Why come to Summer Quarter?

*This article first appeared in the 2008 edition of the Ќηρυξαтε magazine

Come for the fellowship.

Pastor, those you serve with the gospel are sisters and brothers who share, and much of that is with you. Teacher, the Lord’s gifts for time and for eternity are generously exchanged throughout the year, and you benefit from that. Yet summer quarter students are blessed within a different sort of fellowship. Here you will spend time with sisters and brothers whom Jesus has called to do the same kind of ministry: parish pastors with other parish pastors; teachers and professors with other teachers and professors; staff ministers with staff ministers; missionaries with missionaries. And it’s not merely for a day or two as at a seminar or conference. Summer quarter fellowship is three whole weeks or, at the very least, one or two whole weeks.

Come for the experiences.

We learn from one another’s experiences. During your undergraduate years, you will recall, ministry applications were somewhat theoretical. Ministry anecdotes were probably someone else’s. Summer quarter, however, brings you with all your experiences together with others who have served in the field, some for many years. Whether in the classroom, dormitory, or dining hall, here the veteran called worker shares what he has learned with younger ones, and vice versa. Latino, Asian, and Anglo pastors from North America along with pastors from overseas discuss lessons learned while serving Jesus in all sorts of situations.

Come for the expertise.

Seminary professors devote years of study to the disciplines in which they teach. Whether they work in exegetical, historical, systematic, or practical theology, inevitably they gain a pretty fair level of competence in at least one of those disciplines. Plus, these men themselves are pastors, each with a heart for parish ministry. Your listening and learning from them will be no less a blessing than it was years ago when you were still a wet-behind-the-ears student.

Come for the reading.

Sure, you can check your messages from time to time; otherwise you will want to switch off your cell phone while at summer quarter. Those meetings too will be put on hold. After all, summer quarter is a respite from the wearying urgencies of your ministry. This is a time to search the stacks of the seminary’s library and crack open an author you’ve been hearing about. This is a time to browse through the periodicals. This is a time for that assigned reading that you’ve always known would benefit your faith and understanding. This is a time for discussing with colleagues what you’ve read.

Come for the worship.

You who feed the Shepherd’s flock also desire to be fed. That makes the high point of each day the morning chapel service. Someone else does the advance preparation. Someone else preaches and presides. Others provide the musical accompaniment. In the meantime your hungry soul will be fed a rich diet. Better yet, the name of Jesus will be praised.

Come for your preaching.

Many of us are concerned about becoming bland in the pulpit, of sounding the same notes week after week so that our hearers tune us out. For that ailment there is no remedy like exploring the Scriptures alongside others who preach. Imagine doing that for 15 to 30 hours a week or more. Let the Holy Spirit load your palette with God’s mercies in all of their vivid hues; your preaching too will become more colorful. Let his gospel ring in your ears, whether the sound is Hebrew, Greek, or English; your proclamation will become a more stirring song.
Come for your teaching. Watch how someone else teaches for a week or longer, and you’re bound to notice something that you can adapt to your own classroom. Maybe it’s a type of question to ask. Maybe it’s the way the class period is managed. Maybe it’s simply the instructor’s attitude toward his students that is worth emulating. We who teach learn from others who teach. At summer quarter you will have an extensive opportunity for that.

Come for your skills.

Rightly dividing law and gospel. Explaining Biblical doctrine. Expounding upon the church’s long history and its lessons. Bringing the full truth from the original text. Communicating that truth clearly. Using instructional media appropriately. Those who minister with the word of God have acquired a long list of aptitudes. Your summer quarter experience will serve to polish those skills, even to add a few new ones as well.

Come for the gospel.

Perhaps you are finding opportunities for professional growth much closer to your home than Mequon, Wisconsin. You might already be profiting from an occasional workshop or seminar on an issue related to your ministry. Good for you. Yet there is nothing like studying for professional growth where the spiritual aspect of such growth is true to the Scriptures; where your instructors and classmates confess the faith as you do; where the gospel in word and sacraments is regarded as the “one thing needed” that truly enriches and equips its servants.

Come for godly reasons not mentioned above.

Dear pastor, teacher, staff minister, missionary, or professor: Whatever your reasons are, we invite you to come to summer quarter this year. Dear lay leader: Please support your called workers in their continuing education. Urge them to consider Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary as the place where that will take place.