When I was a young seminary student just out of the
military, I was befriended by my next door neighbor in seminary housing. He was in his early fifties with grown
children. After serving as a lay leader
in churches for a number of years, he had been ordained to the ministry, called
to a small church in east Texas, and packed up his wife and moved to Fort Worth
to attend seminary. His experience and
common sense enriched my life as I embarked on ministry as a life’s work.
I thought of my friend when Steve Guinn at Central Baptist
Theological Seminary recently shared an article entitled “Holy Enrollers: Why Boomers are Going to Divinity School.”
The author cites a report from the Association of Theological Schools
that the number of students age 50 or older had grown from 12 percent in 1995
to 20 percent in 2009 (the last year for which data is available). This certainly confirms the experience I have
had with students both at the Central center in Murfreesboro as well as
students at the Shawnee campus. Older
students are a significant population in graduate theological institutions
today.
Melba Newsome, the author of the article, suggests some
reasons for this trend. She suggests,
for example, that Boomers want “to give back” in some way. They have always been an idealistic
generation and now that their children are grown, they have the freedom to
pursue another vocational calling.
I would suggest some other motivations as well. For example,
as Boomers have faced the challenges of life—love, loss, success, and
professional struggles—they have come to see the difference that a faithful
walk with God can make in a person’s life.
In turn, they want both to deepen their own spiritual experience and to
share it with others.
Secondly, those who enter the ministry later in life have
gained some important skills that they want to offer to others. They have maturity, patience, and—most of all—wisdom. There are some abilities and insights that
only come through experience. These cannot
be taught in the classroom, but they can be identified, clarified, and nurtured
for effective ministry.
Third, most mature students bring a strong work ethic to
their ministerial preparation. This is
not to question the commitment of younger students, but those who have been in
the marketplace for a number of years have struggled with balancing work, home,
and service. If they have survived all
of these, they have learned some important time management and organizational
skills!
Fourth, they are often ready to accept more
responsibility. Although some have had a
“Damascus Road” experience, most are continuing a pattern of service they have
already embraced through most of their lives.
McKennon Shea, director of admissions at Duke Divinity School, says “It’s
rare that they’ve had a complete 180-degree life change. They all seem to have had a calling to
ministry at some point.” They have
chosen this time in their lives to step up their commitment to that calling.
Although I spent most of my ministry working with
collegiate-age young adults, I have enjoyed the opportunity to interact with
these older students who bring so much to the table. May God continue to bless their response to
God’s call in their lives.
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