What They Didn't Teach Me In Seminary:

I loved my time in Seminary. I was always busy and most days I walked around in a fog because I had worked late the night before and was running on caffeine but everyday was a good day filled with challenging lectures, stimulating conversations, mountains of books to be read and gallons of coffee to be drunk. It was a great time.

I was challenged intellectually and learned a lot.

• I learned how to read the Bible in Hebrew and Greek.
• I learned about the church fathers and church history.
• I learned about the importance of the church.
• I learned about philosophy and the spread of Western thought.
• I learned about Arminianism, Calvinism, antinomianism, anthropomorphism, arianism, evidential apologetics, presuppositional apologetics, the five solas, incommunicable attributes, inerrancy of scripture, inspiration of scripture, infralapsaranism, justification, sanctification and glorification and every other ten dollar theological word you can imagine. 
• I learned how to outline a Bible passage and prepare a sermon.
• I learned the scope and sequence of the Old & New Testament
• I learned how to conduct a wedding and officiate a funeral.
• I learned about the Biblical role of elders, pastors, and deacons.
• I learned about egalitarianism and complementarianism. 
• I read more books in a short amount of time than I had read my entire life and was tested on every page, sometimes even the foot notes.
• I learned Maumprulli (Tribal Ghanaian African language)
• I learned how to plant a church in another culture and even had the privilege of being apart of a church plant which still meets today under a mango tree.
• I learned about missiology and the finer points of mission work.

It is safe to say that I learned a lot in Seminary and when I graduated I was ready to charge Hell with a water pistol and lead a church.

However,

There is one thing they did not teach me.

• I was never taught about the love I would have for my church.
• I was never told that I would grow to love my congregation like my own family. 
• I was never told that when they suffer and hurt I would suffer and hurt. 
• I was never taught that I would stay up late into the night tossing and turning praying for the members in the church.
• I was never taught that as I stand up in front of the congregation and look out over those who are hurting and dealing with burdens that my heart would break for them and I would struggle to hold back tears at times.
• I was never taught that I would invest in the lives of so many and have so many people invest in my life.

I love my church! I love the people God has sent me to serve alongside. I want only what is good for them and I ache when they hurt and it breaks my heart when they disobey God's Word.

As I am typing I am looking at pictures on my wall of various CREW Youth Ministry Activities I have done during my time here and with tears running down my face I am praying for each of the students God has entrusted to my care. I am praying they grow to be the Godly men and women I see them becoming. I am praying that they are kept from the evil one. I am praying for their future families. I am praying for the struggles they are going through right now and my heart aches for them. I love each of them like my own children and would do anything for them.

I was taught a lot in Seminary but I was never taught about the love I would feel for my church and the people in the church.

I love my church and thankful for each of them!