Higher Education

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>> [Matthew]:
>> Come on!  Are you talking about churches in the sticks?!?  I have never
>> heard a pastor, evangelist or organisational leadership criticise higher
>> education from the pulpit!
>
>I have heard such Criticisms made, even at district conferences.

[Matthew]:
Isn't Canada 'in the sticks?' =) (ducking, running and not looking back)


 If you consider the initial
>> demographics of this movement, we have come a loooong way in
>> education and a
>> more standard and systematic approach to theology.

[Bro. Frank]:
>Actually, not really. The image of the Pentecostal minister as the most
>uneducated minister on the block is a romanticized version of our early
>history. If you look at many of our early pioneers they had advanced
studies
>in theology when they came into truth and others augmented what schooling
>they could get with hours of personal study.
>
[Matthew]:
Could you provide some examples?  I know many of our Oneness brethren were
formerly ordained and had associations with other denominations and
institutions, but I don't know (off the top of my head) of any who had a
theological degree.

Of course, the hours of personal study are evident in their ability to
articulate the restoration of Apostolic doctrine.

[Bro. Frank]:
>Our system of education and Bible Study has allowed more to have a minimal
>educational level in theology, but per capita the number of advanced
>scholars we have now has dropped since the early days of the movement.


[Matthew]:
Advanced scholars or Bible students?  There is a famine in the Church today
of Bible knowledge.  We've got too many who simply march to the beat of the
drum, but have never made any effort to understand their faith beyond
experience.  I experienced Pentecost before I understood it, but I thank God
that the Spirit led me to an understanding.

>> I'm not advocating ignorance, but I don't think you can judge any saint
or
>> preacher on his or her education.  God can use any instrument that is
>> yielded to Him.  You don't have to be versed in philosophy (thank God
some
>> are), and you don't have to have an Master's of Divinity (thank God some
>> have).

[Bro. Frank]:
>>
> I would agree with this, however I do not believe we can condone, any who
>do not move forward with learning either by pursuing studies at an
>institution or through self-paced learning. To adopt an attitude that I
>don't need to study, I can get it all by revelation is to contradict the
>word of God in the second epistle to Timothy which tells us to study. I
>firmly believe that true yieldedness to God will see the person pursuing
>some form of self-improvement with regard to education.


[Matthew]:
Of course, I do too!  It is not at all productive to keep a dormant mind,
especially for the ministry!  Ministers who do not pursue a religous
education, should read, read, read.  Perhaps this is the plight of having an
English degree, but I still can't stand to hear a preacher who has horrible
grammar=)


Comments appreciated, brother.

All Honour to Christ Jesus.

Matthew