The secret of the early Christians, the early Protestants, Puritans and Methodists was that they were taught about the love of Christ, and they became filled with a knowledge of it. Once a man has the love of Christ in his heart you need not train him to [...]]]> D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, 253:

The secret of the early Christians, the early Protestants, Puritans and Methodists was that they were taught about the love of Christ, and they became filled with a knowledge of it. Once a man has the love of Christ in his heart you need not train him to witness; he will do it. He will know the power, the constraint, the motive; everything is already there. It is a plain lie to suggest that people who regard this knowledge of the love of Christ as the supreme thing are useless, unhealthy mystics. The servants of God who have most adorned the life and the history of the Christian Church have always been men who have realized that this is the most important thing of all, and they have spent hours in prayer seeking His face and enjoying His love. The man who knows the love of Christ in his heart can do more in one hour than the busy type of man can do in a century. God forbid that we should ever make of activity an end in itself. Let us realize that the motive must come first, and that the motive must ever be the love of Christ.

In the most recent edition of the [...]]]> A few months ago I commented on a forthcoming book on B.B. Warfield’s theology by theologian and pastor, Fred Zaspel (he’s also visiting instructor at the Center for Pioneer Church Planting where I serve).  Zaspel is a gifted scholar and communicator and has recently finished his doctoral work on Warfield.

In the most recent edition of the theological journal Themelios, Zaspel has published a fine article entitled “B. B. Warfield on Creation and Evolution.”  The article can be read here (online HTML) or here (PDF).

Also, Zaspel’s book, to be released the end of September, can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com.

The reason it resonated with me is that within two [...]]]> Yesterday, over at The Gospel Coalition Blog, Collin Hansen asked a number of veteran seminary professors (like Al Mohler, Richard Pratt and D.A. Carson) this question: What one thing you would change about seminary education? The answers were interesting, but one–that of Richard Pratt–really resonated with me.

The reason it resonated with me is that within two years of leaving seminary and being out in ministry–in part, a seminary ministry, mind you–I had come to the conclusion seminaries, as they’re conceived of and operated in western Christianity, are not effective instruments for training men for pastoral ministry–or any ministry for that matter (except, perhaps, an academic one).  Now, several years later, that conviction is only stronger and growing.  I’ll go ahead and share Pratt’s quote here, and in a later post I’ll share why it resonated with me so powerfully and why I’m no longer a strong proponent of seminary training.

Here’s Pratt’s answer:

If I were king and could wave my magical scepter, I would radically change the basic agenda of seminary.

After 22 years of teaching in a seminary, I slowly began to realize something. We were not preparing the kinds of leaders that evangelical churches in North America need. Let’s face it; evangelicalism has seen better days. God is at work in many places and in many ways, but on the whole, the news is not good. Our numbers are dwindling; our theology is unraveling; our zeal for Christ is dissipating. Now more than ever, we need seminaries to give the church leaders who are empowered by the Spirit for radical, sacrificial devotion to Christ and his kingdom. And they’d better do it quickly.

I was recently in China, talking with the president of a house church network of more than 1 million people. He asked me for advice on preparing the next generation of pastors. I looked at him and said, “The only thing I know is what you should not do.” He smiled and asked, “What’s that?” My reply surprised him. “You should not do what we have done in the West. The results of that approach have become clear.”

The agenda of evangelical seminaries is set primarily by scholars. Professors decide how students will spend their time; they determine students’ priorities; they set the pace. And guess what. Scholars’ agenda seldom match the needs of the church.

Can you imagine what kind of soldiers our nation would have if basic training amounted to reading books, listening to lectures, writing papers, and taking exams? We’d have dead soldiers. The first time a bullet wizzed past their heads on the battlefield, they’d panic. The first explosion they saw would send them running. So, what is basic training for the military? Recruits learn the information they need to know, but this is a relatively small part of their preparation. Most of basic training is devoted to supervised battle simulation. Recruits are put through harrowing emotional and physical stress. They crawl under live bullet fire. They practice hand to hand combat.

If I could wave a magic scepter and change seminary today, I’d turn it into a grueling physical and spiritual experience. I’d find ways to reach academic goals more quickly and effectively and then devote most of the curriculum to supervised battle simulation. I’d put students through endless hours of hands-on service to the sick and dying, physically dangerous evangelism, frequent preaching and teaching the Scriptures, and days on end of fasting and prayer. Seminary would either make them or break them.

Do you know what would happen? Very few young men would want to attend. Only those who had been called by God would subject themselves to this kind of seminary. Yet they would be recruits for kingdom service, not mere students. They would be ready for the battle of gospel ministry. (Emphasis added)

“Amen!” a hundred times.

HT: [...]]]> Simply magnificent.

HT: Justin Taylor

Here’s a video that captures the essence of To Every Tribe’s mission. Watch it here, on the Jesus is Worth it YouTube channel or at Jesus is Worth it .com.