seminary? who? me?

Photo by Marcos Santos.

so: i'm seriously, seriously, considering engaging in some seminary-like classes...somewhat. aww, shucks, let me get on with it: yes!!! i desire to continue my higher education by pursuing seminary classes that would eventually lead to a seminary degree. there. i said it! it's out in the world now. whew. now everybody knows.


i don't know why seminary so intimidates me or saying that i want to goes seems like such a weighty decision, like i just said "i do" to marry my husband or something. but, i guess it seems huge because it is huge. it's a decision to commit to something, a decision to be disciplined, a decision to develop, be challenged, to deepen in how i think about God and what He means to me and then how i will use what i learn to help others shape their views of Him in ways that are based on truth, ways that help them create theology and grow as theologians and students of God. and that is heavy.


today, i'll be attending preview day at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS), a local center higher learning in the Orlando area. the preview includes worship with a welcome, a seminar on the theology of ministry, lunch by degree programs, a tour of the campus, a seminar on applying seminary education and a closing message. what's very cool for me is that because i'm a missionary serving with The Impact Movement, a sister ministry in partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ, i receive a 33% discount on my tuition/classes. AND, because CCC has its own Institute of Biblical Studies for staff members that include 11 courses that can be used toward seminary credit, those classes i've taken and will take can be applied toward a degree i'll pursue in seminary in the future.


pow. now that's what's up. this is exciting. and also very scary at the same time. and the question i'm asking is "God, who gon' pay for all this? um, we still got those two students loans from my lovely and well-used education gained at the University of Georgia to pay off. and now, here's a new need in the world of funding my higher education. who gon' pay for this?"


ahh. but i forget. He is God. and i am not. i just think it's a huge answer to prayer that the desire to really go and get seminary experiences/take classes is now budding in my heart when years ago i used to shun away from this when several people would ask me to consider going to seminary. and i mean people would ask me quite often. one amazing couple who've been prayer partners and financial partners for me in my mission work even told me they'd do references and set up a spot for me at a local seminary in Atlanta. they believe in me that much and wanted me to go to seminary. whew. hold your horses! but, it's encouraging to look back on those moments and see what God was even weaving back then into my story, into my life, into my heart. 


one of those people who'd also ask me often about going to seminary was my momma. "Mel, don't you want to be a minister or something?" me: "no, mama, i don't...what are you talking about? i am not going to be a pastor!" oh goodness. shush. don't tell her about this new news. i'll never hear the end of it. and while i don't think pastoring in the conventional sense is what God's shaped me for, He indeed has shaped me to 'pastor' and 'minister' in unconventional ways...through my writing, through my gifts in communications He's given me that He constantly uses to draw people to His heart. ahhh, indeed. the journey begins. whether my steps with seminary begin with RTS or another place of learning, i'm just excited to begin thinking about learning. and growing.


~ m