5 Lessons I Learnd in Study Hall That Will Help in Seminary

When I was in High School I occasionally got lunch detention (aka. Study Hall). Looking back, I couldn’t tell you what I did… but I’m sure I deserved it. That said, I will admit that it wasn’t really punishment. I mean, I got 30 minutes of peace and quiet to finish all my homework… then when I got out, there was no waiting in the lunch line… PERFECT!

Seminary requires a lot of reading, studying, and thinking. Without giving adequate consideration to these three areas, you’re going to be in a lot of trouble. So, here are 5 lessons I learned from study hall that I think will help us be more productive in our seminary studies:

1. No talking - If there was ever a rule that you remember in study hall it was “NO TALKING.” … total silence … With no one to talk to you had three options, read, study or think (I know… you think there is a fourth option, but sleep was the second sin after talking).

   When approaching your studies try and find a place that you will be able to devote yourself wholly to your task. This means avoiding the front of the library where you see all your classmates coming and going and avoiding the coffee shop where everyone knows your name. It also means you might need to leave your house (unless you live alone or with roommates that hate you).

   Do your best to find a place where you can sit and truly engage in your work without distraction… One thing I know for sure, I was never more productive with my home work than in study hall.

2. Lunch is long - Since my study hall lasted for half the lunch period, it felt like I was being robbed of eating time… Everyone else got the entire period to eat… but not me. Surely I’ll have to run out of here and scarf down the mystery meat with barely time to get to my next class. Wrong! The reality is that I was never rushed for lunch. I always had time to get my food, eat it, and even hang out with my friends.

   When studying, you might feel like you’re missing out on a whole lot or that the rest of your life will be a mad rush when you get finished with your assignment. The reality is that you aren’t going to miss as much as you think… in fact, it might make things better (see #3)

3. No lines after study hall - I don’t know how your school did it, but I remember a mad rush to get to the cafeteria. There was alway a line and if you were one of the last people to get in the cafeteria then you could easily wait 10 or 15 minutes in line. However, when study hall let out I always walked calmly up to the line and got my food… no waiting at all!

   The lesson here is that you don’t always have to rush with the crowd. Evaluate your time and realize that sometimes it is just better to sit and study while other “stand in line.”

4. The tie that binds - Study Hall always seemed to bond people… remember The Breakfast Club. This should be especially true for seminary students.

   As we sit and study our creator and his work in the earth it should transform us. After a good study session we should be, I would hope, changed and transformed more into the image of Jesus. Our relationship with and passion for our King should be stronger than when we first sat down.

5. You don’t ask for extra study hall - I never walked out of study hall thinking, “No, I don’t want to hang out with my friends and eat lunch… I’d rather go sit in that quite, uncomfortable room with the teacher constantly saying ’shh’ and staring at me.” No, when it was over, I was ready to get out and live my life.

   When studying in seminary, set aside your time and place for study and then leave it there. As you give yourself fully to study, so to give yourself fully to other people in your life. When your “study hall” is over, invest in your friends and family. You’re family doesn’t want to hear, “not now, I’m studying.”Having a place to focus and study without distraction will allow you to focus on other things once you’re on “the outside.”

All this talk of high school cafeterias has me craving tater tots… mmmmm… tater tots…

Advice for families going to seminary

While scouring the internet today for more information to help us all on our seminary journeys I stumbled across a great post on tHe Resurgence (not to be confused with theresurgence.com). The post, Advice for Seminary Students with Families (& Full-Time Jobs) give 17 spot-on nuggets of wisdom for the family seminarian. While you should check out Colin’s site, it is so good I’d hate for you to miss it in the case that you don’t want to click the link… so, at length, here are his 17 points:

1. You are not single without children. Your priorities are 1) God, 2) Family, 3) everything else. If you lose your family for your ministerial aspirations, you have lost your qualifications for the ministry.

2. If you need A’s and B’s for possible doctoral studies, take fewer classes rather than upsetting the priority list above. If you were an A student in college, you must get past the idolatry of the grade.

3. You may not always be able to read everything assigned in a class. Be judicious in what you set out to accomplish. Rank the importance of the texts at the beginning of the semester, acquiring the professor’s help if necessary, and start with those. You must be diligent in your reading, even if you are not a quick reader. Nonetheless, set a goal and a corresponding calendar to get all your work completed for each class, having the important texts read in case (err, when) an emergency crops up.

4. Get papers completed early and utilize the Writing Lab (or similar writing/tutoring service if available). Since you may not be able to read the quantity of books a single or non-father student will devour while in seminary, and therefore without the benefit of exposure to as diverse examples writing quality, you must pay attention to edits and critiques of your writing in order to improve.

5. Do not neglect Bible study and devotion times. You may have to change your routine or your devotion time during the day. You must spend time in the Bible to supplement your seminary education. This means that you should not neglect Bible study for an assignment (but neither should you use it as an excuse for not completing something due to poor planning or management).

6. Read wisely. Select your books carefully. Read reviews. Open the book before you read, peruse the bibliography to get a feel for what main sources the author draws from, read the biographical information about the author, note the publisher, and read the last chapter. This will get your mind in tune to the work and ready to glean its significant points. Unfortunately many books in the bookstore today hide significant points within sermon illustrations, anecdotes and useless repetition of nonsense instead of coming right out and saying, “This is my point/thesis, this is what it means, this is why it’s true and this is why its significant.”

7. Keep up with your languages (see this site for help)!! Michael suggests to take them early, and if you want to get done in 3-4 years, you must take them right away. Also, try to group classes (like OT + Hebrew, NT + Greek, Preaching + NT Greek, etc.) and remember many electives usually require more outside study time than core classes. Pick your electives very carefully, especially if you want a concentration.

8. Do not ever, ever decide on a professor based on his soteriology. But try to pick classes based on the professor you want to take. This may mean figuring out a way to take Tuesday and/or Thursday classes, or changing your schedule. Yet never dismiss a professor. God has something for you to learn in every class, and if you think otherwise, you don’t need to be in seminary.

9. Debate other students wisely. Michael’s advice here is spot on- make sure you know what you are talking about and be humble. If you are a Calvinist, try to steer clear of debates on Calvinism. Do not say anyone is “not God-centered.” For all, do not dismiss anyone out of ignorance. Too many who pipe up in class debates on the subject quickly reveal they do not know what is going on. Do not say Reformed Baptist churches should call themselves Presbyterian. Do not call everyone attending non-Reformed churches “man-centered” or “seeker-sensitive.” And don’t discuss soteriology the first time you meet someone.

10. Do not believe what blogs say about seminaries. Once you begin attending, the ignorance of many bloggers is revealed when you see things are directly opposite what they dogmatically claim. If anyone comments on the intellectual level of the faculty, it reveals a biblical-realism disconnect (i.e. an affinity to academy rather than biblical theology).

11. Don’t be loud. Don’t dominate conversations and theological discussion. Do not ask questions every class period, and do not ask multiple questions per class. Everyone in the classroom is paying money to hear the professor.

12. Having obligations such as a professional job and a family will preclude you from fitting in to the “campus crowd.” Expect not to be a favored student. Be careful who you partner with in accountability.

13. Do ministry. Do not fall into the trap that ministry begins after seminary. One example: have people over for dinner often. Ministry does not have to mean teaching a class at your church. In fact, if you are not already on staff somewhere, volunteer for jobs you may never have the chance to do again, like parking duty or cleaning bathrooms.

14. Men, support your family. Don’t be shy about accepting help when offered, even if it is enough to live on. This is God’s provision. However, going into chronic debt is not healthy. Do not put your babies in day care for seminary.

15. Do not neglect family devotion time. Catechize your children. Read through Scripture and doctrine with your wife.

16. Try hard. Seminary is hard work. It is harder than you can imagine. Know this, but determine to do the best you can do (given various circumstances) on every assignment. The rewards are sweet.

17. Exercise. For you husbands who love your wives, buy a jogging stroller (do they make four-seaters?) and take the kids off her hands in the evening while you get some exercise. Give her time alone to do her quiet time, cook, or simply catch her breath. What a great stress reliever for you both! (Thanks SelahV for the reminder)

Brilliant post Collin. You are to be commended!