Why is a seminary education needed today?
Recently, our president, Dr. Bryan Chapell, was asked by 9 Marks why seminary is needed. Here is his response: “We often think of “mission” as taking the gospel across geography. A seminary is about the mission of taking the gospel across generations. By its seminary support, a church maintains gospel faithfulness with future generations. It helps to ensure that they will have pastoral leaders who faithfully proclaim God’s Word. The pastors we respect did not spring fully formed from the dust. They were trained somewhere. I would never suggest that there is only one right way of preparing pastors, but a seminary education is one right way. By supporting training that collects experts in areas of pastoral responsibility, the church provides responsible preparation for its future leadership. An apprentice model has the advantage of on-the-job training, but the disadvantage of training with only one man’s perspective and capacity. Seminaries have the great blessing of “the multiplier effe
