Do Pastors Have To Go to Seminary?

Kainos Project

In generations past, it was assumed that pastors had attended seminary before being ordained to lead their church. Today, that isn't necessarily the case, as an emphasis on formal theological training has given way to an emphasis on charisma or leadership ability.

This week on the podcast, we discuss: is this trend a good thing, a bad thing, or just a thing? Is it absolutely necessary for a pastor to be seminary trained in order to be considered qualified and well-equipped for local church ministry?

You may have guessed that two people who hold Master of Divinity degrees would recommend that other people attend seminary. And you would be right! Nevertheless, in our conversation, we discuss why we must be careful not to gate-keep where Jesus never told us to put gates up.

While we explore all the ways that seminary can be a valuable experience for church leaders of various stripes, we also discuss what matters most in qualifying a pastor for ministry, which is something that seminary can't actually teach them.

READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Follow on Spotify

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.