I first want to take this chance to thank and appreciate the pastors, leaders, mentors, friends and my beloved small group who have supported me so much this past semester! Many who have gave occasional advices and tips or simply just praying for me! Especially, to members in Wesley Methodist Church whom I may not know personally but I know have been praying for us theological students since our prayer request are up in the Wesley Bulletin every week.
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| This photo expresses my life as a seminary student! |
This first semester has been such an arduous yet fulfilling journey thus far! I had this thought after going through my OT 1 & NT 1 exams that i've learnt so much more in this 5 mths alone compared to participating & even leading in Disciple 1 classes the past couple of years! Covering the entire Pentateuch (Genesis to Deuteronomy), Deuteronomic History (Joshua to 2 Kings) & the 4 gospels and the Acts of the Apostles! Writing all those papers, ruminating on different scripture texts, reading countless of commentaries, mind-mapping the theological concepts for my NT1 exam has allowed me to internalised and see God's Word come alive in such a fresh new way! And this is not including my other core modules Church History 1, Christian Theology 1 & our Missions & Evangelism module which i've thoroughly enjoyed & learnt much too!
As mentioned in my last reflection note here, Reflections from a Young Theologian , i'm extremely grateful to God for providing me with such a wonderful community in TTC! If not for such amazing classmates & seniors I would not have survived this first semester without each of them! It's really such an honour to know this people and to even interact with this like-minded brothers and sisters in Christ. Some of them even offered to proofread my papers and guide me in writing academic papers as they know that i'm fairly new to such writings since this is my first degree.
Another area which i've learnt much from is actually visiting the different churches around Singapore. Besides the first 7 churches which was organised by out school field education. A group of us continued to visit more churches from different denominations. Just this 5months alone i've visited a total of 15 different churches! From a few Methodist churches, Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Pentecostal, a couple of Mega churches, even small family churches and my most recent visit to an international church called EveryNation which was held in a Bar! Such visits have opened up my theology so much on why different churches and denominations do what they do. Such exposure has continued to resonate in my heart in supporting this whole ecumenical movement of our different roles in different churches/denominations serving together in God's kingdom church!
If you ask me what's the one thing I have taken away and having tasted a little of what seminary life is like for this first semester?
I will respond with just 2 words, learning and experiencing what "Spiritual Formation" is!
Below is an extract of a reflection paper I wrote from the book "Trials of Theology" a compilation of theologians of the past and present on their perspective of the praxes and learning of theology.
Spiritual FormationHaving just started this journey in a seminary the tension of chasing grades and just enjoying the process of learning theology has been a constant challenge for me. I came in with much apprehension and fear that I will lose my passion and heart one day with the constant focus on this academic pursuit alone. As the term progressed I witnessed classmates who felt the pressure of readings, assignments and devotion life to be affected. I cannot agree more with what Warfield said, that familiarity with ‘divine things’ might actually be one’s greatest danger [1]. God convicted me of this need to ensure that I do not fall into the trap of racing towards an academic pursuit per se and to recognize the importance of spiritual disciplines as a means of spiritual formation. These considerations have compelled me to ensure I wake up earlier for personal devotion, to attend evening chapels, as well as to form a morning prayer group with my classmates to keep each other and the school in prayer.
I also believe that spiritual formation is also shaped as a community, inferring from what Woodhouse said, ‘… since the knowledge of God involves the use of our mind, we also gather as a community of scholars’. [2] We hold firm to God’s truth together. Even Carson, have stressed on the importance of such communal learning, having friends that hold informal theological discussion with one another critiquing each other’s work and just learning from one another.[3] Like said in Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”.
At the end of the day, B.B. Warfield have beautifully summarized how I see one can grow in Spiritual Formation.
“You will never prosper in your religious life in the Theological Seminary until your work in the Theological Seminary becomes itself to you a religious exercise out of which you draw everyday enlargement of heart, elevation of spirit and adoring delight in your Maker and your Savior.” [4]
Lastly, I believe that the process towards spiritual formation can be summed in one word, “Humility”. Spurgeon summarized it very well; humility is such a crucial character trait for the preparation of ministry. Especially, the story of the ‘humility test’ that allowed the interviewer to see this young men demonstrate a response of ‘self-denial’ from the questions asked. [5] There’s this familiar saying of ‘practicing what you preach’, but I like to suggest that we also need to ‘preach what you practice’. We need to be consistent in our lives first before we can actually preach about it. It is of outmost importance of having a private prayer life. [6] Luther shared about praying for humility and earnestness [7] while Warfield said, ‘theological study is undertaken through a lessening of oneself’[8]. There’s so much emphasis on humility that I myself am now convicted that I need to lay down my pride, my ambitions, my reputation, my desires and just allow God to fully be on the throne of my life. Edmund Chan once said this, “Ministry is the outflow of your life… take care of the depth of your life and God take care of the breadth of your Ministry”.
ConclusionIn the process of writing this reflection, God has actually taught me a deeper message by allowing me to have a first hand experience of what this theologians have shared. This had reminded me of what a seminary graduate once shared with me, which I will paraphrase.
“As we journey in this academic pursuit of studying theology, we also need to be aware of the side curriculums that God is constantly planning to teach us that we will not find in our main curriculum.”
I like to conclude with what Carson have said that seminary education should not be just be a means to a job, but more of a continual lifetime of study and reflections in preparations for the vicissitudes of ministry ahead. [9]
Endnotes:Cameron, Andrew J. B., and Brian S. Rosner. The Trials of Theology: Becoming a 'proven Worker' in a Dangerous Business. Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Pub, 2010.
[1] p.56.
[2] p.105.
[3] p.128.
[4] p.58.
[5] pp.31-48.
[6] p.43.
[7] p.28.
[8] p.71.
[9] p.116.
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