Last week I finished a six-week course at Grace Leadership Institute entitled “How to Read and Interpret the Bible” taught by Dr. Chris Ansberry of Grove City College. It began as a whimsical suggestion to my church LifeGroup, what if we take a break from our typical weekly meetups and take a class instead? They were game.
I’ll confess to entering the experiment with lowish expectations. Because of my undergraduate training at a Christian university, I have just short of a minor in Bible. What I mean to say is, I was arrogant. I already knew how to read the bible, right?
Firstly, the instructor is fantastic. He strikes the balance between informed and organized, open-minded and responsive. I enjoyed engaging in class each week. I also appreciated the once-a-week class format, but I imagine a weekend course has its benefits too.
Secondly, wow, did I gain some perspective. One of my main takeaways amounts to the oft-quoted and variously attributed aphorism: “In essentials unity, in nonessentials liberty, and in all things charity.” Given the wide range of translations for even the most uncontroversial bit of scripture, it led me to conclude that an equally wide range of interpretations or applications is not only understandable but to be expected. Enter the opportunity to grow in Grace toward my fellow believers.
Finally, taking this course has made me a savvier disciple. I have a deeper understanding of scripture, and my approach to influencing others for Christ has been enhanced. I am humbled at how much I learned and grateful for the opportunity to grow.
Let me encourage you to build your personal disciple profile by taking one of the upcoming courses: The Story of the Bible, Old Testament, and The Story of the Bible, New Testament. You’ll be glad you did!
As another year came to end at GLI, the learning never stopped. GLI closed out it’s 2023 academic program with the TCL104: Key Skills for Today’s Church Leader Class taught by Pastor Derek Sanford.
The content teaching was augmented by local experts in their field of study who brought a wealth of information and practical examples of the subjects. These instructors included Dr. Pam Pressler, Linda Goebel, Pastor Darrell Cook, Pastor Al Detter, Pastor Sarah Burtt, Pastor Brian Kelly , Dan Nichols and Tyler Miller.
How equipped do you think you are to have a “hard conversation” with someone and give healthy feedback?
Dr. Pam Pressler, MSW, LCSW, CPLC
Students from five local churches including Grace Church, Believers International Worship Center, New Life Spirit and Revival Center, Shiloh Baptist Church, and Millcreek Community Church participated in this class.
Topics such as Inductive Bible Studies, Preaching, Planning Events, Discipleship and Caring for others, and how to respond in a crises, were some of the core teachings in this class.
The level of teaching for these classes is very informative and timely. The expertise, wealth of knowledge, and level of commitment of these instructors is not only a benefit to their churches and communities, but is also a testament to their individual ministries in serving God and their desire to help others grow educationally and spiritually.
JL: Art, What prompted you to want to take the Leadership Certificate courses?
AB: Well, being a leader in my church, I always like to learn and self-improve.
When this course became available, I was in the hospital for the first round so I was unable to attend when he had his first 101 class. I started with the 102 class and did the 103 and came back and did the 101. So it was rather convenient not to have to follow them in order.
JL: Tell me again the name of your church?
AB: Believers International Worship Center
JL: How would you say you’ve grown from taking the Leadership Certificate course?
AB: It gave me a better understanding of Biblical leadership as opposed to Business leadership. The course is rooted in scripture. Servant leadership has always been something that has fascinated me, and I try to study it as much as I can. The aspect of just becoming a better servant and helping those around me makes me happy.
JL: I get that.
JL: If you were asked for your biggest takeaway, particularly from this last one, the Leadership 101 course, what would you say?
AB: The background of your name.
JL: I loved that part!
AB: All throughout scripture, when God encountered Man, he always had a name for them. If that name wasn’t sufficient or the individual had to be reminded, God took care of that. In the 102 and 103, I think the biggest takeaway through that is the overall purpose of spiritual disciplines. So, the practicing of those on a daily basis is tantamount to Christian leadership. To have that relationship with God and be able to put your best foot forward in spite of yourself, but following the lead of God and his will not only in your life but in how you worship him and serve others.
JL: I remember we were in the same Spiritual disciplines class. Was there anything you added to your repertoire?
AB: I’d have to say that in my daily planner there is a section and I’ve tried to practice one or two spiritual disciplines per week. And then I’ve jotted down scripture that come to mind or setting aside a personal study time. During that personal time it’s just solitude with God. Not only is it convicting but it also puts me at ease. It give me insight into his will.
JL: You mentioned the name thing, from Leadership 101. I loved that part, too. Will you tell me your whole name and what each part means?
AB: Well, my full name is Arthur Howard Bartelson. The first name of Arthur was in Roman times Arturios, which according to sources, is “rock”. The other (meaning) is “defender”.
“Howard” I didn’t find much on. Bartelson is “Son of Bartel”, the closest thing I’ve come to was “an unwavering stand.” It originally started out as “Bark,” like the bark on a tree. So, having that in mind, the Jewish and Roman interpretations of that had unwavering roots. That’s what I liked about that. I never researched my name before.
JL: What was your response to learning what your name meant?
AB: I really didn’t have a response to what my name meant but looking at the aspects of my life that I’ve taken for granted, I see that actions and thoughts and characteristics kind of met what my name means whether I knew it or not.
JL: That’s insightful.
JL: Who would you recommend this class to?
AB: I’d have to say any individual who is looking for a good foundation for Christian leadership. Who may be thinking of a role in a local church or a local organization. Some of the characteristics and such that were brought forth in all of the classes were interchangeable between business and church. So, having a well-rounded foundation before going on to more in-depth classes, I think this would be a good stepping stone.
JL: What was a personal challenge to you when you took the class?
AB: Outside of taking a closer look inward, the characteristics of a leader and then the competencies of some of the subjects that were brought forward, as well as some of the homework assignments, made me look at myself and my approach to different things, but I didn’t view it as a struggle or as an issue.
JL: What new relationships have you developed from going through the classes?
AB: Well, the two individuals who started with me, Hyder and Miguel, were my recent mentees for ministerial training. I was entrusted with their training, and they were both granted their ministerial license. And since then, I have two more. Having the zeal for learning and sharing what I’ve learned, I’ve been entrusted with that, as well as a church leader myself, to be able to share what I know and (to share) my study habits with others. I find that very satisfying.
JL: How would you describe the courses to someone who said, “Well, I’m not really a leader.”?
AB: Whether they view themselves that way or not, everyone has that potential. Whether it’s helping someone cross the road or helping someone in a grocery store get an item they can’t reach, there are underlying characteristics in everyone that could make them a leader. The individual may not see those attributes at first, but classes like this let them know you are a unique individual, blessed by God, and whether you understand it or not, every one of us has a calling. Not necessarily to uphold it, it may not be active participation in the church. You can be active in your community, you can be active at school, you can be active in your community. If you are a parent, you are a leader whether you want to believe it or not. Because your children follow your lead, your family follows your lead.
AB: One of the key things with this class was hearing from authors and some of the videos where those questions were answered, maybe in a different manner than I just did. Even in the workplace, at any time, you could be called on at any time, you know?. “Hey, I need you to do this. I need you to do that.” So, just having that skill set could make you further your career or your calling.
JL: What’s next for you?
AB: Well, the skies the limit. There are additional classes here which I am taking. Right now, I’m taking the TCL 104 course, which is “Key Skills for Today’s Church Leaders.” In the Spring, I will be taking the TCL 109 class, which is on mental health.
It’s an easy place to learn. The staff is wonderful. That’s a plug.
I’m impressed with how they are able to get college professors to come in here to teach. The TCL 101 course with Seulgi. It was an Old Testament course called “How to Read and Interpret the Bible.” His knowledge and interpretation of scripture and having been to the places that are in the Bible. He was able to reflect on that.
He’s going to be teaching it again (in the spring).
AB: I’d like to see a class done on the writings of Paul. I like his writing. It’s blunt and to the point.
JL: I want to personally say thank you because you do a lot of “heavy lifting” as they say, with the technology.
AB: You’re welcome. I find being able to use the technology is easy.
JL: Thanks for being willing to go outside of your comfort zone to do this interview.
AB: You’re welcome.
Are you interested in any of the courses mentioned in this interview? See our upcoming course offerings of these and other upcoming leadership and ministry-related courses here!
![You Are a Theologian! [Will You Be a Good One or a Bad One?]](https://graceleadershipinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/lilartsy-333oj7zFsdg-unsplash-1080x675.jpg)
“Wait,” you say, “how dare you accuse me of such a thing? I’m not a minister, I never went to seminary, heck, I barely even read my bible.” All those things may be true, but you are still a theologian. Let me explain. First, let’s establish what theology is.
The word “theology” is an ancient Greek term that’s a combination of two words: “Theos” (God) and “logos” (word or study). So, theology literally means “the study of God.”
The Greeks used the word to refer to musings of philosophers and poets about divine matters. Paul used theology during his encounter with the philosophers at Athens in Acts 17 as he painted a picture of the God of the bible and compared and contrasted him with the Greek ideas of gods.
Theology was critical in Paul’s New Testament letters as he tried to keep new churches on the right track. His letters are filled with passages like the following:
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
In the 12-13th Centuries, theology took on a slightly different meaning. With the rise of higher education and universities, theology became an academic discipline. More like a science of focusing on God. A famous phrase was coined by Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) that emerged as an early definition of theology. He called it, “faith seeking understanding.” This definition assumes that our faith is not a place we arrive at. Instead, true faith prompts inquiry, asks questions, and seeks to understand more deeply. Understanding God more deeply is a quest that will never end.
In modern times, theology has been often used with a narrower definition. It is viewed as an equivalent to what we would refer to as “doctrines.” The formal beliefs of faith. But no matter what era or how narrow or broad the definition, theology has to do with the “intellectual reflection on matters related to God.” So you are doing theology when you ponder questions like:
It’s easy to get lost or frustrated when considering the depth of questions like that. But here’s the good news. At the foundation of theological inquiry lies one encouraging truth. God wants to be known. He has revealed himself through both General Revelation (knowing God through the order, intimacy, and wonder of creation) and Special Revelation (knowing God through the scriptures and through Jesus Christ). So, we don’t ask these questions without hope of answers; God has revealed himself to us.
Let me come back to my original assertion. You ARE a theologian. The question isn’t, “are you or aren’t you?” It’s, “Are you a good one or a bad one?” Everyone has beliefs about who God is, who Jesus is, what salvation is, where we came from, and how we should live our lives. We’re all synthesizing those beliefs together all the time. So, if you’re a Christian, you’re doing theology, whether you’re aware of it or not. If you’re not aware of it, then your theology is probably not very well organized. Here are some examples of times you are doing theology:
In all of these instances, you are bringing your theology (your beliefs about God) to bear whether intentionally or not. Because of this, I would argue that it is critically important for Christians to practice good theology. The problem is bad theology is rampant. We, as human beings, tend to get bored with “old” ideas and are easily swayed by exciting new ideas, or a new leader’s latest fad, or new experiences that tantalize us. But we must never substitute the newest and latest ideas for God’s original ideas! Jesus went after the Pharisees for bad theology. Paul warned against the bad theology of false teachers regularly in his letters. There has never been a shortage of groups of people pushing a wrong understanding of who God is. So, we must always be on guard against bad theology. Let’s break it down: every person does theology at one of five levels.
This pop-culture theology has no basis in fact. These ideas, shared widely on social media and the modern equivalent of old National Inquirer articles, may seem cutting-edge, but are not grounded in truth or historical credibility. When I was younger, I heard many versions of the “hitchhiking angel” story. It was always a friend of a friend who picked up a hitchhiker along the road. The hitchhiker turned out to be an angel, and he always delivered apocalyptic warnings like “Gabriel’s mouth is on the trumpet!” And as soon as the message was delivered, the friend of a friend looked in the rear-view mirror, and the hitchhiker had vanished. There is a lot of tabloid theology around the dates of Jesus’ return, the old DaVinci Code, or even peoples’ vague concept of “the man upstairs” coming through at just the right time in their life when all the chips were stacked against them.
People who engage in tabloid theology generally don’t have a personal faith in God but more of a cultural religion that believes in someone out there who’s looking out for us. So, they tend to uncritically accept spiritual-sounding things without applying any scrutiny. What’s the problem? If you are attracted to tabloid theology, your faith requires these sensational things. When this sensational God doesn’t show up, any semblance of true faith crumbles.
Unlike tabloid theology, which is based on new fantastical phenomena, folk theology is often rooted in traditions like old family wives’ tales and religious folklore. Passed down from generation to generation but never really confirmed. Folk theology often involves ideas you believe, but we’re not sure why you believe them. However, you’ve invested a lot of time and energy into the truth of these claims so they’re hard to give up. If upon further reflection, you don’t know exactly what a belief means, or you can’t explain why it is true and have a hard time defending it… it might be folk theology.
Let’s test this category. If I were to ask you, “When you die, who will meet you at heaven’s gates holding the Book of Life?” Are you imagining St Peter standing in front of those pearly gates? This belief is not supported by scripture. But it is a good example of folk theology. How about these… “Does every person have a guardian angel? Is Grandpa looking down from heaven and helping you win your football game? If you read your bible in the morning, is your day destined to go better than if you forget to have your quiet time? Does God help those who help themselves?” These are all examples of folk theology with no basis in the bible. But they are beliefs deeply held by many Christians because their religious grandma told them they were true!
This is the theology of your average Jesus-follower committed to actively learning and reflecting on their spiritual beliefs and how they apply to real life. These theologians tend to be more discerning of unfounded traditions. They are willing to use study tools to supplement their own ideas and feelings. For example, their view of heaven is informed by the scripture and carefully researched instead of being based on folklore and family traditions.
They also tend to be able to distinguish between essential doctrines and non-essential convictions and preferences. Essential doctrines are those non-negotiables like the trinity, Jesus’ death and resurrection, and return, the authority of the Bible, etc. Convictions are those beliefs you are willing to fight pretty hard over but, in the end, would maintain Christian fellowship with someone who disagrees. Beliefs around specifics of the end times, the interpretation of Genesis 1-2, and the role of women in ministry would fall into this category. Non-essential preferences include ideas around worship style, what you should wear to church, and what version of the bible you read. True Jesus followers should be able to discern their way through the importance levels of these varying beliefs.
Some of the paid and volunteer leaders in a church have had some training in theological methodology. They know how to use study tools and resources and are able to critique their personal theological ideas against competing models openly. They can read books, articles, and social posts with a critical eye, knowing that not all “Christian” material has equal worth. They generally know which publishing companies, authors, and subject matter experts are more trustworthy than others.
Critiquing one’s own theological beliefs against other valid options, interpretations, and perspectives is invaluable to the continued construction of theology.
This category is reserved for the person who constructs his or her theology and makes a living doing so. They conduct original research on theological subjects and write about them. They can critically evaluate common theological trends and instruct others on the implications.
It’s important to say in an article like this, that for all of us, theology has never been just about the knowledge. I’ve met people over the years who know the bible 10 times better than me and are also the angriest, grumpiest people I know. James said if you’re only a hearer and not a doer of the word, you deceive yourself and your religion is worthless. Proper theology must always lead to a proper lifestyle. Orthodoxy must lead to orthopraxy. That is, the right knowledge must lead to the right behaviors. Otherwise, our theology is worthless.
At the Grace Leadership Institute, we’ve set our sights on building up the Church Goer and the Church Leader theological categories. We want to bring in courses and subjects that will help the average church goer and church leader to be more confident in their faith. To give some umph to their theological expression. And to generally raise the level of biblical literacy in churches all over our region.
I’ll close with this quote from Charles Ryrie in his Basic Theology. “In reality, everyone is a theologian of one sort or another. And therein lies the problem. There is nothing wrong with being an amateur theologian or a professional theologian, but there is everything wrong with being an ignorant or sloppy theologian.”
I pray that we will all get better in our theology because, after all, you ARE a theologian!
Grace Leadership Institute offers a six-course certificate program that provides a Bible foundation and practical training for church leadership. The Theology and Church Leadership certificate program includes four core classes with a choice of two electives. It can be completed in one or two years, with entry occurring possibly at the beginning of any semester.
If you are looking for a more affordable option without a grade or certificate, you can audit any of our courses for a cheaper cost.
How do you sum up the entire Bible in 1500 words or less?
So much history, so many laws, so much good, tons of wisdom and valuable lessons, examples of right or wrong / good and evil.
Sounds impossible, right? But that was our final assignment in TCL101: The Story of the Bible Part 1 – After an intense lecture and discussion in a weekend class, we were tasked with telling our version of the Bible story.
This course gave me a much needed, new appreciation for the Old Testament – for the lists of genealogies, for minutia details about the Ark of the Covenant and the building of the Tabernacle in Jerusalem, for the waywardness of the Israelites, and God’s enduring faithfulness to them and to me. There is no doubt in my mind that we worship an immanent and transcendent God. He created the world, set us apart, made provisions for us after we fell from grace, and dwells in us.
If you find yourself skimming through or glossing over large parts of the Old Testament, I encourage you to take a closer look. Look for parallels with other times in the Bible. Look for all the ways that the Old Testament not only points to Jesus’s time on earth, but also to His return and the time of a New Heaven and a New Earth. We live in the “in-between” where Jesus has conquered sin and death, and yet the fullness of His righteousness is still to come with His return. Want to know more? Check out The Story of the Bible-Part 1 or any of the other courses being offered at Grace Leadership Institute. You will deepen your faith, grow your leadership, and learn how to make an even bigger, positive impact.
Do I prioritize work, the success of my children, preparation for whatever might be coming up next on my to-do list, ___________ more than worship and adoration of the one who redeemed me and tells me to take sabbath rest?
The message of the Old Testament prophets was that the covenant with God had been broken. The prophets called the people to repent for idolatry, social injustice, and ritualism. We need to be aware of these same things. And, if we do all the right things but don’t love God, we’ve still missed it/Him.
“By being like Jesus, we can become more and more what God the great Creator always intended us to be: living in fellowship with God, in harmony with the creation, fulfilled and happy in our calling to understand, enjoy, and develop this good earth. Normal at last.”
-Michael W. Goheen and Craig G. Bartholomew in The True Story of the Whole World: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Drama
NEXT STEPS: Grace Leadership Institute has a great lineup of courses with enrollment and audit options. Take a stand-alone class or work toward completion of one of the certificate programs. The Story of the Bible Part 1-Old Testament is being offered again at GLI in Spring 2024.
Kneeling, face against the floor, I wept tears of brokenness – physically, emotionally, and psychologically – for both myself and my family. It was March 2019 and my world was a mess. Hardly an area of life was functioning well. And all of this on the heels of a second round of cancer treatment.
Still face down, I suddenly had an internal vision through my tears. God was doing a new thing and it would touch each person and every area of petition. Hallelujah! Afterwards, I remember telling everyone in my circle.
God gave me a verse to encourage me while he did this new thing. It was Psalm 27:13-14 “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” Neat verse. In retrospect, I should have realized the implication of the repeated call to wait.
A year later, I was still waiting. I hadn’t observed much change. I began to doubt. Had I misunderstood my experience? Was I remembering it wrong? Two years later, then three years, it was pretty much the same. I often found myself journaling my faith struggle and searching scripture for other circumstances of waiting on God’s promises. Finally, at four years in, real change began happening in my family. And yet my own personal situation hadn’t shifted.
In the fall of 2021 Grace Leadership Institute began promoting a leadership training series; three classes set to begin that winter. From the first time it was mentioned, I knew I was meant to attend. It was a knowing without any obvious reason. After all, in what way was I anyone’s leader? At the time I was teaching middle school English. While influencing others is part of the job of a classroom teacher, I was puzzled as to why or how I’d benefit from taking leadership classes.
Having a bit of a geeky side, I enjoyed the role of student again. The instructor kept things relevant and interesting, and in each course I gained insights: clarifying my calling, realizing the reality of life rhythm over work-life balance, and assessing my assets and issues as a leader.
But to what end? I kept asking myself, always with no solid answer. I could feel the weight of the wait. When would it all make any sense? Was I building up expectations, or setting myself up for disappointment? After all, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick”.
One day I came across a job posting that completely intrigued me. The position sounded like it was written for me, using the exact language I’d used in my prayerful petitions for work more suited to my person and abilities.
Significantly, the job would require the successful candidate to hire and build a team— to be a leader, in other words.
I apparently put more talk than action into pursuing the job because when I finally got around to submitting my application, I got a notice stating that applicants were no longer being considered.
Big, big bummer! I was pretty mad at myself for a good week.
I went on with my life, chalking it up to yet one more dead end.
Five weeks later I got an email out of the blue requesting an interview for the position I’d applied for. What?! Surprised and cautiously hopeful, I prepared for the interview. It went extremely well, and in a matter of days I was scheduled for a second interview, this time with the hiring manager.
I’ve been in a lot of interviews— on both sides due to being a former recruiter myself. When I sat down to with the hiring manager, I could feel it immediately: this was a “dream date” interview.
They’d been looking for the right candidate for months, to no avail. There was always a very specific missing quality. And I had it! In fact, it was the exact same characteristic that seemingly prevented me from progressing in the multitude other positions I’d applied to over the last near-decade.
I was incredulous. Could this be what God had been preparing me for— and preserving me for— this whole time? Is God’s plan to answer both my needs and those of this organization at the exact same time.
At the time of this writing, I don’t know for sure. I await my third (and hopefully final) interview. I hope I get it. But whether I do or not, I see how God has been at work preparing me, equipping me, and molding me with the skills and mindset I’ll need to lead a team well— whatever and wherever that team may be.
This is the work of trust, isn’t it? To obey even in the middle of not knowing why. Faith, after all, is the evidence of things yet unseen. My obedience to take those leadership classes came not because I saw how they might benefit me in the moment. The obedience came because I know the God who plans all things for good, even if that good rarely comes in a timeframe I myself might prefer.
I do trust that it will all make sense. Maybe after my next interview! Or maybe not until heaven. Either way, what I’ve learned through taking those GLI leadership classes was invaluable to me.
Learning to trust and obey God’s direction —even when I don’t immediately understand the reasons— is simply a beautiful cherry on top.
Grace Leadership Institute offers regular courses and intensive weekends on a variety of leadership and Biblical topics. You can learn more about our courses and check out upcoming offerings here!