The business of student debt is troublesome to many, including Albert Mohler president of our flagship school, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
As college debt soars, grads realizing their future is at stake is Baptist Press' story of yesterday on the matter.
Do many SBC seminary students arrive with undergraduate debt?
Do our seminaries assist students in obtaining loans to pay for their seminary, grad or undergrad, education?
Do they discourage it but accept it anyway?
Do our two mission boards have policies against appointment of church planters and other workers who have a certain level of student loans?
Do seminary grads hit the pastoral or other ministry fields with considerable student debt?
I do not know the answers to these questions but am curious. I have been told that Danny Akin at Southeastern highly discourages students from borrowing to pay for SEBTS expenses.
Most seminary graduates will leave with their degree not having enhanced their earning potential by much if at all and, regardless of ambition, most who enter the pastoral ministry will pastor single staff churches for their entire career. Add to that the reality that many SBC churches are already marginal or sub-marginal for full time staff and the trends do not look good for any improvement.
One wonders where this is going...anyone know?
As college debt soars, grads realizing their future is at stake is Baptist Press' story of yesterday on the matter.
"Go to war on student debt."What is not said in the BP article is exactly how Southern Seminary looks at their own students borrowing. I like it that Mohler is concerned. The article would have done better to have examined some SBTS students and let them tell their story, or lack thereof, of debt.
R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, voiced the exhortation during the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee in mid-September.
Do many SBC seminary students arrive with undergraduate debt?
Do our seminaries assist students in obtaining loans to pay for their seminary, grad or undergrad, education?
Do they discourage it but accept it anyway?
Do our two mission boards have policies against appointment of church planters and other workers who have a certain level of student loans?
Do seminary grads hit the pastoral or other ministry fields with considerable student debt?
I do not know the answers to these questions but am curious. I have been told that Danny Akin at Southeastern highly discourages students from borrowing to pay for SEBTS expenses.
Most seminary graduates will leave with their degree not having enhanced their earning potential by much if at all and, regardless of ambition, most who enter the pastoral ministry will pastor single staff churches for their entire career. Add to that the reality that many SBC churches are already marginal or sub-marginal for full time staff and the trends do not look good for any improvement.
One wonders where this is going...anyone know?
