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A Big Answer to the Big Bible School QuestionBy Timothy
Hampton As a third generation Apostolic, I have observed a remarkable transformation in the affluence, for lack of a better word, among our faith and organizations. When using the word affluence, I am incorporating the level of education, social status, wealth, and involvement in our communities that we have attained. To put it bluntly, the Apostolic church is no longer on the wrong side of the tracks. Although I realize that God does not care about our particular social status and He often used the dredges of society to accomplish great things, He doesn’t frown on His people upgrading their personal lives if achieved without violating scripture. The issue becomes whether you can absorb these temporal benefits and maintain your walk with God. (That particular direction is another article so I will move on.) What does this have to do with the BIG QUESTION of the week? Everything! No doubt some of our most effective evangelists and pastors do not have a lick of education, even Bible School. Does this lessen their contribution to the work of God? Absolutely not. As we all know, God spoke through a donkey, so obviously the condition of the vessel is not important to God. His call is sufficient if He truly calls you to preach (We all have a call to minister but once again, that is another article). God has given each of us avenues and opportunities to better ourselves outside of the walls of our local church. How pious and immature of us to think we do not need to benefit from such great opportunity. I have no doubt that obtaining a four-year degree from an accredited college will enhance anyone’s performance in the pulpit. Is it a bad thing to learn how to communicate more effectively? Would it enhance your ministry to learn how to put concise thoughts together in a stronger verbal or written format? Interestingly enough, the pure educational benefits, in my opinion, are not the most compelling reason to pursue a secular education. Broadening your base of social awareness is an even greater benefit of attending a university. It alarms me that much of the current Apostolic leadership has never been exposed to anything other than the traditional Apostolic lifestyle. What a shock it has to be for a young pastor to sit down and council an alcoholic or a depressed young person when he was never exposed to anything but life as a preacher’s kid. Attending a university is going to give you a glimpse of how the rest of the world lives. We need to come out of our cave of hairspray, B.R.E.A.D. (Bible Reading Enriches Any Day) charts, Tommy suits, and 20 people to a table at O’Charleys, and realize that we need to interact with our society. Chances are that in the future our churches will be predominantly college-educated. As a pastor leads this flock, do you not think that it would be a plus for him to have traveled a similar road? I realize that it is not a necessity but how can it be a negative? No, attending a university will not be kissing your calling good-bye it will enhance it. Paul says in Acts 22:3, I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. Not much is said in the Bible concerning higher learning, but beyond the training given in a synagogue for Jewish boys they could go to a scholarly scribe for advanced training. Paul had this type of training under Gamaliel, a highly regarded Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin. For me personally, I received my Bachelor’s Degree from a Southern Baptist Liberal Arts college in 1992, and was an active member of a fraternity. Several of my fraternity brothers were theology majors aspiring to become ministers in the Southern Baptist organization. These guys were acquiring their four-year degrees in preparation to attend Seminary. In essence, these guys had to achieve a higher level of education to become part of the ministry. Now, in my occupation it is in my best interest to better myself and not only keep up with my peers but to attempt to outpace them in terms of self-improvement. The ministry shouldn’t be any different. The Apostolic experience is often based too much on emotion and too little on substance. In the future, it is going to take more than a shout and sawdust stories to become a force in this world. We can’t do it without the shout and the sawdust stories but we need leadership that commands respect and can interact professionally outside of our four church walls. For too long Apostolics discouraged education. I agree that the humanism and the painfully liberal thinking displayed in most universities can often pose a threat and a challenge to the thinking of any 18-year-old. Good! Apostolic young people need their thinking challenged so they can make up their own mind about what they believe. Mom and Dad’s “Do’s and Don’ts” will not suffice in tough times. There is also added temptation of alcohol, drugs, and illicit sex that come along with the college experience. Sure it would be nice to eliminate this temptation, but that is not reality - even in our Bible Schools (sad, but true). I was particularly intrigued by the question; “Won’t Bible School make the difference in my long-term ministry?”. The real question is will that difference be a positive or negative in your ministry. While your sincerity may be valid not every one of your peers may share the same sincerity. Their reasons for attending Bible School could place you in a position of compromise or contribute to a less than desirable atmosphere to cultivate any type of relationship with God. Here are a few perceptions of why to attend Bible School. If you need to make contacts so you will have places to preach, Bible School is for you. If you need a wife whose life-long dream is to marry a preacher, Bible School could work for you. If you perhaps would like an extended Youth Camp, I would have to recommend Bible School. If there is somewhere deep inside a desire to do something but you’re not quite sure what it is and you need time to find yourself, Bible School is the answer. Maybe you want to continue to get unearned benefits just because of your last name, I’ve heard that can be done at Bible School as well. If you are into having a different make-out partner every night and then running the aisle with all of them on Sunday…Bible School. Harsh, you may think but please do not miss my point. I believe in a Bible School program where the ministry of tomorrow is trained. I also do not discredit the vision and the sincerity of these Bible Schools. I currently have friends attending Bible School and, not that my vote counts, but I am very confident that this was a beneficial experience and the right choice. However, all too often Bible School is not the right choice for many Apostolic kids. Please don’t be offended, but let me challenge you to look within and question yourself on what your purpose is for attending Bible School. It has often been said that Bible School is the easiest place to backslide and I have seen evidence of this for years. We shouldn’t be surprised that this can happen when we open the doors to Bible School to youth that have ulterior motives. What is more disturbing than the backsliding is the hypocrisy that often becomes status quo for many students. I am disheartened to hear with regularity about the failures and gross behavior of those that claim to be called of God and are being groomed to be our pastors, evangelists, music directors, and leaders. One of my favorite sermons was “Learning to Live Without God” by the Reverend Jerry Jones. The root of his message was that many Apostolic young people will shout and dance on Sunday and aspire to be leaders in the church, but live comfortably in deep sin when not at church. They have learned the church drill, but there is no sincerity or depth to their relationship with God. My church is privileged to have a youth pastor who not only attended Bible School but also just received his Master’s Degree, M.Ed. in Counseling & Psychology. I also have two very close friends back home that attended Bible School and also completed their Bachelor’s Degrees, one in History and one in English. Each is successful in their chosen field and all are brilliant young leaders in our movement. I hope that these young men serve as trailblazers in our organization and set the standard for our up and coming youth. It can be done! What are the ingredients for a successful ministry? Quite frankly, all you have to do is be willing and available and follow the voice of God. There is no playbook that will script each and every move that you must make to fulfill the call of God in your life. That would lessen our dependence on God and seeking His voice. So, not every pastor will be a college graduate and not every evangelist will be a proud Bible School alum, but if they each serve God and seek His will, God can and will bless. As we embark on the 21st century I am encouraged
and excited that Apostolics, both laity and ministry, are broadening our minds,
enhancing our reputations, and becoming a force in this world by grasping the
opportunities that society affords us and shaping them with Christian values.
I am enthused about being part of the move to bring the Apostolic
movement onto this side of the tracks! ninetyandnine.com
Article © 2000, Tim Hampton -------- Tim Hampton attends FUPC in Nashville, TN. He received his B.S.B.A. in Economics/Finance in 1992 from Union University and currently works for Comdata, Inc. in Brentwood as an Area Sales Executive. Tim uses his involvement in Jr. Bible Quizzing to temper his sarcasm and cynicism that occasionally surfaces. Tim has on occasion dated a few Pentecostal young ladies but so far has decided that his boat, football, and vigorous work in the church is where his passion lies. Have an opinion on an article? Let us know how you feel! Click feedback & fill us in. |
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