Why Study Theology?

It is important that we continue to study Christian theology, because Paul warns us in II Timothy 4:3 saying, “the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 

Theological education is seen as a waste of time by many people. They look at the education as a delay to mission field. But we must know that the kingdom if God is like Precious treasure and the pearls of gospel should not be handled by the inefficient (Matthew7:6, 13:44-46). Many people say that 12 disciples never went to any seminary. However I see that they spent four years in the best “seminary” ever under the best Teacher Jesus himself. The lord chose Moses to deliver his people who had received the best education in Pharaoh’s palace. The best missionary ever, Paul, took 14 years to prepare for the mission field besides studying the law under the expert teacher Gamaliel. Theological education is not to make biblical terms complicated but to learn to simplify them for a lay person.   Having theological education not only teaches a person to explain the scriptures but it gives an opportunity to know the views of the great men and women of God who have gone ahead of us. It gives a person enough time to learn and apply the truth of the Word of God in a broader sense, this is how the Lord can use the foolishness of a fool to shame the wise. And Gospel is simple enough for even an uneducated person to understand. But when Paul tells us not to hurry to be teachers, he is clearly telling to take enough time to learn before we start teaching others.  Theological education is not just the exegetical study of The Bible. But in all the theological institutes and seminaries add many other subjects like church history, systematic theology and study of different religions. Theological education gives a broader and updated approach to many subjects discussed in bible. Paul tells in 2 Timothy 2:2 to entrust the things he has heard to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach to others. 1Peter 3:15 tells us to be ready to answer everyone who asks the reason for the hope we have. It is better to take time to be ready then to haste and become a reason for somebody to stumble with our unprepared answer of our faith.

Theological education for women is another matter, which needs our focus. Many times this question arises that when they are not to be ordained as the pastors or teachers why should they study theology? A country like India where it took many centuries to convenience the society for literacy for women, it is really hard for women to get theological education. But we should never forget that mothers are the first and foremost teachers for their children. Theological education helps her to train her children in a godly way and blesses her husband by helping him fulfilling the ministerial responsibilities.

In short theological education is like learning to use the double edged sword - the Word of God.  Pastors and teachers are not only the people who need to learn this but every Christian because we all face the attack from the enemy everyday in our spiritual battle.

Saying all this I understand that not everybody is able to go to seminary but theological books written by great men of faith our great Christian heritage and we can be benefited from them no matter who we are. There are many books written on the different theological topics. One of the simplest I could recommend is “Systematic theology Made Simple” written by Rev. Anup Arun Hiwale, it keeps the purity of scripture and still carries the simplicity of biblical doctrines for a lay person to understand.

Blessings!

Missions through Counseling

Counseling is an unavoidable part of mission of the Church. Our mission is to heal the broken heart and set the prisoners of Christ free with the message of Gospel. Isaiah 9:6 tells “For unto us a child  is born, unto us a son  is given: and the government  shall be upon his shoulder: and his name  shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. John 14:16 shows the role of the holy spirit in our life. Jesus comforts his disciples telling them that he will ask the father and He will give them another counselor who will be with them forever.

Today when the world is changing, people are hurt everywhere and the enemy of God’s kingdom is deceiving people. The counseling has become a very secular business. People counsel those hurt and broken people with their marred counseling, which is human centered and only gives them temporary ways to avoid those pains and struggles. The word needs the firm foundation where they can stand and face the struggles of life knowing their chief end to glorify God, not the shaking ground which changes with the every single small storms of life. This is the ministry now the lord has given to us to reconcile and counsel people, when they are lost in the darkness of this world Christ calls us to be the light  in him and shine  for the people to see Him. Therefore, it is urgent to do the Missions through counseling.

Motherly Aspect of God the Father

The word mother conveys the same feeling of comfort, peace, love, compassion all around the earth without making any difference in regards to nation or culture. India is a country where the mother is given the equal respect as to god. There are many female goddesses whom people worship according to their interests i.e. goddess of wealth and goddess of power…etc.

The God of the Bible assures us that He will take care of his people more than a mother cares for her new born babies.  The Old Testament God is mentioned as the Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5) as well as Isaiah 66:13 paints the most loving and caring picture of God as mother as it tells “As one whom his mother comforts so I will comfort you.”  Many women try to find a mother in God’s character and end up in a feminist theology. But we see that our God is sovereign, all sufficient , omniscient and omnipotent. We need not to look in Him a character for our security, in terms of in a protecting father or that of loving compassionate care of a mother for her children. But rather we need to know that God care and love us from his good pleasure and His love is complete as father as well as mother.

Why Counseling?

Motherly approach is indigenous in India, “Ma”(mother) is seen as a person who is most friendly and next to god in our culture; knowing this fact the Counseling Center in India (CCI) brings healing to broken hearts through teamwork which is initiated by motherly Indian women with the guidance of local churches. Though the Indian urban community is much more influenced with international worldview yet the most effective counseling can be done in India through Indians only. Therefore, CCI has taken steps to train godly men &women with Reformed and Presbyterian international perspective to win Indian hearts for Christ through biblical counseling. CCI was organized as teamwork in August 2005, at Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, South India under RPCI’s affiliated church planting organization named Mission of Peace Making (MPM).