Comments on: Maturity and Education

By: Alan Knox

Alan Knox — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:27:00 +0000

Al,

In my position, I've seen some of the most educated people act the least mature. It happens all the time.

-Alan

By: Al

Al — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:16:00 +0000

I was one who in my younger days equated spiritual maturity with seminary education. That is until the day I saw our pastor of music have a(we call it a hissy fit)cow because the deacons( I was one at the time)decided money he wanted for a special was better used in a different area. I had not at any time before seen a leader in the church act in so immature way and the other pastors(4 others) let him get away with it. He never apologized for the incident either. That is when I learned that Education does not equal spiritual maturity.
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?”

By: Alan Knox

Alan Knox — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:05:00 +0000

Steve,

Don't feel bad. Its completely understandable.

Kathy,

You said, "an inordinate amount of focus on education/training/knowledge is really limiting and misses the mark on true discipleship & following of Christ..." Absolutely!

Joe (J.R.),

You said, "Academics is one thing, but life goes on an we move forward." Amen!

Beth,

Yes, exactly. Knowledge is important, but not nearly as important as heart issues.

-Alan

By: Beth P.

Beth P. — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:15:00 +0000

Hi Alan–
As someone with a BA in elementary education (from a religious school) and and MA in religious studies from a liberal seminary, I can’t agree with you more! It’s about the heart opening. The mind has it’s part to play: mostly to keep us physically safe and functioning in the world. But the heart itself, as the Bible teaches us, has wisdom and perception that are ignored and subjugated by our culture–and that are connected with Love.

Thank you for the good work you are doing–I’m enjoying your site!

By: J. R. Miller

J. R. Miller — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:15:00 +0000

Hi Kathy, I am still developing our teaching team despite the setback. Academics is one thing, but life goes on an we move forward

By: kathyescobar

kathyescobar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:39:00 +0000

alan, thanks as always for your thoughts. i do believe that an inordinate amount of focus on education/training/knowledge is really limiting and misses the mark on true discipleship & following of Christ, ways that can only be learned by actually doing them, not learning about them. thanks for sharing, kathy

ps: j.r., i'd love to hear more about your project (i ultimately ended up losing a job for proposing and advocating for the exact thing that your first project was about! we are currently doing it and yes, it works ) i will check out your link!

By: Steve Sensenig

Steve Sensenig — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:04:00 +0000

It was my only hope of catching up. Now I know why I didn’t know about your eye problems when we chatted the other night, though. I feel bad that I was out of the loop for so long that I didn’t even know my brother needed prayer.

By: Alan Knox

Alan Knox — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:45:00 +0000

Joe (JR),

I hope you're able to complete your research soon. It sounds very interesting!

Steve,

You read 50 posts in one night? Wow... I'm impressed.

Anonymous,

You said, "If our hearts are not right, then what good is all the knowledge?" Yes, I agree! Paul said it this way: Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

-Alan

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:10:00 +0000

I am someone who has never went to college and I come here and read a lot even though I must say that I don’t always understand all the ology stuff. I do understand suffering, and that has matured me so much. The greatest lessons I learned, came through my suffering. It brought me so much closer to God in a way I can’t explain. I see others in a way I never did before. My heart is with the hurting and those who are lonely.
I don’t have a degree to show what I have accomplished, but I do have a life that shows what God has accomplished.
Education is important as people need it to do many different careers, but if we are doing it to teach others about God, yet we do not see others as God does, then what good has the education become? If our hearts are not right, then what good is all the knowledge?

By: Steve Sensenig

Steve Sensenig — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:06:00 +0000

Alan, I am FINALLY caught up on your blog after not being able to keep up for a while. I made it through about 50 posts tonight….whew! You are one prolific blogger…hehe

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to point out the poor translation of this verse, and the faulty thinking that it has fostered.

Education has been completely substituted for spirit-led discipleship in our culture, and it’s very sad to watch.

And no, I’m not just bitter because I had to leave seminary before finishing my ThM.