No Shortcut to Success

Embrace the Hard Work of Learning the Biblical Languages

In his new book, No Shortcut to Success, Matt Rhodes addresses the modern mission movement and the effects resulting from its desire for fast results. Because of wanting fast results—usually the “result” of wanting the gospel to go far and wide to see people saved (obviously a great desire!)—corners have been cut in preparation and shortcuts have been promoted and taken while on the field as missionaries. His book is a presentation of the biblical model for missions; and a plea for realism.

For example, it is obvious that missionaries ought to learn the language of the people they are ministering to, which he argues normally takes four or more years of intensive, almost full-time, work. He notes both, however, that among missionaries language learning is often curbed after two years or language learning isn’t pursued at all! Rhodes is not desiring slow results, but rather by focusing on what is faithful preparation and then faithful missionary work he observes this is normally is a lot slower than the new missiological methods being touted today. The speed of the results is in God’s hands. But Rhodes also argues that if we take time to prepare well, the results will be more fruitful in the long run.

One word Rhodes offers for this return to the biblical model for the missionary is that of a “professional.” John Piper wrote a very helpful book, Brothers, We are Not Professionals and Rhodes addresses this apparent contradiction in a footnote. Piper is addressing professionalism, whereby people treat conduct/present themselves as professionals in the mold of the world. Piper argues the calling of a pastor, rightly, does not play by the rules of the world. Rhodes’s use of the word “professional,” however, is used in a way to communicate that the task of a missionary ought to be taken seriously, including the difficult and lengthy training needed.

As I was reading this book, I couldn’t help but relate Rhodes’s argument to the realm of the pastorate and specifically seminary students, something outside the scope of Rhodes’s book. Just as missionaries ought to view their task more professionally and not cut corners, so also seminary students ought not to take shortcuts to getting to the pastorate. It is not permissible to take shortcuts because the need is so great and so urgent, rather, because the need is so great and so urgent, adequate preparation and faithful work is paramount.

Seminary Shortcuts

While I was at seminary, I saw 3-credit courses being offered for attending a conference and writing a few reflection papers on a talk that was heard while others were translating a letter from the Apostolic Fathers for the same three credits. I’ve seen seminaries reduce their biblical language requirements. I’ve seen extra credit given to bump up people’s grades. I’ve heard a frequent sentiment among students not taking the “hard” classes or “hard” teachers because they don’t want their GPA to be affected. I’ve heard students rejoicing when they’ve completed the minimum biblical-language requirements so they don’t have to take another class in Greek or Hebrew.

Part of this is strange to me because, coming from the U.K., we couldn’t “pick and choose” classes. Once you pick your course of study, all your classes are predetermined for your and the order in which you must take them are set. I studied Physiotherapy for my Bachelor’s and there were the set classes you had to complete to be a certified physiotherapist.

I have often wondered if the same mentality at seminary were applied to other disciplines. Imagine a structural engineer failing advanced mathematics being given extra credit to pass the class, and then going on to build a bridge you drive on? Imagine your mechanic cutting corners on your car, putting your family’s safety at risk. If a cohort of nurses were complaining about how hard the material was, it would be an inhumane disservice to society for the institution to make the classes easier to keep passing students. Rather, they should tell the complaining (entitled?) nursing students that maybe they should look for other careers if they can’t master the necessary content. Imagine a cohort of doctors just attending a doctors conference in place of taking a class on pharmaceuticals, and then going on to work as a doctor without that knowledge? The need is so great, there’s so many sick people, shouldn’t I just rush into practicing? It wouldn’t be tolerated. It would be unimaginable. It would be malpractice.

Pastoral Requirements

Let’s be clear. The requirements for the pastorate are set by the Bible (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, 1 Peter 5), not an external board or a seminary. And you don’t need a seminary to prepare you for those requirements. The majority of those requirements are character, and are produced in the life and discipline of a healthy church.

One additional requirement is that he be able to teach (1 Tim 3:2). And again, a seminary is not needed for this. But when men do go to seminary—which usually involves a very unique season financially where they are able to dedicate a unique season devoted to learning—and then intentionally choose the easiest course (sadly because easier courses are available at seminary through “electives” rather than requiring all students to take the same classes) this often reveals a lot about their character and how they view the task of the pastorate.

Fundamentally, pastors must handle the word of truth rightly (2 Tim 2:14), but seminary students often avoid classes (usually the biblical languages) that will teach them how to do so. Just as Rhodes’s wrote about missionaries taking shortcuts (with a misunderstood, but good desire of wanting to get the gospel out fast), so also future pastors are missing an opportunity (likely a once in a lifetime opportunity, because the unique season of being able to go to seminary is not normal) to gain a skill that will serve them a lifetime.

Let me be clear again. I’m primarily speaking about seminary students pursuing the skill of understanding and using the biblical languages. I do not think you must be able to use the biblical languages to be a pastor. I am not saying knowing the biblical languages qualifies you to be a pastor (you must have the character qualifications of 1 Tim 3) nor does knowing the biblical languages make you “able to teach” (1 Tim 3:2). You can preach and teach faithfully from the English Bible. I am simply saying that for most seminary students, they have taken steps (financially and practically) to afford them a season of devoted preparation, and many seminaries still have excellent language teachers and classes, but many students intentionally avoid these “hard” classes. And yet, I think it is easy to argue that these classes are some of the most direct to preparing you to be able to “handle the word of truth rightly” since you are learning how to understand and interpret God’s Word as it was initially written.

Misunderstandings of Language Learning

And we must understand how learning languages work—they take many many years to learn. It is unlikely, unless you do doctorate work, that you will actually know the languages very well by the time you leave seminary. They are not like riding a bike, a skill which can be mastered in a few months and retained for a lifetime. They require constant, frequent practice and exposure. The goal of biblical language acquisition at seminary should be to gain rudimentary skills, to be aware of how much you still do not know (its scary for a seminary student to think they can use the biblical languages after 2–3 classes of the language!), to have had the road forward of a lifetime of learning charted for you. You don’t leave seminary “knowing” the biblical languages. You ought to leave seminary equipped to be a lifelong student of the languages.

Regaining this understanding will prevent a lot of wasted time. Why do student have to learn the languages at all if they are just going to lose them and not devote themselves to learning them? It sets people up for failure and wastes their time to tell them they can “know” the biblical languages by the time they are done with seminary. Rather, they will need to “keep up” their biblical languages once in the pastorate. And so, I praise God for faithful, busy, hard working pastors, who because of their high estimation of the Word of God fight to carve out time to read the Greek or Hebrew, even if it is 5 minutes a day, or 15 minutes a week.

Another misunderstanding is the sentiment of seminary students to say that “I’m not a language guy.” In my mind, this is like a structural engineer saying “I’m not a numbers guy” or a nurse saying “I don’t plan to remember the names of medicines and their side affects.” Again, notice I didn’t say pastor. But if you’ve taken the time to go to seminary, to study God’s Word and then say “I’m not a language guy” you’re effectively saying “I’m not a God’s Word guy.” Sure, maybe for some the languages come easier. But for all they are difficult and require effort. Nobody naturally knows the paradigm of third declension adjectives inasmuch as nobody naturally just happens to know the dosage of medicine to be delivered to a post-op patient. These things must be learned, and learning is hard work. Don’t take the shortcut because the seminary offers it and you’ve believed the lie that you’re not a language guy because its hard for you. Its hard for everyone.

A Plea

I hope all hear me loud and clear. This post is not to make anyone feel guilty. I’ve said it before and said it again: you do not need to know the biblical languages to be a pastor or to preach. The point of this post is a plea for all seminary students to devote, above all else, their time to learning the biblical languages. To not waste their seminary opportunity because of misunderstandings about language learning, either thinking they are not gifted in the languages or thinking they won’t need to keep it up after seminary.

It is a plea for friends and family to encourage and support seminary students in learning the languages (see a similar plea from Piper here). Inasmuch as you would challenge a Christian doctor to be the best doctor they can be, challenge the seminary student to take the “hard” classes, to not miss an opportunity. And to celebrate and encourage faithful pastors fighting to keep up their biblical language skills (or even those who are fighting to (re)learn the languages!) out of a devotion to God and the task of the pastorate, so that they can study God’s Word and feed and your soul. Choose the path of slow plodding over 50 years than wanting the biblical languages delivered to your brain with two-day delivery. Be the tortoise, not the hare.