My last semester in Bible College while I was serving as a youth pastor at a church, I asked my pastor his advice on more schooling. He encouraged me to attend seminary. I listened to him as he explained how going deeper in study would benefit me in pastoral ministry. My question to him was this, “Will it increase my love for God?” He emphatically replied, “Yes!”

I am so glad he encouraged me to attend seminary, not because I have a graduate degree but because my studies have increased my love for God. Without knowing God, we cannot love God. The more we know of him, the more can love him. The more we love him, the more we obey him (1 John 2:4-6). This is why theological education is so important.

Notice what Paul writes in the opening verses to Titus: “¹ Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, ² in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began ³ and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior (Titus 1:1-3).”

Knowledge of God has a direct correlation with godliness. Without knowing God, we cannot be godly. Just to clarify godliness is not “of us” it is godliness because it from God. Don’t think that knowledge of God is being the best at Bible drill or memorizing all of the Kings of Israel and Judah. That may be knowledge of the Bible but not knowledge of God. Knowing God is part knowing the Bible, part obedience, and completely God working in us.

Do you think theological education is important? I do and for 85% of pastors in the world today they have little or no access to it. That is the reason we are going to Ecuador, to share what we have learned as a part of what God is doing in the world to bring him glory.