Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
If a person is not planning on becoming a pastor or a professor, is there any point in getting a theological education? Absolutely! There was a time when when theological education was limited to those who would use it professionally. But those days are long gone. Not only that, theological education is more accessible than … Read More “Do Laypeople Need Theological Education?” »
In some ways I hate the way I phrased that title because it is not a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. I cannot say that all pastors should get a doctorate or that no pastors should get a doctorate. Perhaps a better way to phrase it would be: “Is there any benefit for a pastor getting … Read More “Should Pastors Get a Doctorate?” »
Joy and research are not necessarily two words that you would put in the same sentence. But I am indeed enjoying my research for my Doctor of Ministry thesis. Let me be clear what I mean by research. I have done the chapters that look at the biblical and theological foundation for my topic, as … Read More “Good News: Enjoying the Research” »
As some of you may know, I am in the Doctor of Ministry program at Acadia Divinity College. I have been in this program for a long time. One of the reasons is that after writing all my chapters for my first thesis, I decided I wanted to completely change my research topic. That sounds … Read More “Good News: Made the Right Choice” »
I have been in the Doctor of Ministry program at Acadia Divinity College for some time. Some people have asked is happening with my research and thesis. My original thesis was on faith questions of Canadian Christian university students. However, I hit some snags. This included some time off in the middle due to health … Read More “So What’s Happening With My Thesis?” »
I would like to say as much as possible but it really depends. The more the better but life circumstances can limit how much formal education some can get. The first question to ask is about your goals. Are you looking to get ordained by your denomination? Some denominations have specific educational requirements for ordination. … Read More “What Theological Education Should a Pastor Get?” »
Twenty-two years ago, I began my theological studies at McMaster Divinity College. And now my wife Amanda is beginning her own theological education. If you are wondering what happened to her studies at Brock University, there is a simple explanation. She was doing an undergraduate degree for the purpose of getting a Master of Divinity … Read More “Good News: My Wife in Seminary” »
My wife is just beginning her seminary studies and that is making me reflect on my own experience in seminary. I had a fantastic experience at McMaster Divinity College and I had a very good theological education. But looking back now after over twenty years in ministry, there are a couple of things that I … Read More “2 Things I Wished I Learned More in Seminary” »
I’m thankful for the opportunities that I have to teach at Tyndale University College. My most recent course was on Jesus and the Synoptic Gospels. This one of my favourite courses to teach. I recorded some of the lectures from this course and uploaded them to my podcast The History of Christianity. I didn’t include … Read More “Lectures on the Synoptic Gospels” »
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to teach a module as a part of the Certificate in Accessibility Ministry at Tyndale University College. I teach biblical studies regularly at Tyndale but topics related to disability ministry are something close to my heart. I really enjoyed teaching on this subject. My module was on Ministering with … Read More “Reflections on Teaching Accessibility Ministry” »
Perhaps you are considering attending seminary and getting a theological degree. But what degree should you pursue? I would like to put forth the case for getting a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree. The MDiv is the standard degree for many denominations for ordained pastoral ministry. The MDiv offers a blend of academic and ministry … Read More “Why You Should Get a Master of Divinity Degree” »
Plan Your Education It is definitely possible to become a knowledgable apologist without a formal education. At the same time there is a benefit to following a curriculum and being held accountable to completing a course. One of the most common questions I come across is about the type of education an apologist should seek. … Read More “30 Day Apologetics Challenge: Day 4” »
What is a seminary? First, I will tell you what it is not. It is not a Religious Studies department at a university. Religious Studies is about studying religion (not just Christianity), from a non-religious perspective. Seminary is a type of graduate school that trains men and women for ministry. Seminaries offer education in pastoral ministry, … Read More “5 Things I Got Out of Seminary” »
If you have heard that you need a PhD in philosophy of religion to be an apologist, you have been misled. It is a great degree to have but you can be involved in apologetics with a wide variety of training. First, I believe that a lot of apologetics training takes place informally through reading … Read More “What Apologetics Training Should You Get?” »
What is the role of the Bible college? Should a person go to Bible college or should they go to a “real school”? I was originally planning on attending a Bible college as I was feeling called to ministry. However, I was encouraged to attend seminary instead as I already had a bachelor’s degree. That … Read More “Why Attend a Bible College?” »
There are a number of different doctorates that Christian leaders work toward but two of the most common are the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and the Doctor of Ministry (DMin). As someone who is a DMin student, I frequently get asked, “What is the difference between a PhD and a DMin?” Here is my short … Read More “What is the Difference Between a PhD and a DMin?” »
One of the things that I am excited about this year is the opportunity to teach New Testament at Emmanuel Bible College. EBC is a great school in Kitchener, Ontario, not too far from where I live. I have known a number of people who have graduated from EBC and speak very highly about their … Read More “Emmanuel Bible College” »
