ROAD TO MDIV #3
The Conflict: Specialist vs. Generalist
Though I have a heart to care for God’s people, it’s not much of a surprise that I am drawn to the scholarly side of pastoral work. Working through a text critical problem in Romans on a Friday night? I’m there, every time.
Here’s the issue (one among many) I’ve been wrestling with this week: there is an infinite number of facts to know about any particular subject. You could pick one book of the Bible and spend the rest of your life studying it and never run out of material to work through, insights to discover. (Like the one pastor whose entire ministry consisted of preaching through Job.) But for most pastors (and congregations), this is unsatisfactory. So you have to expand your horizons. In fact, you have to be conversant not just with one, but with sixty-six books. And if you really want to be a good pastor, there are dozens more areas to study. And in each of these categories, there is an infinite number of facts to know.
My fear is that if I’m not the expert, somebody else will be.
For example, I might not think it’s particularly important to know how to scripturally defend the deity of Christ. Sure, I can point to a few proof texts, and the ancient creeds. But this isn’t something you need to argue about with Christians, so I let it lie and focus on more important things. And then one day, a man in my congregation knocks on my office door and comes in, sweating and pacing. A Jehovah’s Witness knocked on his door yesterday, and was able to dismantle his faith — using the Bible to prove Jesus isn’t God. Will I tell this man to not fret so much, and risk losing him to a heretical cult? Or will I be ready to defend him as one of my flock against the wolves the Bible warned me about?
And so this struggle between being a specialist and being a generalist hits close to home for me. I haven’t found a good way to resolve the tension, and so I’m moving forward as best I can.
Brief School Update
Nothing out of the ordinary. Drafted my paper. Worked through a lot of lectures. Pressing on and should be finished ahead of schedule.
Controversial Podcast Thoughts
The podcast feels like a half-formed creation. I’m afraid it might be boring and repetitive. I don’t mean that in regards to my own material — I don’t repeat topics — but because wide-ranging topics touching lightly on theology and the Christian life are so prevalent that it seems Revolution could be put on a list with 100 other shows and have very little to make it stand out.
As I become more aware of the Christian podcasting world, the more I feel the need to change things up. But this makes me nervous because there was already a major shift when Quinn stepped back. Is it best to dig my heels in and go for the long haul? Or should I know when it’s time to call it quits?
I’ve developed an idea for a show that wouldn’t be superfluous. There is nothing like it on the market. But I don’t know how to tell if it’s time to make that leap. These are the things turning over in my head.
Weekly Stats
The numbers. They’ve been crunched.
Reading
Total = 657 pages
Breakdown:
180 pages (Understanding Four Views on the Lord’s Supper edited by John H. Armstrong)
125 pages (A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin)
20 pages (Romans: A Shorter Commentary by C.E.B Cranfield 20 pages)
20 pages (Assorted blog posts)
165 pages (Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas)
7 pages (For the Love of God by D.A. Carson)
140 pages (The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan)
Writing
Total = 9050 words
Breakdown
2380 words (Draft: That Every Mouth May Be Stopped: A Philosophical Defence of a Wrathful God)
3140 words (Draft + Notes: Sermon on Romans 12:1-2)
760 words (Notes for Introduction to Christian Philosophy)
490 words (Book Review Rubric)
1530 words (Lecture Feedback Forms: Introduction to Christian Philosophy)
750 words (Current state of this blog post)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHASE HALL is a student at OBC, doing his Bachelor's in Biblical Studies, and a Ministry Intern at Central Community Church. He is the host of Revolution Podcast, and an avid student of Greek.
