“Everything of significance you will learn from experience”
Dave Black is my PhD mentor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a professor at a seminary, teaching New Testament and Greek. If you’ve read my blog for more than a day or two, you probably already know this. But, I make that statement for a reason.
So, some may be surprised by what he wrote this morning on his blog (Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 11:26 a.m.).
Look at the paragraph under the picture of George Armstrong Custer:
Although I am a classroom teacher by profession and have been at it for some 34 years, I assure you, everything of significance you will ever learn you will learn from experience, not in a classroom. The crucible of life is realistic, nontechnical (usually), and free from perfectionistic demands. Essentially, Christianity is a Way of life. Biblical principles work. If they didn’t, I would never waste your time or mine by writing this blog. Life is a place for biblical truth to be fleshed out, regardless of our educational status or attainments. It’s lengthy, costly, messy — and just plain hard work. But when you consider the alternative, it’s well worth the effort.
Why would a seminary professor write something like that? I think it’s because he understands that our spiritual growth and discipleship is more important than defending his position as a professor.
Professors and classes and do good things. But, like Dave Black wrote, “[E]verything of significance you will ever learn you will learn from experience, not in a classroom.”
So, I have a question for my fellow students (and even for professors)… where are you doing most of your learning?
awesome!!
Alan,
I’m simply ordinary me, but I endorse Dave’s comments 100%!
This part of the quote is profound, to say the least, “Life is a place for biblical truth to be fleshed out, regardless of our educational status or attainments. It’s lengthy, costly, messy — and just plain hard work.”
So hard, sometimes, that the pain seems to be in the process of destroying us.
Randi,
Yeah, that’s a great quote, isn’t it?
Aussie John,
I appreciate a statement like this coming from anyone. It seems counter intuitive coming from a seminary professor… unless you know Dave Black.
-Alan
My learning happens as I go through my day-to-day and bump into people. It’s that bumping that challenges me to live out what I read and hear.
Fred,
The same thing happens to me. In fact, I often think I “know” something or have learned something, then suddenly in the middle of life happening, I realize that I never learned it at all. I only knew facts about it.
-Alan