What would happen if seminary education was put back into the hands of the local church? After spending time at Western Seminary as well as Fuller, I have asked myself that question over and over again. Many of the people who I serve in under-resourced communities would love a deeper education in the Word but for various reasons can't do so.
These men and women are gifted and called to be dynamic pastors, elders, deacons, Sunday school teachers and church planters; but many of them are not equipped to lead effectively in the local church long term. On the other hand, what I have come across in seminary are many men and women who are equipped to handle the word of God when they leave but not equipped to lead or even plant a local church.
I would argue that church-based seminary is one of the most effective and sustainable ways to continue to raise up leaders and equip them for ministry so that they can be released for community transformation in their cities. It's why at my church we have launched our Rock Solid Bible Institute. Our institute is geared for deeper learning and leadership development within the context of my church and community.
Our seminary curriculum is empowered by World Impact's The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) modules. What I love about the TUMI satellite program is the fact that we can equip our leaders effectively and quickly while still engaging them in the local leadership of the church.
Let me share with you two students who attend our TUMI classes. The first is Douglas Grant. He has shared that this module has given him a better understanding of the Scriptures and a more in-depth meaning of the passages used in the class. In our last class meeting, Doug explained how he was able to tell his neighbor Robert, a former gang leader, about God. Doug said that Robert had a difficult time around Halloween because a friend of his was killed on that day in a gang shoot out. He began to share with his neighbor about the love of God and how he must let go of the past. In his testimony, Doug was excited to take this class because he would be able to study more of God's Word and share it with others like his neighbor. “Sometimes we are the only Bible people will see,” Doug said.
The second student is Zully Rivera. For her, this is the first in-depth class she has ever taken concerning the Word of God. I saw how she dug deep into Psalm 119. Not only did she read the Psalm, but she also began to study and listen to what the Lord had to say to her. She discovered that if she read and analyzed the verses that she would begin to understand what God was speaking to her. Through this class she has come to understand that studying the Bible is not as complicated as she thought.
These are just two examples of leaders in our church who either couldn't afford traditional seminary, couldn't interrupt the lives of their families to attend, or may not have even met the admissions requirements even if they applied. The reason church-based seminary is so effective is because we get to engage in urban Christian leadership development right in the context of the church.
Read more from Peter Watts.
