Education Plans

[Jake]

After much hard prayer and consideration, and taking counsel both from mentors in life and members of this forum, I have decided to pursue a secular undergraduate degree.

I was actually already deposit-paid and everything at Covenant College, part of the PCA, but I have realized that this was not the best financial decision for now or for the future, as it would involve incurring debt where there are other options. I still love the school, met many great people there (including Phillip from this forum who met me for lunch), and believe it is a great community of faith and education.

However, I am now going to be going to the University of Georgia, where I have full tuition paid. I'm planning on doing a double-major in Linguistics and Economics (though less certain about the second).

I have always been interested in Linguistics. I believe that its background as a multi-disciplinary subject, with many classes in English as part of the major, as well as still being a social science. I will also be required to study at least two languages along the way.

I am choosing to do Economics as my other major because of its diverse areas of study that both relate to linguistics (such as the history and statistics requirements in the major) and its usefulness in securing a job beyond what I am studying.

I believe that both can be used to serve the Lord, and if He wants me to study further in seminary one day, then I believe I will have useful skills gained in studying Linguistics. I may be led to pursue a graduate's program in linguistics.

At the University of Georgia, there is a great RUF and I have friends who are involved with it from church, as well as being several PCA churches nearby. I believe there is a great Christian community contained within the campus to allow me to grow in my faith.

I also want to ensure that I continue in my studies to know the full counsel of God that, through high school, have consumed more time than my studies. I pray that I still have time to spend in the Word and gleaning from the reformers and puritans throughout college.

Anyway, I just wanted to know what you thought of my decision. It's been hard to come to this point from what I was looking at in a Christian school, but I am realizing that God's will may have been less obvious than I thought.

Your prayers are considered as I continue seeking where I will be!

 

[3John2]

Whatever you do, do it for His glory.

 

[Jeff Burns]

You're doing pretty much what I advise people to do: go to a good school and get a marketable degree first. Then if you're still thinking about the ministry, go to seminary. Seminary is designed to take people who have very little background in Biblical Studies and take them to a level of proficiency (thus the 90+ hr programs for a masters degree). Most masters degrees for other disciplines are between 30-40hrs. They expect you to have a foundation already. So, for the many folks who go to an undergraduate Bible college and then to seminary, they end up w/ two extremely similair degrees and not much in the way of marketability.

You also can't argue with a full ride! Keep your nose in the books and you'll be alright

 

[jwithnell]

You realize, of course, that this requires that you have never engaged in apostasy: i.e., you've never rooted for Georgia Tech

I made a similar decision twice: first not to move away from Georgia Southern to pursue a degree at a reformed college, and secondly not to pursue graduate studies. Both decisions kept me out of debt, a situation that has substantially worsened in the years since.

A word of advice, if I may be so presumptuous: make your predominate circle of friends members of all ages in your Athens church. Have some fun with other students, but have your closest ties to the church. RUF can be a tremendous outreach and a port in the storm when there is little opportunity for reformed fellowship, but you are an adult, and as such, should take your place amongst the communing members of a local church. I believe this will offer you the highest spiritual protection against the temptations you'll face as a college student. (And Athens has a bunch of them!)

 

[Jake]

You're doing pretty much what I advise people to do: go to a good school and get a marketable degree first. Then if you're still thinking about the ministry, go to seminary. Seminary is designed to take people who have very little background in Biblical Studies and take them to a level of proficiency (thus the 90+ hr programs for a masters degree). Most masters degrees for other disciplines are between 30-40hrs. They expect you to have a foundation already. So, for the many folks who go to an undergraduate Bible college and then to seminary, they end up w/ two extremely similair degrees and not much in the way of marketability.

You also can't argue with a full ride! Keep your nose in the books and you'll be alright

Thank you for your kind words! It's been a hard decision, as I love to study the Bible and theology more than anything. However, even at Covenant, I had decided to pursue a secular decree. I wish I didn't have to worry about marketability and such, but I've had to realize that I do.

You realize, of course, that this requires that you have never engaged in apostasy: i.e., you've never rooted for Georgia Tech

I made a similar decision twice: first not to move away from Georgia Southern to pursue a degree at a reformed college, and secondly not to pursue graduate studies. Both decisions kept me out of debt, a situation that has substantially worsened in the years since.

A word of advice, if I may be so presumptuous: make your predominate circle of friends members of all ages in your Athens church. Have some fun with other students, but have your closest ties to the church. RUF can be a tremendous outreach and a port in the storm when there is little opportunity for reformed fellowship, but you are an adult, and as such, should take your place amongst the communing members of a local church. I believe this will offer you the highest spiritual protection against the temptations you'll face as a college student. (And Athens has a bunch of them!)

I'm glad to hear from someone who's been in a similar situation (more as being as another Georgian!) I really do plan to get involved with the local church more than anything. I know even in my current church I am mostly working with adults, and have been. My weekly Bible study that meets at someone's house is composed of a couple of high schoolers, a few college aged students, several young adults, newly marriaged couples, all the way up to some aged saints who have experienced much of life. It's such a blessing to share with them, as well as in a men's prayer breakfast, where age wise I am by far the youngest. This is partly why I will probably not end up at the PCA church within a 10 minute walk of the campus, as its main ministry is college students and I would like to learn from people who are older than me.

 

[SolaScriptura]

Sounds like a plan, Jake! Wise choice!

 

[jwithnell]

Jake, it sounds like you are a wise fella!

 

[Jake]

It's certainly good to have this affirmation. In the church I attend now, three out of four elders have only bible school education (Boyce College, Master's College, Leavell College) so I have been encouraged to simply do that for serving in the ministry. However, not only do I see the need for further general education now in addition to a full seminary education, but I also plan to seek membership in a reformed denomination in the future.

 

[Jon Groce]

I did a similar thing by going to the University of California in Santa Barbara, a huge party school. I double-majored in Linguistics and Philosophy, both of which will be able to help me when I go to Denver Seminary next year. And spiritually, I grew a lot. Yes, my views did change--from general evangelical to reformed baptist! It was actually experiences of being able to lead in Christian organizations on campus that confirmed a pastoral call in my life. I have already started learning Greek and Hebrew through the UC system, and my teachers for both languages have been excellent. And being right in the middle of a very crazy place has taught me a lot about how to be a Christian in Isla Vista--a city that can be a dark place.

 

[O'GodHowGreatThouArt]

Praying brother. Trust in the Lord, and may he use this incident to convert any lost souls that was among the group hit in this attack.

 

[Andres]

Given the choice between incurring loads of debt vs having your education paid for you, I think you definitely made the right choice!

 

[Claudiu]

I did a similar thing by going to the University of California in Santa Barbara, a huge party school. I double-majored in Linguistics and Philosophy, both of which will be able to help me when I go to Denver Seminary next year. And spiritually, I grew a lot. Yes, my views did change--from general evangelical to reformed baptist! It was actually experiences of being able to lead in Christian organizations on campus that confirmed a pastoral call in my life. I have already started learning Greek and Hebrew through the UC system, and my teachers for both languages have been excellent. And being right in the middle of a very crazy place has taught me a lot about how to be a Christian in Isla Vista--a city that can be a dark place.

This is practically the same situation I'm in. I'll be graduating from UC Berkeley this Sunday (May 13) with a B.A. in Philosophy. And my views did change, for the better: I've become more thoroughly Reformed! What I found particularly helpful was staying connected with the local body of believers, especially mid-week for Bible study. It was very helpful and encouraging.

Be blessed!

 

[reaganmarsh]

Sounds like you're on the right track. I majored in English in my undergrad which allowed me to teach in the past when between calls. Having a "fallback" plan is wise. And the price sounds right!

And kudos for the decision to seek out a multigenerational church. May your tribe increase.

Keep up your work in biblical studies, theology, & puritan studies, & you'll grow in grace and knowledge regardless of whether seminary is in your future.

Grace to you in your studies, Jake.

 

[mpsiple]

This is partly why I will probably not end up at the PCA church within a 10 minute walk of the campus, as its main ministry is college students and I would like to learn from people who are older than me.

What church are you referring to here? Redeemer? University Church? Christ Community?

 

[Pergamum]

If you are interested in linguistics, the Fuau tribe here has prayed for a bible translator for 13 years now. Also, they support evangelism and bible college scholarships using crocodile skins, but could use someone who knows about economics here. Also, there are struggling church leaders who are begging for deeper biblical instruction.