Every year new students walk into classrooms ready to build upon their first-year biblical language skills by learning how to exegete the Hebrew or Greek text. They are taught how to examine the nuances of words, the rules of grammar. They discover...
If we are honest, theological education has a persistent PR problem. Some pastors may even discourage a potential seminarian from attending a school because of their own difficult journey. But there’s a reason seminary has long been a standard...
Growing up, my family had a weekend farm just north of the town where we lived. As a kid, it was a great place to explore nature and learn many life skills. It was on that farm, for example, where I learned how to drive a manual transmission even...
You, like me, may have taught biblical studies, hermeneutics, and foundational Greek courses for many years. You, like me, may have become deeply familiar with the text, the stories, the methods, the paradigms. But such familiarity can actually tank...
I have the privilege of teaching Greek. It’s one of my favorite classes to teach. But for many of my students, it is one of the hardest classes they take for their degree. Thus, one of my primary pedagogical goals is to instill a conviction in my...
During my ten years in our seminary dean’s office, one of my responsibilities was observing faculty members in the classroom. It was an encouraging activity, because I was visiting classes in different disciplines and was observing excellent...
Teaching is a form of research, observes William A. Dyrness, senior professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. To teach students well, we must always discover what they know and where they come from. Dyrness is the author of...
A Conversation with Thomas R. Schreiner Respect for our students and for our schools is what undergirds a meaningful calling to teach, observes Thomas R. Schreiner, the James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and associate...
Graded Implementation for Using Digital Tools in Original-Language Courses The speed with which digital technology has swept through our society has certainly made an impact on original-language learning. Whereas it was previously unthinkable to...
I remember well my first semester as a full-time professor of Bible at Biola University. Every minute had a purpose and there was no time to be idle. “Give it five years,” I was told by my more experienced colleagues. “You’ll start to find a rhythm...
There I was, standing in front of a classroom filled with a wide mixture of generations. Most were training for ministry of some kind, though some were seasoned pastors. Ages ranged from early twenties to late sixties. I was still a seminary student...
There might seem to be little need to explain the genre of epistle in the New Testament. The adjustments between modern expectations and ancient conventions appear minor, requiring little more than moving the sender’s name from the end to the...
A seminary is simply defined in this article as an institution established primarily for the training of ministers for the church and other church-related or church-allied or parachurch ministries and organizations. Missionary societies, chaplaincy...
When I was at theological college, it was a great privilege to learn Greek and Hebrew. It was hard work, especially the Hebrew, but I took all the classes Kenmore Christian College would let me take during my four years there. Afterwards, I did my...
The hardest lesson for me to learn in my nine-year academic journey was patience. My goal in this article is to prepare you, the budding Bible academic, for an endurance race of mind and spirit. Hold this thought: academia is hard, but it is harder...
Seminary will challenge you beyond what you might imagine—spiritually, intellectually, and even physically. For me, going to seminary was the hardest and most wonderful experience of my life. Whether you are already going to seminary or plan to...
Have you heard people say, “I didn’t learn that in seminary”? Sure, there can be gaps between what you learn in seminary and how you plan to use your studies. (As wide as the gap between translating James from Greek and teaching it to seventh...
Writing a paper on the theology of a biblical book is one of the best ways to internalize that book’s message. Not only will it require familiarizing yourself with the entire book, but you’ll also synthesize how the parts relate to the whole...
Writing research papers is an excellent way to learn because it trains you to gather information, interpret it, and persuasively present an informed opinion. The process teaches you a great deal, but it also equips you to contribute to ongoing...
Since the early days of his pastorate, C.H. Spurgeon tutored and trained up gifted young men for the ministry. Over the first seven years of his ministry, Spurgeon would send out seven ministers, and yet more men were approaching him for training...
Soulcraft. It’s a word Eugene Peterson thought he’d coined. It was the intended title for the book which became Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ. Little did he know Soulcraft would become the name of a Colorado...
Part 1: Academic Teaching with Support Raising One of the closest parallels to a traditional academic job is teaching in a position that requires raising financial support. These positions are generally available in schools outside North America...
Introduction Research papers are one of the best ways to learn in seminary—which is why so many teachers assign them. A research paper trains you in how to gather information, interpret it, and present an informed opinion persuasively. And yet...
Exegesis is the most comprehensive form of Bible study. It gathers together nearly every Bible study task—word studies, translation comparison, research, and more—for a thorough examination of a biblical passage. While there is no singular process...
"TBAC has three main distinctives. First, as already mentioned, it is substantially longer and more in-depth. Second, it is explicitly Christocentric in its entire structure and orientation. And third, it follows a different sequence that is...
Dr. Andrew Peterson discusses the intersection of technology and education (:10), and then, discover Logos features that give deeper theological insights (4:55). Learn more about the use of technology in Christian education You just saw a preview of...
What is the future of theological education and digital discipleship? In this week’s Faithlife Live video, Dr. John Schwandt discusses exciting new trends and technologies for equipping the Church for the work of the ministry. Head to...
Whether you’re writing a paper for a class, gathering resources for your doctoral thesis, or compiling a list of resources to share with a small group, building a clear, easy-to-read bibliography is mandatory. But what information do you need to...
"Education needs to recenter around the idea that every human’s primary calling is to put God on display and that our workplaces are simply one of many contexts for doing so."
Whether you’re choosing a new Sunday school curriculum or writing one from scratch, consider following these four steps as a guide to get you started. Pray Choose a curriculum Find supporting resources Share with teachers If you truly want to write...