Preparation for Ministry

Lay ministers are unique people in that they are not formally trained, as in seminary and other post secondary schooling. They take their training where they can get it. I am no exception. I learned about the work by reading and studying, and by listening to those people who had learned from normal channels.

One great learning experience came in the form of a particular Sunday School class. When my wife and I had been attending a church for a while, we decided God had planted us there. Well, actually my wife decided God had planted us there, and we joined. Shortly there after, my wife began to teach a Sunday School class of toddlers. Needing a place to sit for Sunday School time period, I chose a class and sat in.

I hadn't thought much about my choice, only to reason which one was closer to the smoking door and which one might be small enough that I would not have to worry about being called on for anything. Classes this small don't have class picnics or do any mission work.

The choice was fortunate in that in the class were three theological doctors and me. Out of the four people, three had PdD's in theology, seminary training from well known Baptist institutes, and were returned missionaries from foreign lands. These were people well versed in starting churches, being pastors, and scripture. I had my own bible college placed before me.

Each Sunday, the class held large discussions of topics ranging from the origin of the world to who wrote the books of the law. Philosophical questions were dissected like frogs, measured prodded and poked. Subjects that seemed to confrontational to discuss in public were regularly batted about without any animosity. I spent many hours during the week reading the bible just to keep up with the discussion. I studied, not because I thought it prudent, but because I hate to out of touch with any discussion. I wanted, no needed, to be part of this process.

After the first year, one of our members moved on. And then there were two doctors and me. His leaving concerned me. I thought the whole wonderful experience was over. We would sink into those old time Sunday School classes we all dread and avoid. I was trapped. We no longer had that three legged chair for me to sit in. It was just a two legged chair. We all know how that works. I went anyway. I had to do something to fill the time my wife was teaching the toddlers and while my son went to his class.

A funny thing happened to me on the way to the class. God grabbed me by the leg and dragged me to His proverbial lathe. He spun me, tossed me, and cut some crude but functional grooves into me. I became a rough and ugly chair leg. I needed grooming. I needed smoothing. I needed polishing. But, for once in my life, I was steady enough to support a young Christian in our group.

I spent a year in that class while the two guys left began to fine tune my knowledge. They began to feed me more than meat, they fed me rich desserts. With the basics learned, they drilled me on some of the finer details of Christian life and how to pour out what I had learned. As the second year ended, I looked much like the other two legs, just less seasoned and inexperienced.

The third and last year, I found myself surrounded by other people. I no longer had the luxury of being the only student. The room was filled with people similar to me when I entered the group. we lost another leg to a class who needed a teacher, leaving us with just the one professional. To my great surprise and joy, he brought his wife into the teaching. for the first time in my life, I was being taught about Christ from a female perspective. I saw the side of Christ I always missed. It was like adding depth to my view of Christ. I could always see the male side. I had the vision of what a guy thinks of Christ, but seeing God from a woman's perspective allowed me to visualize God's whole experience.

Now, do I think these guys planned this? I don't know. I never asked. you know, the whole horse's teeth thing. Do I think God planned it? You betcha! Nothing could have prepared me more for my future jobs than the training I got from these four people, people who today don't fathom their involvement.

preparation continued next time.