For many of you, this is your first entry into theological education and training, for some of you it is the joy of joining a different seminary, and for the rest of you “well, here we are again!” Whatever category you fit into, I welcome you into this family.
I can only imagine the excitement and the thrill you felt and experienced as you decided to join this seminary. The heartbeats in the hall as you wrote your entrance exam and then faced an interview, the days of suspense awaiting your fate; and finally the gospel from the Academic Dean’s office—“you have been elected.” This piece of news might have made it to the “breaking news” section of your social media status update. Even as others around you shared in your joy, most likely you began thinking of what to pack and what to buy for this exciting new venture.
Unfortunately, the ongoing COVID19 pandemic made it a less than an ideal beginning as we unpacked our bags at home and began with online classes and learning last July (2021). However, I must congratulate you all for persevering and coming this far. The conditions have not been ideal, but I like to think and believe that learning took place even in these conditions and uncertain times that we have lived through. We are still faced with a sense of uncertainty that the COVID19 pandemic casts on the coming days. But I hope that our resolve is made stronger, that we will continue to learn and give ourselves wholly to the tasks required of us, for if God has called us in such a time as this, He cannot be mistaken. And no, we are not a perfect place, but we want to make this a productive place even as we all contribute towards building a conducive environment for learning and growth.
And as we are gathered here today to welcome you, we are also here with gratitude that we are all finally able to assemble on this campus to continue our training in close proximity with each other. Yes, the classrooms and the dining hall are a packed a little more, the dorms are a little noisier, the rules and the regulations are becoming a little more evident: the night library divisions, the night ETC segregation, the language prohibition, the mobile phone submission and you are beginning to realize that signing that piece of paper at the orientation was not simply a formality but an introduction and surrender to reality life here at the seminary.
On a serious note, whether in a seminary or outside our minds seems to naturally catch on the “negative” first rather than the positive. Therefore rules and regulations become means of depriving us of our freedom rather than ensuring our freedom and safety, assignments becomes a burden rather than means to learn what we do not know, domestic duties become a compulsion rather than a means to help us learn dignity of labour. Every institution and even a seminary such as this, has ground rules which seeks to nurture, shape and form persons of commendable character and virtue. I do hope we render our obedience to these ground rules recognizing that they are in place to discipline us and help us better ourselves.
But beyond these ground rules, we also give ourselves to the authority of God and his Word. Our education in a place such as this is also for our personal transformation: Christlikeness—we will first make use of/apply what we have learned, before we teach others. As such, we should not desire to merely graduate with a degree; but may we desire the fresh experiences and encounters of God even in the midst of academic rigors. I hope we are slowly but surely transformed through what we learn here as part of our training and more so through what we learn about God through the learning of His word.
We stand at the threshold of a new semester, we will go deeper into our study of various subjects and I will like to use Paul’s word to Timothy to encourage you. And as I speak these words to you, I speak these to myself too: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
Do your best—give your whole self, heart, mind and soul into the work that you do. Do not do it half-heartedly but to the best of your ability; be willing to work hard. As a student many years ago, there were times when I was very excited to hand in my papers and there were times when I was not. Why? Because I knew what I had done, I knew what I had given. I am not asking you to top the class; I am asking you to top your ability. Pour yourself into the tasks that are required of you. This will mean learning to discipline ourselves so that we are not distracted.
In one of his other letters Paul would say (interestingly in the immediate context of slave and master relationship), “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for human masters; since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Why are we here in a seminary? If we are here because we merely wanted to be here, then we are here on our business. But if we are here because we believe God wanted us here and that God has called us, we are here on His business. So then every action we do here is also a response to God. Every assignment that I do is also for and to the glory of God. Every fellowship that I attend and participate in is also for and to the glory of God. One of the most common assumptions that exist among seminarians is that we lose our spirituality when we join the seminary. However I like to think this is far from truth: because should not our deepened understanding of God inspire in us a deeper devotion and reverence to Him? (Though quite possibly the opposite may also happen?). I think it is our mindset and our attitude that determine whether we begin to value our education as a means to getting to know God better or whether we are merely pursuing a degree.
Know that we are here not because we have nothing else better to do but because we have responded to the call of God. Allow me to quote from the address of Professor John Murray that he gave to a batch of students who were about to join the seminary many years ago. To them he said, and I quote,
You are embarking upon a course that entails hardships of which the most of your contemporaries have not even dreamed. The discipline of the theological curriculum is arduous and oftentimes painful. Sometimes you may be tempted to think that the routine of class-work and the time-consuming energy expended on details are not relevant to or promotive of the great vocation to which you are called. Sometimes a feeling of bewilderment and confusion may overtake you, especially in the early stages of your course of study. You may not be able to see unity or correlation or purpose in the various parts of your work. Sometimes the gigantic nature of the field of study and of the task that lies ahead of you will give you an overwhelming sense of your inadequacy and it may appear hopeless for you to continue on that long journey of sweat and travail and perhaps tears that leads to the goal of intelligent and effective ministry. If you are ever caught in the grip of these temptations I would urge you to patience and perseverance. Do the little bit of work that falls to your hand day by day. Do it faithfully and diligently.
As you listen to these, you might feel that there is an overemphasis on “you” in the words that I have spoken and quoted. This is not to excuse the rest of us, faculty, staff and the senior students that we have no part to play in your growth. We live in commune with each other and therefore we will ultimately rub off each other. We will do well to be sensitive and kind to one another. We will do well to exemplify what it means to be Christlike to each other. We have mentors to turn to in time of needs and as mentors we are under obligation to sit down and listen, to make time for anyone who needs it.
But at the end of the day, we, each of us, have to keep growing and maturing and one of the steps to do that is to learn to be responsible for ourselves. So take care of your devotional time, take care of your studies, take care of the time you spend with friends, be responsible. We live by what we listen to. We are shaped by the voices that influence us. Learn to listen well to the instructions and the teachings that you will receive. But above all, learn also to listen to the voice of God. I have shared this on an earlier occasion about a professor of mine who would begin the class with a simple prayer “God among the many voices we hear today, may we hear yours.” As we go deeper into our studies, as much as we engage in our studies for academic proficiency, may we also study devotionally!
The Lord bless you and keep you
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace
Despite the situation we found ourselves in, you have made a good start. May you make steady progress making the most of your time here and have a strong finish; and on that note, class of 2023 and class of 2024, welcome and Shalom!
(November 29, 2021)
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