Introduction

Dear Friend,
I wrote the book What to Expect in Seminary: Theological Education as Spiritual Formation for you. Every year people like yourself are wrestling with questions of great meaning: What am I here for? What does it mean to live fully as a disciple of Jesus Christ? How am I fulfilling God's call to "...do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God?" (Micah 6:8) Some people have found that the lives they were living are no longer satisfying in some important way. They have found themselves questioning their work, their relationships, and their goals in ways that leave them increasingly discontent. Others have moved through their college education focused on a goal of service. Still others have long dreamed of going to seminary but as life unfolded for them, seminary seemed an impossible dream. All of these people have found their way to seminary at different points in their lives. All of them were challenged by the experience in significant and sometimes unsettling ways.

The book What to Expect in Seminary: Theological Education as Spiritual Formation discusses different aspects of theological education from within the framework of spiritual formation. Each element – call to ministry, the class room, community life, the practice of ministry, time management, financial realities – is discussed in relationship to scripture. The reader is invited to do theological reflection about these issues and thereby helped to see the entire seminary experience as being the avenue for spiritual growth that it really is. The book ends with the following thoughts:

I come to the end of this book somewhat reluctant to stop. I would like to throw you a lifeline to enable you to hang on and flourish while in seminary. In effect, I have already thrown the line out to you. Will you take it? I hope and pray that you will. You may not understand all of what is being said during your time at seminary; you may have doubts and fears, questions and concerns. All of that is appropriate for this time in your life. I hope, however, that quick on the heels of any doubts or fears you may have is the certain knowledge that you are not alone and that God has not called you into this journey of faith development to leave you stranded and confused. Rather, God is with you always, even "to the end of the age..." If you know that, then you can say with David, that, though you walk through the valley, you will fear nothing, not even evil, for you know God walks with you. Hence, you already have all you will ever really need. (page 192)

May God bless you as you consider entering a program of theological education. I pray that this book will help you to grow spiritually through the process.

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