Trying to stay on top of my game

I remember one time when I was at my sister’s house and she was doing some online graduate course. I thought it was weird because she’d already graduated with her master’s degree (which I’m convinced she bribed them into rewarding her cause she’s definitely not smart enough). When I asked her why she was taking the class she explained something to me about how in order to maintain her license or certification or something she was required to take a class or something a semester (and maybe the other option was to be a practicing therapist). This made me do some reflecting on pastors and missionaries.

For the most part, we study intensely for four years, to get our bachelor’s degree in theology, missions, pastoral theology, etc. After graduating, some go on to get a master’s degree, and a rare few go after a doctorate. For the most part, once a pastor leaves Bible College or seminary, he stops being a student in the conventional sense. Now that I am teaching and preaching the Bible 5+ times a week, I realize that being in the ministry does not mean you stop being a student. I study all the time. However, there is a difference between the pastor’s study and sitting in a classroom, doing assignments, etc. I think we should subject ourselves to classes like my sister was. That is why I am thankful for Bible Colleges who offer things like a Ministry Refresher Institute (which I recently got an email about) or for churches who offer Leadership Conferences with classes. I also think that online graduate degrees are a good option.

I think missionaries have their own set of dangers where they can get comfortable and stop growing. I have reached a place with my Spanish, for example, where I can say anything that I want to say and I can understand anybody I want to communicate with (whether I have to say, “Pardon me?” a few times or not). Don’t get me wrong, my vocabulary is still low compared to the average Chilean, and there is definitely room for improvement. The danger I sense though is that I will get comfortable with my level of communicating in Spanish and never put myself to work again like I did in the days of sitting in Spanish class. To kick against that I picked up a book last month. It is a high school Chilean history book. I am enjoying the book for many reasons: I am learning a lot about Chile’s history, I am seeing the difference in vantage point of historical facts learned under a Chilean education and a United States education, I am learning the Spanish version of names I already knew like Christopher Columbus, and every few sentences has a new vocabulary word that I’m unfamiliar with which I look up and try to use in my daily speech. I am thoroughly enjoying it, and hoping to keep myself sharp through the years.