Two Cent Tuesday – After You Graduate…

This question is in honor of all this year’s seminary graduates.

Now that the sentimentality is out of the way, let me be clear… I hate this question.

I guess the thing that I hate about the question is that it seems to me that, by asking it, seminary is being reduced to a means to an end. While, for some, I know it is just that… but for me, seminary isn’t that. The fact is that when I decided to come to seminary I was already in vocational ministry and quite happy and content with my position. For me, seminary is not about getting a piece of paper so that I can now go and fulfill God’s calling on my life. Rather, for me, seminary is about being better equipped for the calling I already have. That calling, however, is not on hold while I’m in seminary.

The way that works out in my life is that I am currently involved in a church plant in Orlando and, God willing, I’ll walk my calling out in the context of that church plant. Now, does that mean I’ll be on staff and getting a pay check… maybe, maybe not… but either way, seminary is about equipping me to better steward the ministerial responsibilities God entrusts to my care.

So, sure… what do you plan to do when you graduate… better yet, why haven’t you already started doing it now?

That’s my 2 cents… what’s yours?