In my twenties, I spent several years at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. The best and most lasting benefit of that time was the friendships I made. I know I was also processing theology and growing spiritually, but I would go on to experience much greater growth on those fronts in the succeeding years.
When I think about the classes themselves, I remember loving a class on missions in particular - although it was long before I considered entering missionary work personally. The professor's name was, somewhat ironically, Whiteman. And he was one of the better teachers I had there, although it became clear that he didn't really want to be teaching in Wilmore, Kentucky. Or anywhere, really. He wanted to be on the mission field.
I remember in-class discussions with my peers that would continue long after dismissal.
Beyond that, I remember bits and pieces of other classes - preaching class, inductive bible study, and Greek.
There was a lot of reading and some papers and tests, but 95% of my experience in class was that old tried and true standby: the longform lecture.
I am guessing that most of the pastors across this country, if not the entire world, have a similar seminary experience. We were all taught by professors whose sole arrow in the educational quiver was lecturing.
And now we all go out and give a lecture every Sunday morning.
But teaching is not just lecturing.
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