Monday, April 24, 2017

Higher Education and the Holy Spirit

As I prepare to enter the world of Christian higher education I'm faced with various responses from people.  Some are affirming.  Some are confused.  And some, prefer not to ask or talk about it.

13 years ago I informed the church that I was pastoring that I was heading back to seminary.  There were many reactions but I remember one in particular.  It was a conversation with a volunteer leader.  She couldn't understand why I was going back to school and in a nutshell here's what she said:

You don't need more schooling, you just need the Holy Spirit.

I think most people believe Christian higher education is a good thing.  But not all people.  Some think too much learning 'quenches' the Holy Spirit.  As though learning theology is helpful as long as it stops at some point.  That point is usually when it starts to interfere with "what the Bible says".

Here's an important note: those that devalue Christian higher education are usually the same ones that suggest their way of interpreting the Bible is not actually interpreting at all, they're just saying and doing "what the Bible says".  Devaluing education leads to a simple, rigid, theology.  Higher education is designed to help interpret what the Bible says.  It gives context and meaning to ancient texts and cultures so the Holy Spirit can open up and apply even the most obscure texts to lives today.  But that learning doesn't always fit nicely into the land of rigid theology.  In that place, people fear theological change.  Because 'new' theological positions are something to be feared and condemned rather than poked and questioned.

Here's what I think: The Holy Spirit works in and through Christian higher education.  Just like the Spirit works through people, nature, etc.  He uses education to form and shape learners into the image of Christ.  Education changes the way people think.  And when thinking changes so does living.  That's a good thing.  Romans 12:2 calls follows of Jesus to have their minds renewed.  To be trained to think differently.  To learn and practice the ways of Jesus.

I've been blessed to serve at HMC.  For an evangelical church it's quite a theologically diverse community and I'm privileged to have been shaped by so many from such different backgrounds and perspectives.  I'm looking forward to my continued journey from church leadership to the classroom and being shaped by the Holy Spirit at every step of the way.


 

2 comments:

normae said...

Awwwww... Fred and I have counted you among the blessings in our life. It was so hard to say good bye so we did not, hope you did not mind. You, your wonderful wife and kids were a joy inour lives, we learned a great deal sitting under your teaching, and are glad we had that time. No we did not say a whole lot but God heard a lot in our prayers for you.
We will continue to offer prayer support in your next step in your life, please do keep intouch.
God bless and keep you Pastor Jason.

The Gentile Rabbi said...

Norma! So good to hear from you. I hope you and Fred are enjoying your life up north in this great province. Thank you for your words of love and affirmation. You and Fred were such an encouragement while you were at HMC and I'm sure you are a blessing to those around you now. Thank you for your prayers. We are truly blessed by our Good God! Feel free to follow along with this blog. I plan to continue updating it in the weeks and months ahead. Take care!

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