Get Back

I’ve had quite a break from blogging, to say the least. But after listening to the Al Mohler interview of Phil Johnson, in which it was mentioned the average blog lasts only 8 weeks, I was inspired to attempt to post more regularly. I don’t want postmortemism to be just another statistic. Additionally, I’ve grown more accustomed to my workload as a student teacher, so perhaps I’ll be able to budget my time well enough to designate the hour or so it usually takes to make a decent post.

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As long as I’m writing, I figure it would be good to tell you a bit about what I’m planning on doing with my life. My plans are always subject to God’s design for my life, so I say this with a certain amount of uncertainty, but I do have a vision for what I want (at least part of) my future to look like.

Currently I’m training to be a teacher in the public schools of Washington state. I expect I’ll pass this student internship, Lord willing. But I don’t plan on being an English teacher forever. Ideally, I’d like to spend enough time in this occupation to get familiar with how to teach effectively and enjoyably. I want to be able to say things that are entirely relevant, interesting, and educationally effective. I also want to teach myself biblical Greek and Hebrew during this time, so that I can come to a better understanding of the Bible.

Then one day, after I’ve collected some cash (and strong understanding of said biblical languages) I would like to go to a good, conservative seminary and be trained to be a pastor.

Why am I not going now? It’s a good question, and I admit I don’t have a perfect answer that would assuage all naysayers who would argue I ought to. But there are a few factors that I have kept in mind for a few years that give me a sense that it’s not good to do just yet.

1) I don’t want to train to only have a church job. It’s not that I think myself above such a vocational training, but I would rather engage in seminary to learn the Bible and be prepared to teach it, than to need such training in order to have a job. I want to serve the church I am a part of, not be forced to be a part of a church in order to maintain my career.

2) I believe it’s important for teacher/pastors to have a godly family. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 is clear about this. A family proves (and hones) my ability to lead an exemplary life for others to follow. It prepares me for all the issues and problems that come up as a leader of a group of people, too. I want to be just as “trained” in these areas by the time I get out of seminary as I am in the Bible.

3) Being a teacher now will help me in many ways. I will gain a lot of experience with communicating complicated and difficult ideas to people who are unfamiliar; I will gain a lot of experience communicating simple ideas to people who should’ve learned them already. I will learn to be gracious to people who have had it tough, and be tough to people who have had too much grace.

4) There are many opportunities to serve (and even teach) at my church already, as God chisels me in to a more Christlike servant of his people. It’s not as if becoming a leader in a church happens instantly. I think it is biblical and realistic to understand leadership as something which may be evident early in adulthood, but developed over time. I don’t want to jump into a state of massive responsibility at this age, beyond that which God has already put on my shoulders.