Options for Learning
There are some who are quick to disparage those who learn things off the internet, or look down on those who have not been formally educated in a seminary. Seminary training, while valuable, is not a requirement for a person to learn and study theology well.
Charles Spurgeon had zero seminary training, but the āPrince of Preachersā is known for his powerful sermons, vigorous self-study, and of course, his strong influence even among todayās preachers. FF Bruce, who without doubt is a top-notch New Testament scholar and exegete, did not also have any formal seminary training.
Thus, it does not follow that someone who did not go through formal seminary training is automatically unlearned. The plethora of resources allows a person to learn from his home, and while not all sources are of equal worth or credibility, there are literally hundreds of books written by world-class scholars that one can purchase and peruse. Here are a few online "self-study" options you may want to consider:
BIBLICAL TRAINING BiblicalTraining https://www.biblicaltraining.org/
THE GOSPEL COALITION The Gospel Coalition https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/courses/
9 MARKS 9Marks https://www.9marks.org/
DESIRING GOD Desiring God https://www.desiringgod.org/
LIGIONIER MINISTRIES Ligonier Ministries https://www.ligonier.org/
COURSES FROM GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY https://www.gordonconwell.edu/dimensions-of-the-faith/
And here are a few from YouTube:
BIBLICAL THEOLOGY (Thomas Schreiner)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eih7B7V5yww...
EXPOSITORY PREACHING (Steve Lawson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcwME05aPck...
BIBLICAL COUNSELING (John Street): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngU9R09j9sg...
BIBLICAL ELDERSHIP (Alexander Strauch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDOyWYVvkpE...
DOCTRINES OF GRACE (John Piper): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyGf4rLc_r4...
THE FIVE SOLAS OF THE REFORMATION (RC Sproul):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d8Lw09quVE...
...and many, many more.
If you want to buy books, try:
It's just a matter of knowing where to look and who to ask.
Regardless of where you got your learning, remember lang: theology is meant to exalt God, not the ego, and learning is meant to be applied. We do not want to end up as well-educated hypocrites or airheads.
Ā
Posted with permission from
Ptr Leonard G. CastaƱeda
Apologia Gospel Church
Original post is here.