Religion and Theology

Preface
Bible College Graduates Become the Problem in the Church after Graduation
And the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go, and told them The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

More than two thousand years have passed since this great commission. Since then, the sent seventy have multiplied to the hundreds of thousands pastors, ministers and priests who serve different denominations thorough the world. However, the times have changed, and many among the sent are turning back in their calling to pursue other careers outside the church. This paper is meant to help trainers in the evangelical ministry, churches and their followers to understand some of the major factors behind this trend.

In the Evangelical Ministry, preaching the Word of God is both its mission and vision. It is a divine calling, which nonetheless is faced with monumental challenges, chief among them the overwhelming incapacity to reach out to the masses with the news of salvation. To fill this gap, the Bible colleges were established to provide a continuous supply of the churchs working force, and continue the evangelical mission of spreading the gospel that was commissioned by Christ. However, the role of the Bible colleges to this end is becoming increasingly irrelevant due to the rising number of graduates who change lanes upon graduation, or shortly thereafter, and join the bandwagon of the lost sheep to which they were called to shepherd.

The gradual drift from the first calling is not without reasons. The allures of the material world are irresistible, and the unrestricted indulgence in its opulence very tempting. The pull of the secular world is great, to which the church has succumbed, falling prey to the seductions of its therapeutic culture a context in which it seems quite natural to favor the relational dimension over the moral dimension, mysticism over character, pluralistic religious equality over the uniqueness of the Christian faith. This observation by David Wells points to those who graduate from Bible College, but get carried away by the secular wave. Some are the proverbial seed that fell on the way side and got eaten by the birds, some the seed that fell on shallow soil, sprout quickly and dried up as fast, and some among the thorns which choked them the moment they germinated only a sprinkling fall on fertile ground, germinate and thrive in spreading the gospel, their fruit visible in the many lives they reach and change.

Studies indicate that lack of spiritual connection and inner commitment to pastoral ministration is the cause for much of the attrition affecting the church today. An article by Focus on the Family repots that for some, leaving the pastorate was the result of assuming that their calling was permanent and they were therefore protected, they neglected the spiritual disciplines or spiritual integrity needed to continue in ministry..they now realize that they should have given more attention to their own Christian development., for ministry depends on moral purity.

At the same time, it has become common for graduates from seminaries and Bible colleges to desert their ministerial careers for other fields in the secular job market. Some leave after a short stint in the service, while others never get into the pastoral ministry at all. In addition, there are those who, despite withdrawing their services in the ministry, slacken in their faith and become unproductive.

In this regard, the purpose of this paper is to explore the attrition trends in the evangelical ministry, which is crippling most churches in the UK and the US. It also examines the underlying factors that make Bible College graduates to wither in their faith and slip out of their churches. Finally, the paper suggests possible intervention measures that would hopefully address the problem.

The authors used various sources in collecting data used for this paper. Newspapers such as the Washington Post and the New York Times were valuable in putting into focus the burden of the clergy to the church due to their moral failures. Other research studies, notably those by Focus on Family on why pastors leave the ministry, Sam Reiner on the churchs grappling with high dropout rates and Webster  Adeleye on career switching after college shed light into the issue of pastor attrition. Womble Scott in Beyond Reasonable Doubt was spot-on in faulting the colleges poor approach in training pastors, thus giving insight on the changes necessary to address the problem. But it is Ralph Wilson who gives the final verdict, by stating that the graduates deserve their dues to keep them in the ministry.

More than ever before, the church today is entangled in a quagmire of challenges which greatly undermine its influence in society. For a long time, the churchs major concern was grappling with moral issues within their congregations, especially among its older members. This was especially the case for issues relating to domestic affairs such as spouse abuse, infidelity, divorces and valance. Outside the family, the churchs image was tarnished by members social lifestyles such as drinking and sexual immorality. The latter has recently been blown into scandalous proportions by the churchs very guardians way ward clergy men abusing minors.

Two articles appearing in the media recently put the church into sharp focus in relation to its moral authority in leading the way on social morality. This comes on the heels of unraveling sex scandals involving the Catholic Church, where its clergy are accused of sexually molesting, defiling and abusing minors. To add to the churchs woes, speculations are high about cover up strategies by the Vatican to protect its image- if there is any left, as critics say. In the US, the Washington Post and New York Times ran a series of reports April 12, 2010, most of which criticized the churchs unfortunate fall from its past glory to shameful disgrace.

However, a research by Sam S. Reiner, a pastor at the Sarasota Baptist Church in Florida, does not attribute the drop out patterns to church programs, venues or style of worship. Rather, it links them to doctrinal issues, by stating that crisis is much deeper  it runs to the core of the doctrinal truths of the church if only half of our young adults agree with the churchs teachings. This notwithstanding, what is usually ignored is the fact that any churchs teachings are the foundations of the bible colleges they run, which in turn furthers the churchs dogmas. One scenario is the debate on the right bible versions to use both in seminaries and churches. For instance, fundamentalist prefer the Authorized Version, and are unwilling to depart from the AV and some other versions in the classroom and chapel for fear of losing long time constituents and not attracting new students and supporters. Thus, it could be argued that the youths estrangement from their churches has an intellectual aspect to it, which is promoted in bible colleges. This observation echoes the reasons given by some church dropouts who said that they quit because they wanted to to make life decisions not accepted by the church

Secondly, they belong to a generational civilization with a blurred line of distinction between religious and secular matters. Like the conversion of Constantine into Christianity during the churchs infancy, todays youth are doing more injury than good to the churchs image. The confusion that they have brought into the church and its long term effects is akin to the pagan rituals that Constantine mudded the church with.  This is because they embrace a culture that deviates from the traditions and religious doctrines that have guided the church since its foundation. For instance, the sinful implications of fornication and drinking are gradually losing meaning to the youth, who regard them as being inherently part of life. Their faith, says Reiner, doesnt look like their parents faithmany believe, rightly or wrongly, that they have faithreligious matters do not scare them, and most maintain only some level of interest in spiritual topics.

It is amazing that these vices are no longer condemned vehemently by the church as they were previously these and other questionable practices are slowly finding their way into the religious curricular church members can dance to the weirdest tunes, in very crude styles and claim to be glorifying God. They can dress amorously naked, really, and walk down the aisle with the slightest sigh of disapproval from the congregation. At any rate, the men on the pulpit belong to the same generation where vice and virtue are routinely compromised to accommodate the youth and their whims, just as the medieval church loosened its doctrines to accommodate the emperor and his rituals.

Nonetheless, little attention has been directed to the institutions responsible for the decline witnessed in the church today bible colleges, where the youth are trained to become the churchs driving force in the evangelization crusade. It is in these bible colleges that the future of the church is secured, by preparing the youth to inherit membership and the mantle of leadership from the aging and retiring elderly.

However, current trends in the church point to the contrary that the institutions charged with the responsibility of training future church leaders and prepare the young generation for a commitment in religious life have failed in their duty. In fact, the current waves rocking the Church of Rome are just but a tip of an iceberg in the wider scope of Christendom in relation to the preparedness of the clergy to meet religious demands. It is a in the church today have also added the youth into the broth of the churchs moral decadence. The younger generation, which makes up the churchs major membership class, has also become its Achilles heel for various reasons. Their drop out rate from the church is the highest, with on research indicating that the majority, 74 percent of those aged 18-22 quitting during their college years. The Research by Sam Reiner, a pastor at the Sarasota pointer to the fact that the churchs leadership is in disarray confused and mired with moral issues. But then to a large extent, because their training did not prepare them to the moral and religious obligations they will have to fulfill.

In the Washington Post, it is reported that the Vatican had, for the first time, issued a policy as a guide for handling sex abuse charges against priests. This indicates that many issues are ignored during the clergys training period, which later explodes into scandals.

But one wonders why the rogue priests are not punished. It is expected that punitive measures should be taken to discourage further misconduct by the churchs leadership. However, the displayed leniency portrays another truth which has been ignored for a long time, and is, with perilous implications, still ignored today there is acute shortage of trained men and women to take upon the mission of evangelizing the masses. Yet there are many bible colleges in every part of the world where there is Christianity, such that were all trainees to graduate and take up their careers for which they were trained, the world will overflow with the men of the cloth and consequently, abound with the Good News of Salvation that Christ prophesied will reach the four corners of the earth before His second advent.

Just as the secular job market depends on educational institutions for human resource and manpower, the church relies on the bible colleges for its service men.  Therefore, when the job market lacks qualified personnel to fill its ranks, it indicates that the educational institutions are failing in their responsibility of disseminating the required knowledge to their learners. Likewise, any breakdown in the church pertaining to leadership crises and moral issues are signals that the clerical institutions are failing in their duty of promoting the churchs mission effectively. The bible colleges are the serving tributaries of the church system, for they are the cradles for religious indoctrination.  Besides serving as the machinery for the churchs service men, they also act as the guardians of religious knowledge ands principles outside the church. In fact, bible colleges are to the church what the barracks are to the military. In this regard, a study by Focus on Family indicates that almost 1, 500 pastors leave their jobs each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention with their local congregations
 In addition, bible colleges serve as the churchs link between secularism and religion, by giving religion the intellectual argument it otherwise lacks. Disciplines such as the philosophy of religion and theology helps to promote the churchs standing in society, and its position in a science driven world. They inform the thinking that shapes peoples beliefs about religion. But when what they are taught at bible colleges becomes irrelevant in the dynamism of the world within which they operate, they feel insecure clinging to their bible degrees. Consequently, many change their careers into other areas when they realize, very late indeed, that the evangelical ministry does not fit into their long term plans. This is often the case when upon admission into the Bible colleges they are not given relevant guidance and mentorship to shape their attitudes in line with ministry life. in they end, they become frustrated due to due to misplaced expectations by students or Bible college staff.  Editor of the Vault College Career Bible say that gone are the days of working 40 years at one company and leaving with a gold watch todays job market is much more fluid  most professionals starting their careers today will work in at least five different industries or functions.

Other reports indicate a historical trend in which most college graduates do not go into their areas of training immediately they graduate. Instead, they enter into those areas which they find lucrative, with stable and reliable job opportunities. Some graduates gets back to school to pursue different courses, which will enable them secure better jobs. In their book, Stay Sane Through Change How to Rise Above the Challenges of Lifes Complex Transitions, David Webster and Toulope  say that We have then gone on to take study breaks in our regular careers, going back to school to pursue different post-graduate courses.. I, Dave, went back to school two more times after my first college degree. In this right, it is apparent that the bible colleges lack of diversity in their courses does not help graduates to adapt in a changing environment. It is necessary, therefore, for bible colleges to integrate into their curricula a variety of disciplines besides bible courses, so as to enable graduates find a balance in life. It is probable that the limited opportunities which bible colleges offer to the individual are the driving force in the mass exodus from the evangelical ministry.

Among those who backslide from their church life point to the incompatibility of church teachings and some important aspects of civil life. What most church colleges overlook in their courses is the fact that their students are also subject to other societal demands, some of which are in conflict with church doctrines. It should not be forgotten that after graduation, the graduates are first, citizens of the state and second, if they are committed to the ministry, citizens of the church, so to speak. The failure to prepare graduated for ministry and civilian life could be blamed on this trend. The Focus on Family study further adds that eighty percent of seminary and bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave within the first five years, with ninety percent of pastors saying that their seminary or Bible school training did only a fair to poor job preparing them for ministry life.

Another factor for backsliding is financial pressures associated with ministry life. Due to the urgent need to meet financial obligations, for which church ministers could not afford, their commitment to the church becomes increasingly reduced. In King Tiger the religious vision of Reies Lopez Tijerina, Rudy Busto says that Most graduates of Pentecostal Bible institutes went out into the world without financial support from their denominations and relied upon a combination of day jobs and congregations irregular financial support. In this regard, one solution towards this challenge is for denominational churches, in collaboration with their bible colleges, to offer reasonable financial support and other incentives within the evangelical ministry. These initiatives will be vital in retaining current service men in the ministry, as well as encourage new entrants.

The challenge of the graduates un-preparedness to serve in their evangelical career is rooted in the approaches taken by their colleges, and by extension the churches to which they belong. Historically, the church has been known to be conservative, visibly unwilling to embrace new technologies. This conservativeness is emulated by the bible colleges through which church workers undergo for training. On the other hand, the secular world in which they are expected to live and work infor is defined by the constantly rolling wheels of technology. Thus, an education modeled on a conservative approach to life is not adequate in preparing ministry workers. Instead, it should aim to accommodate the secular and dynamic environment of their operating locus. In fact, even a liberal education alone is not enough, since other support mechanisms, such as financial assistance as noted before.

These sentiments are echoed by Randall Bell in the International Graduate Magazine, where he observes that In the current environment, it is no longer sufficient or even possible to prepare students for the future by teaching them the wisdom of the past, or even the technology of the present, because educators cannot even anticipate the problems that students will face after graduation. The churchs greatest challenge, it turns out, is not merely about Bible colleges changing their conservative curricular to accommodate disciplines relevant in a changing world, but in addition, for the church to put in place mechanisms of absorbing graduates into their work force, and offering sufficient compensation packages.

In conclusion, the problem that Bible college graduates pose to the church is to a large extent blamed on the organization and functioning of the institutions they get trained in and those they are meant to serve. To solve this problem, the three parties must be harmonized in terms of their interests towards a common vision. Unless the gap of interests is linked with a harmonious vision, there is going to be a vacuum that will never be filled. As Weinhauer puts it, It is difficult to fill a pail containing a hole in it. That hole is the churchs conservativeness. For, so long as the secular world is the point of reference in gauging ones success in the world, even the men of the cloth will be allured by its opulence. And until the Bible colleges and the church wakes up to this realization, the former is going to churn out shepherds who will not commit themselves in service of the latter. They are the churchs workers, and a just master ought to pay his laborers. Jesus said to His disciples Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.