This marks the end of our series from pastors. I have really enjoyed this series, I hope you have too, but I want to acknowledge their contributions publicly. Thanks. We probably won’t know who helpful this is. While we were in South Africa, two young pastors approached me to say how much these posts were helping them! Today, we finish with a friend, Don Johnson, who serves in (sorry to say) Santa Barbara CA.
If I started again, I would prepare the same way; seminary training focusing on the classics of Greek, Hebrew, Church History, Theology and Ethics. I would spend less time on counseling and psychology and more on worship and liturgics.
I would continue doing some things I do: reading Christian classics, reading straight through the Bible, avoid breakfast meetings at all costs, instead get to a quiet place early and alone. I would continue to read the New York Times and good secular thinkers