What I DID learn in Seminary
Eric Spivey, Pinnacle Associate
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced rapid, adaptive change inside congregational ministry across the world. Often, I have joked with our staff, “I didn’t learn this in seminary,” as we struggled to figure out how to shift all our ministries into the digital world.
The joke made me reflect on what I DID learn in seminary. Frankly, I often dismiss my seminary experience. I attended in the 1990’s as massive theological change took place in Southern Baptist seminaries. I remember the feelings of hurt and anger more than the congregational ministry preparation I received.
While no one could have ever envisioned congregational life in 2020 25 years ago, my seminary training DID prepare me for this moment.
Dr. Doug Dickens in my Introduction to Pastoral Ministry trained me to manage stress – both good stress (eustress) and bad stress (distress). The past month has been the most stressful period of ministry for me and many of my friends. Understanding the power of stress on my body, emotions, and spirit has given me an extra tool to keep working through adaptive change.
Dr. Keith Putt in my Philosophy of Religion class taught me how to think critically in congregational life. Reading dense sections of Bultmann and Barth trained me to assess difficult situations and work to find unexpected solutions. Critical thinking has been essential as we reinvent doing and being church on the fly.
Dr. Boo Heflin in my Old Testament class taught me to think biblically as we spent weeks struggling with the first chapters of Genesis. His teaching guided me into a pastoral life of good exegesis. Today, those lessons provide a foundation for biblical teaching in new online platforms.
Dr. Jeff Poole in my Systematic Theology class taught me the importance of thinking theologically. Rather than giving me his systematic theology, Dr. Poole sent me on a lifelong journey of allowing Jesus to form my theology. Today, I see God at work in this pandemic, suffering with the marginalized and affected, while still sending Jesus followers as Kingdom agents in our scattered church world.
Dr. Bill Tillman in my Ministerial Ethics class taught me to beware of the subtle influences of power, money and sex. In these days of working from home it can be easy to cut corners in congregational life. Finding new ways to maintain transparency and accountability remain vital.
Linda Wilkerson in my Clinical Pastoral Care training taught me the “how-to’s” of ministering to suffering people at home, in hospitals, and at church. I have used my CPE skills my entire ministry; these days I am especially grateful for being able to coach my church in caring for ourselves and our neighbors.
Every element of every culture around the world is experiencing rapid, radical, adaptive change. Nothing will be the same when the wave of the pandemic is done. I am grateful for the men and women who invested their lives in training the next generation of pastoral leaders. They did not know what the 2020’s would hold. Yet, they prepared us to stand on the front lines of the movement of God and follow where the Spirit leads. Thanks be to God. Amen.