No one is asking me, but I have thought about this a lot. I wish I knew these things before I entered seminary far back in the early portals of time. I did manage two of them before I went to seminary but not on purpose. I had no intention of going to seminary when I left college. But if a young man or woman were to ask me what would be the best preparation for seminary and a life-time of ministry I would pass these four things along to them.
Four things to try to “get done” before you enter the seminary:
#1 Take a good refresher class on English grammar.
Language study will be immeasurably easier but so will every paper or sermon you ever write. A firm grasp of grammatical structure will pay long term dividends in your study and ministry. This will feel like going back to grammar school but it will be worth it. Here’s a link to a workbook that includes simple rules and quizzes (LINK). Or you can contact me for the one that I taught to seminary students who didn’t have this advice.
#2. Take a first year Greek course.
This is easier to do than you think. You could take a class at a local college but the easiest way would probably be to either take a class online or use a book and teach yourself. There are a number of good ones that would allow you to hit the ground running when you start seminary. In addition, software programs like Logos have easy to use Greek workbooks and classes that you can take inside the program and are an excellent investment. William Mounce has both a Basics of Biblical Greek and a Workbook that are excellent for self-study. And here’s another idea. If you have children over 12, Jim Found wrote a book called Basic Greek in 30 Minutes a Day. Teach it to your children and refresh your own understanding.
#3 Get a good overview of the Old and New Testament.
A Bible college survey course would work. Another way would be to purchase and read a good Bible survey book. Paul Benware wrote a very basic one for the New Testament in the Everyman Bible Commentary Series and another for the Old Testament. There are others. Look for them in a good bookstore. Learn to read your Bible with specific questions in mind. Here’s a link to a book that will help. (Close Reading)
#4. Memorize the Hebrew Alphabet
Memorize the Hebrew Alphabet. Prediction: If you memorize the alphabet you will get hooked and want to learn more. That is a great way to begin seminary.
There are two things even more important than these.
I have written them into the primary responsibilities of everyone I have ever hired to a church staff over the years.
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Maintain a vital, visible and easily discernible love for Jesus and His Kingdom.
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Maintain a vital visible, and easily discernible love for your wife and family.
Keep those two priorities in keen focus, and seminary will be productive for you and a glory for the King of kings. And that’s why you go to seminary anyway.
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