Sitting in class, I often wonder about the future vocations of my fellow students. The majority of them will be pastors with the United Methodist Church. This degree can either be a wonderfully-beneficial step on the ladder to their passion for ministry; or it is a rubber stamp on their goal of ordination and securing a pension. Some of them are laypeople with other vocations already established; this degree is for personal benefit only. Some of them, like me, desire to teach.

Having already earned a BA in the field of religion/Bible/ministry and going out into the world, albeit for a short time, I know what happens when the classroom turns into the world. You realize the things you wish you had paid more attention to, and you also (sickeningly) realize the things in life that academia couldn't prepare you for. So, I imagine that the stakes are slightly higher at the Master's level. It is surprising how many people in this class are younger than me, who have gone straight from undergrad to here, who are going to be put in charge of possibly enormous churches. Are they prepared for ordination simply because they have a Master's degree? Not necessarily. And it scares me how many people here don't take their classes seriously because they "just want to get into ministry." Granted, not every person is suited to the classroom environment...but come on. Even if you don't learn easily, your commitment to studying right now is going to be a pretty good indicator of your willingness to commit to ministry later on. Your congregation doesn't give you a syllabus. They don't tell you to expect three deaths, two weddings, and a major crisis, though you may at least be prepared for 45 sermons a year (assuming you get a few Sundays off). Please, seminary students: take this seriously.

And yet, God works through people whose churches I would never want to set foot in. God works through foibles, through miscues, and through inexperience. He teaches difficult lessons, but he still teaches. Thanks be to God.