Looking For Directions......
Tue/28/Oct 2008
I have been struggling with a lot of decisions the last few weeks with regard to seminary. I’m currently listed as an M. Div major, which is the standard degree for students that plan to pastor. It is a 96 hour program that gives the student exposure to every discipline offered at the seminary. For many denominations, an M.Div is a basic requirement for ordination. However, the Church of God is not one of them. Thus, I have the luxury of choosing which seminary program is best suited for me. However, I’m finding myself waffling when deciding which program to pursue. A 96-hour masters level program is tough and expensive. It will require many more years and many thousands of dollars to complete. But if I make it, it would theoretically be very helpful for me, and would give me a better chance to succeed as a pastor. But I keep asking myself, “Is it worth?”
Asbury offers a lot of other options that I could pursue. They have several M.A. programs that require only 60 hours. I could specialize in anything from Christian Education to Pastoral Counseling. But that precludes me from a lot of classes that only M.Div students can take. So, on one hand, I can stay with M.Div, which requires a bigger investment of time and money, and get a strong taste of everything the seminary has to offer. Or I could go with an M.A. of some sort, which would be less expensive and time consuming, but would force me to specialize in one particular area.
At this point, I have no idea what I should do. If anyone reading this has any input or advice, I would gladly receive it.
