Why Seminary (part 3 of 3)

FULL TIME VS. PART TIME

So, with conviction that God wanted me to go to seminary, we also had to think about whether we would go full or part time. Part-time would give us the opportunity to continue serving at Rock Chinese Church of Austin as volunteer youth directors. One danger of seminary education is that it becomes "head-knowledge" and cause spiritual stagnation. Part-time would allow us to continue investing in people and building them up in Christ. However, part-time would take longer, and it would be more difficult to focus on studies. Pastor Gaylord helped us to think through this by asking us if our priority was to equip ourselves for ministry or to serve in ministry. Since our priority was to equip ourselves, we decided to go full-time.

One of my Intel coworkers did part-time seminary while working full time, raising a family, and serving at church. I'm not sure how he did it (he said his wife was very supportive and that he had basically zero free time). If I remember right, the program took him 6 years, but he finished and got a degree! Teresa already says that I try to do too many things at one time, so juggling part time seminary and part time work would certainly cause undue strain on our marriage.

The downside of going full-time is that we've had to uproot and move out of Austin. There's certainly more financial cost (neither of us are working), but time and time again, God reminds me that He is my security, not money.

Last year, I had the joy of reading through the Old Testament from beginning to end. One historical account continues continually encouraged me to place my trust in God Himself and not what can be seen, tasted, or touched.

Amaziah, King of Judah had hired 100,000 mercenaries from Israel, his northern neighbor, with 100 talents of silver. He felt like he needed some extra hands to help him fight a war. But, God sent a prophet to Amaziah and this is what happened:

"But a man of God came to him and said, "O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel, with all these Ephraimites. But go, act, be strong for the battle. Why should you suppose that God will cast you down before the enemy? For God has power to help or to cast down." And Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do about the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?" The man of God answered, "The LORD is able to give you much more than this." Then Amaziah discharged the army that had come to him..." (2 Chronicles 25:7-10)

Though Amaziah is not recorded is a "good" king from the eyes of God, in this moment, he exercised faith. He trusted the Word of the Lord: "The LORD is able to give you much more than this."

May God's Word encourage you as it has encouraged me in whatever circumstance you are facing.

In future posts, I'll discuss the process by which God led us to Westminster Seminary (vs other great seminaries out there).