While I am still at the beginning of this series, I thought I share a little about my story and why blue collar theology (or theological education in the local church) is important to me.
I grew up in a home of godly parents and attended church faithfully from the day I was born. Both my mother and father are well-educated people, and my grandfather is an SBTS alumnus (1943), who by the way, was the first person in our family to graduate from high school and later college and seminary. Throughout my childhood, my parents pushed me to be the best student that I could be, and while I earnestly sought excellence in my studies, I realized that I had several challenges. These challenges included sports, entertainment, and a disdain for literature and reading.
I was told that from infancy, I had a ball in my hand. Growing up I played baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, volleyball, and ran track. Sports literally dominated my life. And when I was not playing sports, I was being entertained by television or a movie. Together sports and entertainment enveloped my childhood as a typical American kid. However, the third factor– a disdain for literature and reading–became a by-product of my way of life and was encouraged by the environment in which I lived. No one in my family read. No one read to me either. In elementary school, when each student sponsored the purchase of a book for the school library, I bought the book with the most pictures and least words (it was about snakes). This continued throughout high-school where, not only would I not read the assigned literature, I could not even muster the motivation or energy to read the cliff notes! I just hated it.
The end result of all of this is the fact that I did not read my first book until I was 19 years-old. If there was anything else I could be doing other than studying or reading, I did it. I never heard of C.S. Lewis, much less The Chronicles of Narnia. J.R. Tolkien and Lord of the Rings was completely alien to me. Yet, the home was not the only place where the discipline of reading and study was undermined, but the local church did as well. Growing up, I went to your typical downtown First Baptist Church rich in history and settled in their ways. I won all the Bible drills, but didn’t know how to study my Bible. I knew that going to church and giving my tithe was important, but I didn’t know how to grow as a young and under-developed Christian. I could sing all the praise songs at our “youth chapel” on Wednesday nights, but I had no idea what the songs really meant. They were just fun songs to sing.
Then I realized God had called me to ministry, and things really needed to change.
During my first years of college, God began giving me an insatiable desire to learn, study, and grow in my knowledge of Him. I began buying every Christian book I could find, and unfortunately, the most accessible Christian books are usually the worst Christian books out there. So yeah, I quickly became a very confused and bewildered believer. No one had told me to avoid this author or recommend that book, and evidence of this reality is that I now have an entire bookcase full of books I am too ashamed to have for public viewing. I kept them to remind me of where I have been, what God has taught me, and the importance of investing in people so that they won’t have their own bookcase of literature they are not ashamed of showing.
Almost ten years have passed since I read my first book, and I have no idea of knowing how many I have read since then. What I do know is that God has taken a kid who had absolutely no desire for study or reading and infused a passion for truth and a greater knowledge of Him. While I love my parents and the church I was brought up, I went through 19 years of my life deprived of any real theological education (apart from my own Bible study and Sunday School classes). These past ten years have, in part, been a making up for (and catching up to) the years that should have been invested in training my mind to understand the truths of God rather than other exercises of futility and trivial pursuits.
So why I am passionate about theological education and the local church? Because I am example of someone who grew up never appreciating the truth nor valued the knowledge of God as greater worth than all the unprofitable exercise that comprised my life. Seminary, Christian colleges, and parachurch organizations are not the place where Christians find theological education to be important and essential. It should be in the home and in the local church–and that is where I hope it returns.
As I begin this series, I feel like it is important to let you know where I am coming from. I do not have 20 years of theological education under my belt. I have not seen the local church as “the pillar and buttress of truth” as she ought to be. Yet, I will not be content with an anti-intellectual, anti-theological bias dominating the ecclesiological ethos. So my plea is for theology and the church, truth and the glory of God, knowledge of God for the people of God.
My plea is for blue collar theology.
Awesome! Great post Timmy. it is cool to hear where you have come from. Not that you asked, but I grew up in a home where my dad was always reading a book. However, I also lacked discernment in my early book buying in college. Keeping them to remind you where you have been is a good idea, but I sold mine to used book stores and purchased a couple of good ones instead.
I am looking forward to this series. I think many people in our churches are hungry for rich theology, and even church history if we will give it to them in a compelling way and in a way that effects their day to day life.
My story is somewhat similar. While the distractions were different for me, I didn’t seriously read any book until after my second year of college! The circumstances that got me reading were similar, I was transferring from a secular university to a bible college to start ministry training and the Lord graciously showed me value of reading. And I’m grateful that He did, as I had to read seven or eight books that next semester! In any case, during that first semester at bible college, I realized just how much theology I didn’t understand and how much of the bible I had neglected–and I was one of the leaders for our youth group back home! I think this is a great thing that you’re headed into, and it is something sorely lacking in most churches. I look forward to hearing what you’ve got to say.
Mark,
Thanks man. Yeah, when I was a student minister before I came to seminary, I passed out two list: the first was my Top 50 books to read, and the other was “Authors to Avoid.” I felt that, as a shepherd of their souls, it was just as important to mark the wolves as it was to point them to faithful guides. It is much easier putting a barricade around a ditch than spending extra energy in trying to pull them out! But you are right, people will be interested in church history and theology as their appetite for solid meat is cultivated in the church.
Craig,
I think we talked about this sometime earlier, didn’t we?! I think a major issue in the churches is the idea that if our kids go to youth camp or children’s church, then we are par for the course. The problem is that the bar has been lowered to a level that we have undermined the minds of our children and fed their appetites with banal buffets from the world. Shouldn’t the church be the place where our children are challenged the most? If as much energy and passion is spent on knowing God as winning the next video game, then we would see a remarkable thing in our generation. Theology must be integrated in the family and in the church beyond a program and one week out of the year. One does not wonder why we loose our young people so quickly to the world. Could it be that they have borrowed convictions and superficial moorings?
It is my hope that a passion for the truth and a passion for knowing God will rise from the ranks of the redeemed through the Spirit’s awakening our minds and renewing our hearts.
I can relate, Timmy. I was raised in an A/G home by loving parents (although my father has since fallen into apostacy) but also enjoyed reading as a child. I remember reading every Agatha Christie novel I could get my hands on (for a season). When I experienced regeneration, I dove into reading in a whole new way. First and foremost, I loved the Bible. Unfortunately, I had not a clue of what to read besides that. I thought the deepest book out there was “Good Morning, Holy Spirit” by Benny Hinn or the LaHaye “Left Behind” series!!
Only in the last 5-7 years have I come to realize that there is an entire world of great riches to be found (Edwards, Piper, Dagg, etc.).
However, I keep those books from my early Christian experience on display in my office bookshelf for all to see a window into my sanctification. 🙂 Don’t be ashamed of the journey….Rejoice in it!
Another problem with the typical SBC (and probably other) church is that doing a book study with young people requires small groups (not the norm), a leader who has some theological insight (probably an adult who isn’t cool), and actually staying on topic rather than “sharing.” Add to that a youth leader who is probably the least mature adult, trained in “Christian Education” rather than theology. Then students complain when they aren’t entertained (but there are those fine exceptions who DO want more) and get the parents upset.
I eagerly anticipate the impact that you and others like you (Dockery, Vincent, Sherid, Van Neste, etc.) will make when you are unleashed on the SBC. However, you’ll have to articulate the vision of “youth ministry” to the parents up front and get their support, because the kids won’t like it.
A sad tale: A friend was helping lead college SS and wanted to lead a class in a study of a book of the Bible. The leader said, “Oh, these students aren’t mature enough for a solid Bible study. We need to study this book.” The book: a John Eldridge piece of mind-numbing rambling. My question: How do you get mature if you don’t study the Bible?
Timmy,
I think it’d be a great idea to post your lists of “Top 50 Books to Read” as well as the “Authors to Avoid”.
It might help those that are in need of a resource like that.
JG
J. Gray,
The funny thing is, when I was cleaning out our guest bedroom/new baby room, I came across those lists stashed under the bed. Of course, those lists need to be updated! I will see about getting those up in the near future.
Thomas,
We are all “under construction,” aren’t we?! I suppose that, in our journey of sanctification, we all have some stories to tell. I appreciate you sharing your experience and for the encouragement.
Bill,
You are spot on with the youth ministry stuff! When I used to teach students, I taught 45-60 minute expository messages and made my manuscript available to students after the service for students to take home for further study and application (to be used with their devotional times). When I first did that, I printed out 8-10 manuscripts, and to my surprise, all of them were gone. I doubled it the next week, and not a single one was left. This is a reminder that when you feed students God’s Word, they will develop a hunger and thirst for it. When kids come to church and find nothing different offered than a sanitized movie theater, we do not need to wonder why that, when the movie ends (leave school), they don’t hang around (church drop outs).
SAVED BY GRACE
I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. Ecclesiastes 2:13
About 3 years ago I dropped into a black hole – four months of absolute terror. I wanted to end my life, but somehow [Holy Spirit], I reached out to a friend who took me to hospital. I had three visits [hospital] in four months – I actually thought I was in hell. I imagine I was going through some sort of metamorphosis [mental, physical & spiritual]. I had been seeing a therapist [1994] on a regular basis, up until this point in time. I actually thought I would be locked away – but the hospital staff was very supportive [I had no control over my process]. I was released from hospital 16th September 2004, but my fear, pain & shame had only subsided a little. I remember this particular morning waking up [home] & my process would start up again [fear, pain, & shame]. No one could help me, not even my therapist [I was terrified]. I asked Jesus Christ to have mercy on me & forgive me my sins. Slowly, all my fear has dissipated & I believe Jesus delivered me from my “psychological prison.” I am a practicing Catholic & the Holy Spirit is my friend & strength; every day since then has been a joy & blessing. I deserve to go to hell for the life I have led, but Jesus through His sacrifice on the cross, delivered me from my inequities. John 3: 8, John 15: 26, are verses I can relate to, organically. He’s a real person who is with me all the time. I have so much joy & peace in my life, today, after a childhood spent in orphanages . God LOVES me so much. Fear, pain, & shame, are no longer my constant companions. I just wanted to share my experience with you [Luke 8: 16 – 17].
PEACE BE WITH YOU
MICKY
Micky,
Thank you for sharing about how Jesus, by His grace, has changed your life. Jesus welcomes sinners, and like Paul, I feel like I am chief and most undeserving of such mercy. It is easy to overlook that this mercy which is displayed in God’s sending His own Son into the world to die in the place for sinners is also a reminder of the justice that should be ours for the punishment of our sins. Praise God that by faith we can have forgiveness through God judging sin in the cross, mercy through Jesus satisfying God’s wrath and holiness, and peace through Jesus’ blood which covers all our sins.
Timmy