of how much greater importance is the work of the ministry!—Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 341. (Italics supplied.)
Some who have all their lives been led by feeling have thought that an education or a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures was of no consequence if they only had the Spirit. But God never sends His Spirit to sanction ignorance. Those who have not knowledge, and who are so situated that it is impossible for them to obtain it, the Lord may, and docs, pity and bless, and sometimes condescends to make His strength perfect in their weakness.— Ibid., p. 342. (Italics supplied.)
In order to determine how much training a young minister should have, one should look about at the level of education in contemporary society. In the United States today an elementary teacher is expected to be a college graduate, and preference is given to a person with one year of graduate work. Of course, exceptions are made, but only because of the current teacher shortage. A secondary teacher is generally expected to have the equivalent of a Master's degree. Nearly half of the country's college teachers have a Doctor's degree, and most of the others are somewhere between a Master's and Doctor's level in their educational attainments.
An attorney is expected to have approximately three years of professional training beyond college, a dentist four years, and a physician four years plus an internship. More than 60 per cent of the young Protestant ministers have the Bachelor of Divinity degree when they enter the ministry. This degree represents three years of training beyond college.
In view of the statement quoted above, would it not seem that Seventh-day Adventist ministers in the United States, and in other countries with comparable educational standards, should have at least one to three years of specialized professional training beyond college? Of course, this training must be accompanied by the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit, but we must always remember that "God never sends His spirit to sanction ignorance."
The Seventh-day Adventist minister, of all ministers, needs thorough training because of the unique nature of his work and because of the problems he must meet. Again in Testimonies, volume 2, page 556, Ellen G. White referred to this fact. She said:
Ministers who are spreading unpopular truth for these last days, who have to meet men of learning, men of strong minds, and opposers of every type, should know what they are about. They should not take upon themselves the responsibility of teaching the truth unless they are qualified for the work. Before engaging in, or devoting themselves to, the work they should become Bible students. If they have not an education so that they can speak in public with acceptance, and do justice to the truth, and honor the Lord whom they profess to serve, they should wait till they are fitted for the position. (Italics supplied.)
If educational fitness for the ministry was important in the early days of our movement, surely corresponding fitness is appropriate today. "The times demand an intelligent, educated ministry, not novices."—Ibid., vol. 5, p. 528.
But let us consider the counsel given to the teachers at Battle Creek College in 1895, regarding "A Speedy Preparation," as preserved in Counsels to Parents and Teachers, pages 404-420. Does not this counsel recommend a brief period of training for the ministry? A careful reading of these pages reveals the following points:
1. This was a protest against the plan for assisting "a few" through a comparatively long course of study while "many young men and women just as worthy cannot be assisted at all."—Page 404. In a day of very limited resources, it was wise for these resourses to be wisely distributed.
2. It was also warning against "the pursuit of knowledge merely for its own sake." —Page 405. It is as true now, as then, that a prospective minister should study those things that will enhance his ministry, and not spend years in impractical, unnecessary study.
3. Battle Creek College, at the time, was offering a curriculum that emphasized classical languages and literature, while Bible study and practical training were minimized. An extended period of such study was not giving the ministers the training needed.
4. The messenger of the Lord was writing at a time when the rank and file of the population were fortunate if they finished grammar school. The prolonged classical curriculum of the college was neither preparing the ministers to minister to the common people of the day nor to interpret the Adventist truth to those few who had reached greater educational attainments.
5. It was also an emphasis that the truth of "God is not dependent upon men of perfect education." Dedication, devotion, and unselfishness were primary. Yet we cannot construe this statement to mean that we should be opposed to thorough education for the ministry. Such an interpretation would be out of harmony with the clearest counsel elsewhere.
6. On page 413 of Counsels to Parents and Teachers we read:
I would not in any case counsel restriction of the education to which God has set no limit. Our education does not end with the advantages that this world can give. Through all eternity the chosen of God will be learners. But I would advise restriction in following those methods of education which imperil the soul and defeat the purpose for which time and money are spent. Education is a grand lifework; but to obtain true education it is necessary to possess that wisdom which comes from God alone. The Lord God should be represented in every phase of education; but it is a mistake to devote years to the study of one line of book knowledge. After a period of time has been devoted to study, let no one advise students to enter immediately upon another extended line of study, but rather advise them to enter upon the work for which they have been preparing. Let them be encouraged to put into use the education already obtained.
7. It is interesting to note the way in which this counsel was applied at the time. In the General Conference Bulletin of October, 1895, just seven months after the counsel was written, Battle Creek College publicized a two-year "School for Christian Workers," enrolling sixty young men and women "of mature years." This article stated, "This course is one in which young people of mature age ought to be especially interested." It was altogether fitting that in 1895, the educational standard for mature students preparing for Christian work should have been a special two-year curriculum. This two-year curriculum was probably as adequate for the needs of 1895 as a Bachelor of Divinity curriculum is in 1961.
In view of the entire counsel of the Spirit of Prophecy advocating a thorough, adequate, practical training for the ministry, and in view of the present needs of the church, the following position seems tenable:
1. An undergraduate major in theology, however well taught, is no longer adequate preparation for most assignments in the gospel ministry.
2. The frontiers of human knowledge have been pushed back so far in recent years that the undergraduate college is hard put to teach all the liberal arts needed for an understanding of the world in which we live and work.
3. This means that the Seminary must bear the larger part of professional ministerial training. For this reason the Seminary is placing growing stress on evangelism, pastoral work, preaching, and other practical subjects. In addition, the Seminary endeavors to acquaint the student with his Bible. This is the foundation of ministerial education.
4. For these reasons we believe that almost every young minister should have at least one year at the Seminary and preferably two or three. These years spent in studying God's Word and the methods of proclaiming the message will pay great dividends in the evangelistic and pastoral program of the church.
None of these statements should be interpreted as depreciating the excellent work of God-fearing ministers who have had only limited formal educational opportunities. They deserve our honor and respect. But in a generation when we build better buildings, drive more dependable cars, ride airplanes, and preach over television networks we must adjust our educational standards to meet our age. Just as a good father wants his sons to have greater opportunities than he may have had, so an older minister with the welfare of the cause at heart will rejoice that his younger brethren may be supplied with tools that he was denied.
The Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, now a part of Andrews University, has been established to provide professional training for the Adventist ministry. Present standards require one year of training at the Seminary for applicants for ministerial internships. And we are happy to note the increasing number of students preparing for the Bachelor of Divinity degree, which requires a three-year curriculum.
In time consumed, these curricula are comparable to the requirements for teacher preparation on various levels. Surely we would all agree that our ministers should be as well trained as our teachers.
The Seminary student spends his time studying in five fields: Old Testament, New Testament, Theology, Church History, and Applied Theology. All of these courses are focused on the objective of preparing effective evangelists and pastors. Time is not wasted on nonessentials.
Each Sabbath more than sixty of our Seminary young men visit surrounding churches, participating in pastoral activities. More than forty of our students are engaged in directed evangelistic activity under expert supervision and instruction by experienced evangelists.
We are happy to see that acceptances to the Seminary for the fall term are far ahead of last year. And our doors are still open for consecrated young men with adequate backgrounds. Those interested should write without delay to Dr. W. G. C. Murdoch (dean of the Seminary), Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
