A need for Bible College?

[Pastor Matt]

I thought this was an interesting read, and I'm curious what everyone's thoughts on Bible College is. Personally, I am very much for Bible College, and I usually encourage young person to attend for at least one year. However, Bible college is not a Biblical qualification for a pastor, nor does God call everyone to Bible college. 

https://heartlandbaptist.edu/2020/01/bible-college-provides-a-solid-bible-foundation-for-life/

[HappyChristian]

I'm in favor of Bible college generally.  And, while it is not a biblical qualification, I think it is a help many times for a man who is going to be a pastor (and I would qualify that with making sure said Bible college is biblical, because they are not all, sadly).  

I would be hesitant to use Bible college as a discipling tool...I know the article did not promote that. But a baby Christian going to Bible college seems to be a set-up for problems. A new Christian ought to be discipled in their own church before going to any Bible college.  JMO.

[Inacio Barb]

To rephrase the answer:
I also believe that discipleship should be done in the church.
Forgive me for the mistake.

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Inacio Barb
**Removed text that was copied and pasted****  -

[Pastor Matt]

@Inacio Barb you completely ignored the article that was mentioned and went straight to promoting a school. Do you have anything to say on this matter? 

[DaveW]

We have a bible institute that is taught by local pastors.

That means that a man can stay serving at the church where he was saved, grew, and was called to service, but still get a rounded "education".

Interestingly, of the four pastors currently involved we have one who was "big Bible college" (Heartland actually), one who was "small local college", one who was "evening Bible institute", and one was "direct mentored" by his pastor (with no "formal bible college education at all).

We have an ongoing discussion about the differences,  but all of us accept that options are useful and each of us has a valid preparation.

 

__________________

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by DaveW
No longer required

[Jim_Alaska]

The Bible Institute taught by local pastors is a good one if there are other local pastors in the area. I had a part in that type of training while I was in Alaska. It was very successful and needy at the time, since we were training two missionary families that were to go to Magadan, Far East Russia and they had very little time to prepare. This way they could still live at home, tend to things needing to be done before they left, like selling their homes and other needful things.

This was almost thirty years ago, they were very grateful for this type of opportunity, established two churches there with local pastors and returned home to missionary work in Alaska, One of them is pastoring a sister church to our original one in Alaska, which was started by the same missionary that started our original church.

As to BroMatt's OP, I think Bible colleges can be good if they are sound on doctrine and curriculum and only if sanctioned by a local NT Church.

[Pastor Matt]

19 hours ago, Inacio Barb said:

To rephrase the answer:
I also believe that discipleship should be done in the church.
Forgive me for the mistake.

No worries. We have no problem with you posting a link to a college you endorse, but we also would like to hear what your thoughts are as well.

[Pastor Matt]

11 hours ago, Jim_Alaska said:

I think Bible colleges can be good if they are sound on doctrine and curriculum and only if sanctioned by a local NT Church.

100% agree.

[LYDIA WESTERN]

On 2/1/2020 at 5:28 AM, PastorMatt said:

100% agree.

My father is an I.B Pastor here in Australia. I’ll just throw my ten cents worth in. My Dad attended a Bible College in Springfield Massouri. That’s how he became an I.B. He thinks that Bible College is good for giving a man a balanced view from different pastors, rather than only ever hearing their Dad preach, for instance. America has about 20-25 times the amount of I.B churches as in Australia. We are typically small isolated churches with hundreds and thousands of km between us. Actually, it’s very lonely. Two churches in one town is unheard of. Sydney has the most all in one place. Maybe 10-15. Typical church size is maybe 60. Small is 20 or 30, and there are a lot of those. Big is a hundred or more.

Anyway, all that to say, when a man grows up in a church of thirty people and only gets to hear another preacher once a year at a conference, and rarely visits another church, the chances of going a bit wacko is more possible because it’s just him and his brain. Isolation is not always gold. I know some good boys coming up the line (precious few), but I do have some real concerns. There’s so so much they don’t know. My Dad has pastored three churches and is in his seventies (I’m number 8 in a line of 9 children. All homeschooled ACE), so I have so much to draw on with him. And I also went to college for a year. 

Anyway, I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of the child protection services targeting homeschoolers, but that happened to us through my backslidden older siblings. Out of the blue we had to flee the state and leave everything behind. It was really scary but God just used it for good in the end. My Dad started the first I.B church in South Australia (actually there was one other going for about a year before Northside though). We’ve got about 150 I.B churches in Australia maybe. There’s about one in the Northern Territory, maybe two in W.A, three in Tasmania? Most are N.S.W, QLD and VIC. South australia has maybe five good ones all up and they’re mostly in Adelaide where my brother Simeon’s church is. Australia is only about 7 square km smaller than the States. But we have less people because only about 10% of Australia is habitable. America has about 30,500 people to every one church. We’ve got more like a couple hundred thousand per one church or more.