Such an “evil” thought has entered the mind of many a man considering seminary! Men who are excited about coming to prepare for the pastoral office often have their enthusiasm tempered by the reality that the first class they must take before formally beginning their seminary studies is New Testament Greek. They fear that they may not do very well because they do not like foreign languages or—even more frightening—they may fail the class and end their seminary studies before they have really begun.

As one of the professors who teaches Greek, I want to assure you that almost all of our students pass Greek and many do quite well. Moreover, most of our students find studying Holy Scripture in the original languages to be an exciting and rewarding experience, opening up a deeper and richer understanding of God’s Word. They come to realize why Martin Luther valued the Hebrew and Greek text of the Bible and urged the faithful use of these languages: “In proportion as we value the gospel let us hold to the languages. We will not long preserve the gospel without the languages. They are the sheath in which this sword of the Spirit is contained; they are the casket in which this jewel is enshrined.”

Luther’s words remind us of a very strong motivating factor that has helped many students of Greek. We do not learn Greek for the sake of having another language on our resumé. We learn this language because it is the particular language used to reveal the very salvific words and deeds of our Lord Jesus, especially his sacrificial death and victorious resurrection for all sinners of all time. As we read the New Testament in Greek, we are reading the Spirit-inspired words of men who were eyewitnesses of Jesus. These life-giving words are the foundation of the faithful preaching and teaching done by pastors.

There is a familiar saying in education: “Repetition is the mother of all learning.” This is especially true of learning a language. It is not purely IQ that dictates how well students learn Greek, but how disciplined one is in repeating vocabulary, verb paradigms, and noun declensions. A very important element in taking an intensive course like our ten-week Greek class is that you simplify your life so that you can devote your time to learning the language. In fact, once Greek is over, you will probably no longer want to avoid Greek, but will be anxious to take an exegetical class and put your knowledge to work!

So, the bottom line to the question posted above is: no, but who would want to pass up this opportunity?

From Volume 2, Issue 3, May/June 1998

In this issue:

Direct link: ePilgrimage May 2009

Direct Link: HQ – iPod

Concordia Theological Seminary is in an excellent position to develop pastors who will bring the gifts of God to the people of God. Through daily prayer, intensive study and experience, the seminarian is formed into a man of God and steward of His mysteries. We are here to serve you as you prepare for a life of making Christ known to those in need of the friendship of God.

“Allowing students to begin their course of studies at any time will make it even more accessible for a greater number of people interested in learning to read the New Testament in the original Greek, especially if they are interested in coming to the seminary eventually,” said Dr. Douglas Rutt, dean for distance learning.

The Biblical Greek course is taught by Dr. John Nordling, eminently qualified as a professor of Greek.  Besides his seminary training, he has achieved a Master of Arts from Washington University, St. Louis, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  Dr. Nordling taught in the Department of Foreign Languages at Valparaiso University and the Department of Classics at Baylor University before coming to Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, in 2006. Rev. Mark Braden, former Greek instructor at the seminary, is the course tutor, who personally assists each student with questions, further explanation, grades quizzes and tests, and monitors progress through e-mail, the Internet and the phone.

“The response has been really incredible,”  commented Rev. William Johnson, who was responsible for preparing the course for online teaching.  “We’ve seen students who have invested the time in the course consistently doing well on the same benchmarks we use for our residential Greek students.”

Dr. Lawrence Rast, academic dean at the Fort Wayne seminary, observed: “Our purpose at Concordia Theological Seminary is to support the church by forming servants in Jesus Christ.  We are developing new approaches to accomplish that mission.  We hope that offering Biblical Greek online in this flexible way will make it possible for more people to identify and make use of their talents and gifts for serving in God’s kingdom as pastors and missionaries.”

The course is open to anyone, men and women, who have adequate academic preparation to do the course work and are planning on or considering church work, or who simply want to learn the read the New Testament in its original language.

An online demonstration is available at www.ctsfw.edu/greekdemo.  For more information contact Rev. William Johnson at (260) 452-3202 or william.johnson@ctsfw.edu.  To inquire about registering for the course contact Mrs. Barbara Wegman at (260) 452-2153 or registrar@ctsfw.edu.

Download (ctrl-click to save)

What a Way!
… to make a difference!
… to serve the Lord!
… to serve others!
… to use your gifts!
… to go to work!
… to live your life!

These phrases really sum up the spirit and purpose of What a Way. But read on to learn what we mean.

The mission of the LCMS is “to vigorously make known the love of Christ by Word and deed within our churches, communities and the world.”

The What a Way initiative in our church is one way we are trying to get at this mission.

What a Way has a dual focus:
To rebuild active recruitment and retention of church workers as an integrated part of the LCMS culture and lifestyle at the local congregation level.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video link (ctrl-click to “save as”)

CTS was pleased to have Dr. James Arne Nestingen as a visiting professor for a two-week intensive term course on “Luther and Walther on Law and Gospel” this January. Dr. Nestingen has distinguished himself with long service to the church as a parish pastor in Oregon and Canada, an editor at Augsburg Publishing House, and as a professor at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Now retired, Dr. Nestingen is in demand as a speaker in the USA and abroad. He is leading voice of the confessional movement within the ELCA. Dr. Nestingen is the author of Martin Luther: A Life and co-editor with Robert Kolb of Sources and Context of the Book of Concord. While at CTS, Dr. Nestingen spoke on the significance of Luther’s On the Bondage of the Will for preaching and pastoral care at a fireside chat. We think that you will enjoy and be edified by his words.

Audio:

Download audio file (04Feb2009_Nestingen_audio.mp3)

Audio link (ctrl-click to “save as”)

The schedule for the tour is:

Wednesday, April 15 Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL, 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 16 Zion Lutheran Church, Beecher, IL, 7:00 p.m.

Friday, April 17 Concordia University Chicago, Chapel Service: 11:00 a.m.

Friday, April 17 Apostles Lutheran Church, Melrose Park, IL, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 18 Trinity Lutheran Church, Elkhart, IN, 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 19 St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, IN, 8:30 and 11 a.m. worship services

Saturday, April 25 St. Paul Lutheran Church, Columbus, IN, 2:00 p.m. Dedication of the new sanctuary

Sunday, April 26 St. Paul Lutheran Church, Columbus, IN, 8:00 and 10:45 a.m. worship services

The Kantorei will also share Easter Choral Vespers in Kramer Chapel on the Concordia Theological Seminary campus at 4:00 p.m., on Sunday, April 19.

For additional information, please phone 260-452-2224.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In an increasingly pluralistic society, Concordia Theological Seminary recognizes the need for Christians to be able to defend the truthfulness of the Gospel in the public square. To that end, the seminary is pleased to offer a new retreat entitled “Contending for the Faith in the Twenty-First Century.”

Held on May 1–2, 2009, the seminar will offer several presentations on differing topics, such as atheism, Islam, and the historical and practical implications of a Christian witness. Featured speakers include:

Dr. Steve Mueller (Dean of Christ College, CUI)
Dr. Angus Menuge (Prof. of Philosophy, CUW)
Dr. Jeffrey Mallinson (Academic Dean, Trinity Lutheran College)
Rev. Dr. Robert Newton (President, California-Nevada-Hawaii District)
Rev. Dr. Steven Mueller (Concordia University Irvine)
Mr. Craig Parton (United States Director of the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism and Human Rights)
Mr. Sam Shamoun (Apologist and Islamic scholar, www.answeringislam.org)
Dr. Adam Francisco (Concordia Theological Seminary)

Their combined expertise on apologetics will give attendees a greater confidence and insight into Christian witness in the public arena and will give them the tools to “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks for the reason for the hope among us” (1 Peter 3:15).

The cost of the retreat is $50.00 and includes lunch and refreshments. To register, call 260-452-2100, e-mail retreats@ctsfw.edu, or go to www.ctsfw.edu/retreats.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette newspaper covers the project nicely here.

While in Madagascar the cohort visited two tobys (villages of mercy unique to Madagascar), a leper colony, an orphanage, a school for the blind, two hospitals, an agricultural school and a seminary all operated by the Malagasy Lutheran Church, a church body of around four million members. While in the central Malagasy city of Antsirabe, the CTS group worshipped at a Sunday morning service attended by nearly 3500 people. The group also witnessed a service of exorcism at a toby on the outshirts of Antsirabe.

Rioting blocked the highway to Fianarantsoa preventing the group from visiting the Good Samaritan Center for the Poor, a project supported by LCMS World Relief and Human with funds raised by the 2006 Mercy Mission Expedition. Nevertheless, this year’s group was afforded many opportunities to see the church’s corporate work of mercy in action. It was exciting for the group to tour the newly-completed pediatrics unit at the Lutheran Hospital in Antsirabe. The unit was constructed with a grant from LCMS World Relief and Human Care.

Two days were spent visiting the seminary in Antsirabe. Prof. Pless gave a convocation lecture on “The Doctrine of Vocation in the Small Catechism.” The CTS students made a presentation of books to the seminary library purchased with funds from Student Association in Fort Wayne. Copies of Concordia: A Readers of Edition of the Book of Concord and other theological books were presented to each of the Malagasy students as a gift from Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Clerical shirts, vestments and communion ware from the CTS Clothing Bank were also distributed. Prof. Pless presented the seminary president, Rev. David Rakotonirina a gift of $1250.00 from Bethany Lutheran Church in Naperville, Illinois to assist the school. A day earlier the CTS group also delivered a gift of $1250.00 from Bethany Lutheran Church to the Lutheran orphanage in Antsirabe.

As with past groups, the students who traveled to Madagascar have selected a project to support in partnership with LCMS World Relief and Human Care. This year’s project will provide cows for the leper colony and the toby in Antsirabe.

Reflecting on the trip, Prof. Pless commented “In spite of the perpetual tension generated by the unstable political circumstances in Madagascar, we had an excellent trip. In many ways this was the best of our trips to Madagascar. The students exhibited a good sense of humor, eagerness to learn from the Malagasy experience and a real empathy for the plight of our Lutheran brothers and sisters there. I am confident that this trip will be a formative event in the lives of these future pastors. We are deeply grateful for the steady support and visionary leadership of Pastor Matthew Harrison in making this opportunity available for our students.”

We provide three methods to receive the devotions:
- Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary Devotions
- RSS Newsreader feed
- iTunes Store (free)

Archive:
Dec 26 / 25 / 24 / 23 / 22 / 21 / 20 / 19 / 18 / 17 / 16 / 15 / 14 / 13 / 12 / 11 / 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / Nov 30

1. Talk with your pastor. Ask for his guidance and prayer before, during and after acceptance into seminary.   Remember, he was there. His insights and encouragements are valuable.
   
2. Prepare your home congregation. Talk with members, and maybe even attend a council meeting to prepare them for your enrollment.  Remember, financial support will be asked of your home congregation, so the earlier you can prepare your church for this in their budget, the better.
3. Show your family and friends the course catalog. [For those relatives who might be interested], the catalog gives a very nice layout of what you will be studying and training. Discuss with them your vocational goals, and fears…and ask them for their support.
   
4. Keep in touch with your Admissions Counselor. He/She wants you to be confident about your choice to attend seminary, and we know there can be various hills and valleys en route to that proverbial destination.  Allow them to counsel, pray for and direct you in your situations.  Remember, each Admissions Counselor was where you were, too.
5. Moving preparations. If you are renting, you will want to give your landlord at least 60 days notice of your leaving. This will all depend on when you can start classes (Summer/Fall). Similarly, if you own a home, putting it on the market or finding renters could be best accomplished sooner rather than later-since the state of the housing market is so turbulent.  Otherwise, moving is “simply” a matter of deciding what you will be able to bring, or need to liquidate, in order to live comfortably in a residence hall room (if single) or in a home/apartment in Fort Wayne (if married). Houses or apartments in Fort Wayne can be found on this website, but there are more websites, too. Please ask our Relocation Coordinator, Marsha Zimmerman, if you need those. marsha.zimmerman@ctsfw.edu
6. Personal Prayer! Uncertainty abounds in making major life changes.  However, our certainty and comfort always comes from Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.  Calling on him in both times of need and thanksgiving offers us the assurance of our Lord’s unchanging love, care and protection for us.
7. Reading. Along with your regular Scripture readings, these are additionally helpful in seminary preparations. “Why I am a Lutheran” by Robert Preus.  “Pastoral Care under the Cross” by Richard Eyer, and “Life Together” by Dietrich Bonheoffer.  More extensive reading lists will be sent post-acceptance into seminary.
8. Word and Sacrament. While this goes for all Christians, it is important that future seminarians and deaconess students receive God’s good and gracious gifts on a regular basis, in preparation for enrollment.  This is part and parcel of the seminary’s worship life.  God’s Word and His Sacraments benefit and reassure us of eternal life, salvation and the forgiveness of our sins; the very Means that God may call you future pastors to be stewards of, and you future deaconesses to point the lost to.

Applying for seminary is not simple paperwork, or a phone call from the Admissions Department giving applicants the “green light” to come.  Formation as a servant of the Word, and a servant of Mercy begins with the very unique relationship that God has formed with each of us at our Baptisms.  Our desire to serve God does not inherently come from ourselves, but from the good and perfect work God has done in Christ Jesus. Prepare yourself with humility and hope that you will learn and know what it means to be a confessor of Christ-crucified. Seminary is an invaluable step in shaping each student to be like our Lord; giving them a solid foundation on which to stand so they may be sent out to reach, teach and care for all.

After all, God gives us the various people mentioned in the above list to reach, teach and care for us. While it is a comfort to know that we are temporarily not alone in our situations, ultimately we have been given a Savior that assures us of our eternal communion with He, the angels, archangels, and and all the company of Saints.  We are truly never alone because Jesus applied Himself on our sinful behalf- thanks be to God!

I think of young Samuel.  As you may recall, Samuel was lying down in the temple, when he heard a voice calling his name. (1 Samuel 3) Thinking it was Eli, he ran to the priest.  But Eli said that he had not called Samuel, and told him to go back to bed.  Again, Samuel heard a voice calling out his name, and again he ran to the priest.  Sensing what was going on, Eli advised, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So, Samuel went back to bed, and heard the Lord calling,  “Samuel, Samuel.”  At which point, Samuel answered, “Speak for your servant hears.”

Well, that’s all well and good, you say.  But, the voice in your head is a thought not a sound.   So, you remain restless, and wondering, “Is the Lord calling me?” If only there was someone like Eli who could help me out!”

Now, unless you’re some raving egomaniac, you’ll probably have some self-doubts.  Moses was worried he wouldn’t be a good enough speaker.   Isaiah thought of himself as too great a sinner to stand in the presence of the holy Lord, much less serve as his spokesman and prophet.  And bold, brash Peter, upon being called, cried out, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Luke 5:8)
Who among us is better educated than Moses?  And, will I even be able to pass Greek?  And who among us is more holy than Isaiah or Peter?   Indeed, none of us is truly worthy to be a pastor. And, it seems only right that we say, “No, I can’t do it.  Better men are needed.”

Perhaps, though, you do have an Eli, someone who can see your potential.  That Eli might be another member of your church, or perhaps, your pastor.  And your pastor might be saying, “Have you ever considered becoming a Pastor?”  Or, “You know what, I think you’d be a good preacher.”  Or, “I think you have what it takes.” If you have doubts, if you are wondering, give your pastor a call.  As is very often the case, others often have a better perspective on us, than we do ourselves.  And, if others confirm what you suspect, then you’re probably on the right track.

And, one last thing to consider.  There are many folks like Jonah, who come to the seminary only after many years of wondering.  After many sleepless nights.  If you think the Lord is calling you, and your pastor agrees, then he probably is.  And, frankly, life’s short.  The harvest is great and the workers are few.  So, yes, admit that you are unworthy of the office.  But, then, be bold in answering the Lord’s call.  For it is through unworthy servants that his gospel is preached, and people are brought into life and salvation.

Dr. Peter Scaer