Education

I’m currently taking 2 classes at NTS. I know this shouldn’t be a big deal. I mean, this is my fourth year here. I lived in KS for 5 yrs, and attended NTS for 3 of those. So, yeah, I’ve been working on my M-Div for a while… "what lots of people go to school for 6 years!"
If you had asked me my thoughts and feelings regarding the M-Div and NTS prior to last week, I would have laughed. Pretty much have been feeling that my master’s work does not reflect much upon the field of ministry that I am heading into. From my perspective, the M-Div is very much “senior” pastor driven. To be honest, if I’d known what I know now when I started at NTS I certainly wouldn’t have chosen the master’s which requires 90 credits to graduate… most are 45.
However, this past week, for whatever reason, I’ve found myself being grateful for the time I’ve spent at NTS. I’ve found myself reflecting on the ways that each class, some for the better and others for the worse, have shaped who I am. The last 3 years I spent in KS gave me a different understanding of my faith and how best to live it out.
So, although I know I could have gotten a different Master’s and finished 2 years ago, I am still grateful for the education – in a field I have little intention of pursuing (senior pastorate) – that I have received over the last 4 years.
Although I might recant later, I am grateful for what NTS does within our Church and local communities.