Introduction
The desire to study Ministry and dedicate one’s life to Christianity as a profession does not correspond in people’s minds with an easy entertaining career. It is a challenging path with many classes, insights, obstacles, and personal conclusions. The Ministry requires broad knowledge and understanding of details in various spheres, from Bible analysis to Economics problem-solving. It is not an attractive study field to those without patience and tolerance. However, despite the challenges, the Ministry studying can lead to productive, spiritual, and socially-appreciated life choices.
Theology Related Studies
Christianity, as a movement and religion, can be researched from different angles. The Old Testament Literature course covered the Bible books from Genesis to Malachi and explained some of the standard interpretations available today. The overall impression is similar to reading documents that became fundamental to modern laws and regulations. The Old Testament prepares the readers for The New one and answers the foundational questions about the origin and purpose of humankind from the Christian perspective (Wishart para. 7). The course also provokes curiosity in the students that have been raised in Christian households by uncovering the origin of their religion.
The History and Theology class showed the interconnectivity of human social development and religious movements. Accepted beliefs influenced people’s economic, political, and private lives through traditions, expected moral behavior, and personal desires. In some cases, the rulers of the countries started wars or enforced radical reforms because the high priests advised such actions. The course provided an overview of the world’s religious history making it easier for the students to understand the effect a change in religious rules could have on society.
The Church Planting course helped students overcome some of their fears regarding the potential start of a new religious institute. The idea of choosing a place, constructing a church or cathedral, and inviting people to come to the service is somewhat intimidating. However, planting a building for religious gatherings is correlated with the growth of this branch of belief (Paas 40). If the students feel confident to make the spreading of Christianity their life mission, the course materials could be helpful for them to complete such an ambitious project successfully.
The Pastoral Care class focused on the relationship between spiritual leaders and their followers. Any religious teacher should develop communicational skills to understand the problems of those who would seek their advice. The issues may include theological, spiritual, or personal matters. Confidentiality is also an important aspect that must remain respected when a member of the congregation seeks advice from the leader. It is vital for a pastor to act professionally while consulting others and provide emotional support to the followers when needed.
The New and Old Testaments Surveys summarized the students’ knowledge regarding the Bible and provided a complete general idea about the book by the completion stage. Since the original languages of the sources were Greek and Hebrew, there are several possible interpretations accepted to a certain degree by Christians of different churches. Surveys stimulated the analysis of the Testaments as a set of texts with the main storyline implied by the described events.
The Church and Ministry course provided basic guidelines and rules for active participation in Christianity practice either as a Pastor or a member of the congregation. Any religious institution has to function according to specific regulations while providing quality services to the people. This class taught students about some of the steps they would have to fulfill to become religious leaders and provided an overview of the modern Ministry system and its functions in society.
General Studies
The Introduction to Economics course taught students about financial management and the church as a business in the modern world. Although collecting and growing the money supplies should not be the primary purpose of any Christian institution, the correct use of funds could stimulate and support the influential religious movement (Nurrachmi 6). Money is necessary for the construction, maintaining, growing, and marketing of the church to prosper as a spiritual center. This class helped students understand the connection between the country’s financial and religious systems.
The Introduction to Philosophy course provided a basic understanding of human desires and purposes. The motivation of the congregation and instruments to interpret the Bible are essential to Christian Ministers. Spiritual leaders have to see the problematic situations from their followers’ perspectives to provide effective counseling and guidance. That could improve the physical and mental well-being of the people that search for counseling from the Pastor (Rego and Nunes 280). Understanding Christianity from a philosophical perspective broadens the overall intelligence of the students.
The Astronomy class added space, planets, and stars to the complex picture of the existing world. The students learned about the Universe from a scientific perspective. Later this information could be compared to what is written in the Bible regarding the creation of the stars and planets. The topic is rather controversial among modern scholars, but available information allows for long and productive discussions among those genuinely interested in the subject of Astronomy.
The History courses covered the World, the United States, and the Chianti region. People cannot affect the past, but they can learn from it and understand the reasons behind some of the political or religious events. From studying the whole human civilization in a small region, the students saw the influence and consequences of various decisions made by powerful individuals. The course showed that wars could be useful economically, but they have always been a cruel instrument in the hands of selected rulers.
The English Comprehension, Basic Writing, and Management by the Book classes improved the students’ abilities to express themselves through texts as well as constructively interpret the instructions. These skills are essential for any spiritual leader in the modern world as most people consume the information through print. Quotations and instructions could become effective instruments when explaining the necessity of specific actions to the public.
Personal Reflections
My Church Ministry and relationships with family and friends will likely be affected by my realization that Christianity can and should be studied in-depth. It has various sides, from scientific analysis to philosophical interpretations, and I would like to discuss the possible religious preferences with many people. The information that was accepted as correct centuries ago may not be accurate today, so a Church Minister must continuously improve to provide the best service possible.
My favorite class was Astronomy because I find the Universe incredibly beautiful. Learning about the discovered stars and planets is highly satisfying, and the available colorful illustrations provide aesthetic pleasure. The most challenging course was the Introduction to Economics, as it involved basic knowledge of graphs and mathematics. The calculations are not something I enjoy studying or implementing; however, I realize that they are necessary for productive Ministry. Serving in the religious sphere requires psychological, historical, and management knowledge. All these aspects were not apparent before completing the related courses but became clear after the explanations by the instructors.
Conclusion
The set of completed courses included several introductory ones, which allowed students to feel their strong and weak sides regarding the Ministry. Christianity can be studied in-depth even after completing the program necessary for being a church Pastor as it is a rather complicated religious movement. The Minister has to be willing to continually grow in both spirit and knowledge to become an effective leader.
Works Cited
Nurrachmi, Rininta. “Religion and Economic Performance.” Munich Personal RePEc Archive, pp. 1-10. Web.
Paas, Stephan. “A Case Study of Church Growth by Church Planting in Germany: Are They Connected?” Sage, vol. 42, no. 1, 2018, pp. 40-54. Web.
Rego, Francisca, and Rui Nunes. “The interface between psychology and spirituality in palliative care.” Journal of Health Psychology, vol. 24, no. 3, 2019, pp. 279-287. Web.
Wishart, Anna. “Is It Important to Study the Old Testament?” Ethnos360 Bible Institute, 2017. Web.