I am currently in my fifth academic school year of studying to obtain my Masters of Divinity Degree. It is a long journey, but I am thankful that I am able to study and be a youth pastor simultaneously. There are many things I could recommend as advice for those who think that seminary is in their future. However, here are three:
- Learn the Bible now.
- Learn English now.
- Learn from those who are older than you now.
Learning the Bible is important because this is something we will do throughout out lives whether we are currently in seminary or not. The Bible is God's word and it is crucial to avoid the mistake of waiting until seminary to learn the Bible. Read it now. Listen to sermons from your pastor at your local church. Read good books about the Bible. The foundation that you build now will help you in seminary.
Learning English is also important. This small piece of advice is aimed at those who grew up speaking English. Seminary includes writing many papers that require well written English sentences. Also, most likely your seminary experience will include Greek and Hebrew classes. One regret I have about my education is that I never mastered the basics of english grammar, which makes it harder to learn Greek and Hebrew. Learn English well now so you can more easily thrive in seminary.
Learning from those who are older than you is important because wisdom can be gained by listening to those who have went before you. I love listening to advice from people who studied in seminary. From people's advice, it has given me boosts of confidence and nuggets of wisdom that God has used to strengthen my endurance during this journey of learning.
Seminary can seem long, difficult, and at times overwhelming. However, seminary is a gift from God that He uses to equip people for serving Him. I'm so thankful that He allows me to be a seminary student. I hope these three small pieces of advice can encourage you!
