Today's Cost for a Biblical Education

College tuition. Necessary evil, right? It's the standard, and there's no point questioning it. It causes nasty debt problems, though surprisingly some can look through it. That is, the risk can return much higher dividends. (See instruction manual to The Game of LIFE) I understand the concept, hate the reality. And that's fair.

But then there's Bible College. Bible Colleges train students for ministry in the church of Jesus Christ via a Biblical education. In its essence, these schools train students to be leaders in the Church among the followers of Jesus Christ. However, Bible Colleges vary little, if any, in terms of tuition costs. Plus, a Bible college student can forget picking a yellow, green, or red colored salary card. (For more information, play: The Game of Life) Meaning--the salary to follow in no way provides a compensation for the debt incurred while being trained for ministry leadership.

So here's the growing problem. It seems that only the wealthy (or wealthy churches) can afford to sends their students to Bible college. I have a friend who is sitting out of college because she cannot afford Bible college right now. I have several friends who dropped out of Bible college for the same reasons. And recently, my sister found out why she cannot receive her Bachelor's degree at a Bible college--and believe me, she wants to learn the Bible.

Here's the details. Put down $60,240 if you want to be equipped for full-time Christian service via classes alone. Put another $22,400 down if you want the full experience. (That's R423,396.12 [4yr tuition]; R157,438.40 [4yr dorm living] for my South African friends) With that said, the reason for my tears is the growing awareness that maybe it's not supposed to be this way. And by "it," I mean the training of servants in the Church.

And that's why I'm writing this now. Why do we rely on "schools" to do the equipping and training of people for church ministry? When did we depart from leaders being grown, prepared, equipped, and employed in the Church, from the Church, by the Church, and for the Church? Why does it cost so much money in America for students to receive a quality Biblical Education?

When will we be open to a shift in leadership training? My 23 year experience in the middle of all this has taught me one important truth. Ministry Leadership is all about Christ-like battle-forged, suffering-empowered, and age-rewarding character. The leadership skills required are to be passed down and entrusted--not payed for (2tim 2:2). For those of who are able to be in Bible College, my hope is that you would think these things through and waste no time learning all that you are can while you can. Maybe we need to talk about these things before the game is over. :)