Graduation from Bible College, often viewed as the culmination of a Christian minister’s studies, is really just the beginning. We asked Graham Heslop, currently enrolled in Master’s studies at GWC to comment on the value of lifelong learning for pastors.
“Theology is not obscure or irrelevant. Almost everyone who has been through college would agree with that statement. I remember David Seccombe saying that a theology that divides is not true theology. To adapt that, I would argue that theology that does not shape Christian faith and mature believers is also something less than true theology. In one of the introductions to his Institutes, John Calvin described theology as ‘a key to open a way for all children of God into a good and right understanding of Holy Scripture.’ So all Christians, from pastors to those sitting in the pew, should desire to deepen their grasp of theology so that they might be better equipped for service and gripped by God’s truth. Having recently returned to GWC for my Master’s this has again become apparent to me. I have benefitted from belonging to the ERF, learning from others and also discussing my own writing with other students and lecturers. And I am already sure that I will be better trained not only as a theologian but a pastor, since those two roles are more closely related than we often appreciate.”