Kelley Mathews
Why limit theological training to just pastors? Theology (theo, “God”; logia, “study of”) is the study of who God is and what he is like. With a subject that vast, those who plan to lead churches often spend large amounts of time and money pursuing formal theological education. Churches, after all, should be able to place their confidence in a pastor who is seminary trained. Such leaders should know the Bible comprehensively, be able to synthesize its themes and instructions, identify doctrines, skillfully teach or preach, and shepherd the flock with care. Pastoring is a tall order, and seminary can provide a needed foundation.
But what’s good for the pastor is good for those in the pew. As people encounter suffering, ethical dilemmas, relationships, and all the challenges and joys that life brings, they need to know God for themselves.
In this article, we’ll examine why theology is for everyone. We’ll see that adding theology to your church’s spiritual growth practices will deepen the faith and practice of your people.
Table of contents
Theology is for everyone
At its most basic level, theology teaches us what we ought to believe—who God is, the essential doctrines passed down from the apostles, the gospel that saves. Therefore, as Carolyn Custis James observes, “Since theology is really about knowing God, then anyone who believes anything about God is a theologian of sorts. … not only am I a theologian but it truly does matter whether I’m a good one.”1
Theology is for everyone because we are all theologians.
1. The Bible’s testimony
The biblical authors invite all, not just leaders, to know God. In Deuteronomy 7:9, Moses directs Israel to “know that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps his gracious covenant loyalty.”2 In Psalms 46:10, God teaches us: “Stop fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” And who can resist the poetic pleading of Isaiah 40:28?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the whole earth.
He never becomes faint or weary;
there is no limit to his understanding.
God wants all of us to know him, and he’s revealed himself in both creation and his Word.
2. The practical need
Yet, as has been said, although the Bible was written for us, it was not written to us or about us. To navigate the cultural, historical, and linguistic differences between the original writers and our own setting, we need training. Hence, teachers and pastors often seek academic degrees. But this deep exploration of the Bible would benefit not just leaders but every believer.
Sunday sermons and weekly Bible studies offer churchgoers community in which to worship and hear a snippet of truth from God’s Word. But there is only so much we can learn in a twenty-minute (or even forty-minute) sermon. A seven-week Bible study can deepen our knowledge of a biblical topic or give us an overview of a Bible book, but it is not sufficient for a comprehensive understanding of who God is and what he desires for us. Why shouldn’t church attendees also receive theological training beyond the Sunday sermon or weekly Bible study?
One thing American Protestants do well? Teach Bible stories. Starting in the children’s classes, we learn about the major characters and their adventures, struggles, failures, and successes. But do we know how they all connect to one another in the metanarrative of Scripture? Do we know how God progressively revealed himself over the centuries, choosing Israel as the people through whom the whole world would be blessed, culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? Do we know how Genesis 2 lays a foundation for human dignity, and how Genesis 3 informs our broken relationship with God and other people?
American evangelicals are increasingly turning to unorthodox teachings, those that contradict the historically accepted core doctrines of Christianity. One alarming example: almost half of evangelicals surveyed in 2022 believe Jesus was less than divine.3 Something isn’t working in our communication of scriptural truth. Incorporating the essential doctrines of the faith with purpose and planning will give our people a strong foundation.
3. The historical precedence
Teaching theology to church members is not a new concept. Throughout church history, spiritual leaders have sought ways to educate the people about the God they follow.
For instance, even when many were illiterate, consider how cathedrals were covered in art that told the stories of God and his people. The façade of the cathedral in Orvieto, Italy, is just one of many medieval buildings constructed with the people’s spiritual education in mind. It includes four extraordinarily-detailed marble bas-reliefs depicting biblical stories from Genesis to Revelation.
Imagine how the residents of that tiny hilltop town would gather daily and weekly, with children in tow, pointing out the biblical stories in stone and repeating the lessons they’d learned. Knowing their theological roots strengthened their faith and helped unify believers in their local communities.
If the church could educate its people even during times of broad illiteracy, consider the opportunities we have in many of our contexts where not only literacy but advanced technologies abound!
Why theological training matters
Let’s explore a few reasons why learning theology in the church community benefits individual believers and the church as a whole.
1. Understanding the “why”
Too often, sermons include a verse or short passage, thoughts from the pastor, then suggested application points. Sometimes we hear more application than Bible. The deeper foundations, the “why,” remain largely unexplored.
I know ardent believers who love Jesus but serve the community without knowing if or why their actions align with God’s purposes. Why not teach them about God’s view of justice and poverty, then send them out to serve the poor? Otherwise, they may serve out of misguided motives or in harmful ways.
Here again, community is key. By engaging in theological conversation—exploring the why behind our faith—believers can learn from one another, wrestle with difficult questions together, and encourage one another in their pursuit of God.
2. Confidence to explain the faith
The more we understand God’s big picture and eternal plan, the more motivated we become to evangelize and disciple others. As we get to know God better and can connect the themes and truths throughout the Bible, we can invite nonbelievers into spiritual conversations with more confidence and competence.
3. Sound worship
Good theology begets good worship.
If you are like me, you remember the lyrics to hymns and worship songs much longer than any sermon you’ve heard. Our songwriters and performers need theological education as they create songs that millions can sing along to during church services. Catchy tunes are not enough—the words must reflect accurate theology.
4. Full participation in ministry
From the beginning, the church was meant to be filled with Spirit-empowered believers who served one another with their spiritual gifts. In Ephesians 4, Paul instructs the church:
And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. (vv. 11–13)
Leaders equip the people to do the ministry, to help one another mature in the faith. Theology belongs in the church—academicians are the supporting cast, not the main characters. As Gene Wilkes, president of B.H. Carroll Theological Seminary, writes,
I am still convinced that returning theological education to the local church is the best way to equip men and women called to serve Christ and his church wherever they live and serve. The church is still God’s Plan A in the Mission of God, and spiritually gifted and trained servant leaders are still God’s strategy to equip disciples for mission where they live, learn, work and play.4
Ways to implement theological training in the church
Some seminaries and Bible colleges are partnering directly with churches to provide theological curriculum to their members. Churches and nonprofits are also creating their own theological resources. Logos offers its own Mobile Ed courses, as well.
Below I’ve listed just a few examples.
1. B.H. Carroll Seminary
As an internet-based school, B.H. Carroll diversified its degree programs and delivery methods, structuring its offerings to fit with more peoples’ schedules, financial capacities, and locations. Through online and in-person options, students can earn master’s degrees in a variety of subjects, often with hefty scholarship help.
2. Lipscomb’s University’s Hazelip School of Theology
Lipscomb offers a new competency-based theological education (CBTE) program that targets non-ministry professionals. “Our main goal with this program is to equip members of the church to do ministry in areas they are passionate about and gifted to do,” says professor John Mark Hicks. “We’re moving the classroom out of the academy and into the church.”5
Students in the CBTE program design their own course load based on the skills they wish to improve, enjoy being mentored by an active ministry professional, and learn to apply classroom learning to real-world situations in ministry settings.
3. The Opened Bible Academy
As a fully-funded certificate program, OBA offers Bible and theology courses taught by volunteer master’s and doctoral-level seminary graduates. “Not only are OBA classes free, but students are also provided with free textbooks, so the total cost to the student of attending OBA is $0,” board member Rick Hale told me.
Since 2017, OBA has served as the successor to Dallas Theological Seminary’s Lay Institute, a forty-year tradition of offering excellent biblical and theological training to the lay community in Dallas. In-person classes are offered in Dallas as well as in Houston and Ireland, and they have expanded to provide live virtual courses available everywhere.
“Our comprehensive curriculum consists of ten courses,” Rick told me. “The first three courses are foundational courses and include Story of the Bible, Bible Study Methods, and Basic Theology. The remaining seven courses cover all sixty-six books of the Bible.” The robust program takes two-and-a-half years to complete. Certificate graduates who wish to move on to seminary may take a few writing and research classes while others choose between Evangelism and Effective Bible Teaching. Students are equipped to pass along what they have learned.
Pastors are invited to connect with OBA via their website to discuss partnering as an in-person location.
4. RightNow Media
Another suggestion may already sit in your ministry toolbox. RightNow Media is a large streaming library of video-based Bible study and discipleship resources for the global church. For decades, it has produced video teaching from some of evangelicalism’s most widely-recognized pastors and authors. The accompanying small group study guides give church groups everything needed to conduct weekly classes seeped in books of the Bible and popular topics like marriage, mental health, leadership, and more.
Recently, the ministry expanded beyond Bible studies into theological education. If your church subscribes to RightNow Media, take a look at the new Essentials of the Faith curriculum they introduced earlier this year. The first two studies are “What Is a Christian?” and “Why Does Jesus Matter?” In spring 2025, the next two studies will be released: “What Is the Church?” and “Why Do We Need the Bible?” They plan to produce eight more studies, two per semester, to complete the Essentials curriculum.
5. Consider the possibilities
If you have enough staff capacity or can partner with other local churches, create your own theological institute. Offer classes that focus less on Bible stories and more on doctrine, history, and the core tenets of the Christian faith. Be intentional about the scope and sequence of your Sunday school or small group curriculum.
Consider using a catechism. Incorporate online teaching material such as Seminary Now, a subscription library of courses taught by theology professors, or Logos Mobile Ed material into your discipleship offerings. The possibilities are endless.
Explore Logos’s extensive catalog of Mobile Ed courses featuring world-renown scholars.
Theological training is doable and valuable
Adding theology to the church menu doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. But you, pastor, must communicate your enthusiasm and support for it. Begin including concepts and terminology to your sermons, podcasts, articles—however you communicate with your congregants. Then lead them to more robust training opportunities. Believe that they can handle the complexities.
People are hungry for God. With your shepherding, they can grow even more competent to handle the Word of God. Let’s take seriously Paul’s exhortation to Timothy: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Tim 2:2 NIV).
Recommended resources from Kelley Mathews
The Nicene Creed: A Scriptural, Historical, and Theological Commentary
Regular price: $24.99
The New City Catechism Devotional: God’s Truth for Our Hearts and Minds
Regular price: $13.99
Related articles
- What Is Systematic Theology and Why Does It Matter?
- Theology: The Definitive Guide to Getting Started
- How to Teach Kids about God: Theology for Little Ones
- Logos Live: Women & Theological Training
- Carolyn Custis James, When Life and Beliefs Collide: How Knowing God Makes a Difference (Zondervan, 2003), 19.
- All Scripture quotations are in the CSB unless otherwise noted.
- The State of Theology (Ligonier, 2022). https://thestateoftheology.com. Forty-four percent agreed with the assertion that Jesus “was not God.” Likewise, 30 percent rejected (of whom only 21 percent strongly rejected) that “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God,” which means 70 percent affirmed, or at least were unsure about, the heresy that Jesus was created.
- Gene Wilkes, “Returning Theological Education Back to the Local Church,” B.H. Carroll, August, 19, 2016. https://bhcarroll.edu/2016/08/19/returning-theological-education-back-to-the-local-church/.
- Andrea Zahler, “Church as Classroom: Competency-Based Theological Education,” Lipscomb’s University, January 9, 2023. https://www.lipscomb.edu/bible/bible-ministry-blog/church-classroom-competency-based-theological-education.
Jimmy McNeal
Logos Staff
Casey Bedell
John Haralson