Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 12/28/2007

Question
Dr. Shultz- I know you are a former student and graduate of Christian Bible College in Rocky Mount, NC.  I am also a former student and granduate, but here many people categorizing schools like CBC as a degree mill.  Could you tell me in your opinion what separates CBC from a degree mill?

Answer
Let's start with non-traditional education as a concept.  When I was in the USAF I took lots of CLEP and DANTES tests.  What these tests did was give me 3 semester hours if I passed the tests that were basically the final exams in each subject. I took quite a few and even have three hours in Souteast Asian Governments as well as three hours in Psych and other subjects. They basically measured what I already knew and gave me credit for that knowledge. These were recognized by the US Govt.

After that, I applied to the University of Upper Iowa which then looked at the various courses that I have taken in a traditional setting and the CLEP and Dantes tests as well as my training in my AF career field and awarded me a year plus towards a BA in Public Administration.  I was also given 45 hours of a Materials Mgt AA by the Community College of the USAF based on mostly non classroom credentials.  

Then I went FT to an accredited Bible College who accepted quite a few of those credits and I even took a CLEP in Sociology because I didn't like the prof who taught the class.  I spent 4 years and lot of money sitting in classes but I feel like I got most of my education from my hours in the library.

One of my professors said that a BA teaches you how to study. A masters teaches you what to study and a Doctorate means you can teach.  He had spent 5 years at my alma mater to get a ThB and 5 more at a college in CA to get a ThM and he said it was all the same material.

You can tell that theological education has gone downhill since it only took Jesus three years to train a bunch of uneducated fisherman but if you go the full route of traditional training it would take you up to 15 years to go from a ThB to ThD depending on which schools you attended.  

I was not overly impressed with my school so going to two more did not interest me. Oddly, at many churches that I interviewed at or worked with at times felt I was too deep in the Word with only a BRE so what good would it do me or them to get more degrees and get even deeper?  Yet, many have been brainwashed to think they need a ThD by the college and seminary system who need students to have finances to exist.

Apprenticeship for preachers and missionaries would be best but we chose to cater to the World and chase after their admiration and approval so we have a new colleges opening daily which proves Paul's point that the Gentiles require knowledge those we seem to have a lot of Jews among us looking for signs.  

Many churches lack the gifts and workers they need because we ship them off to some school halfway across country where they meet someone from another part of the country and then leave and maybe try to start a church in another part of the country where they already have a good IFB church but not someone from "our" school.  

The people often go through unnecessary fiancial issues and family strains when they hopefully have a competent pastor that can use the Word to train them. Indeed, pastors should be raised up out of the congregation to prevent of the church splits caused by deception or ignorance of preachers who have no clue about the congregation or congregations who have no clue how to call a pastor.

Most who criticize the non-traditional schools are those who have paid all that tuition or have a vested interst in some school.  It has become a ritual thing.  I was barely in a few classes before the prof started contradicting things my pastor said.  I spent more time reading what other men had said than the Bible.  One of my peers noticed that he felt like his spirituality had taken a dip since he came to college and that is partly because the Bible became a textbook and a means to militate against various doctrines and sects.

One of my peers submitted an outstanding paper for a class that we all admired.  However, the prof asked him whose theology was this? He really did understand the point but eventually answered, "I guess its mine."  The prof replied, "Well there you go." What? God can only work through certain men like Calvin or whoever the current big wheel is?  Seminaries tend to become cemeteries for a lot of good men.

Now, my resume was reviewed by CBC and I had been in minstry 18 years since I graduated with my BRE.  I had served in several churches in several states as a preacher and teacher. That equates counting my 4 years for my BRE to 22 years or 7 more years than if I had taken the longest traditional route.  According to my prof I must have known what to study over those years because I was now a seasoned teacher.  

Therefore, CBC gave me credit for what I already knew but also required me to write a thesis.  That thesis became the basis for my first book.  Non-traditonal maybe, but it beat sitting in a classroom for another 1-5 years to get a piece of paper for basically the knowledge that I already had and did not need most of it for the last 18 years.  

I was not big on getting a doctorate.  For years I told people tha the only BA that counted meant Born Again. The only Masters I needed were the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and if the DR in front of my name did not mean Divinely Redeemed it didn't mean a thing.

Yet, because of the propaganda from the traditional schools I had churches with 12 members who felt they just had to have a ThD.  Shoot, most of them needed a man that was not a novice but who was called to preach with some fire and zeal to get out and knock doors.  Many of these churches have people who are considered experts in their fields yet they may only have a HS diploma or an AA in some technical field but they think God wants nothing but scholars.  He only had one, Paul, and he renounced all the education he had as dung. He also noted that not many wise are called so why do we cater to wisdom??

So to get a hearing, I looked for a non-traditional ThD.  Shortly after I got that I published my second book. A part of getting a PhD is to be published and I have two books, 160 sermons online in one place and various sermons all over the place.  I even had one in India on the Pentecostal Times website.  Someone saw it somewhere else and posted it though I am clearly a non-Charismatic. Add my poetry and political, historical and other postings I am as published or more than some other ThDs or PhDs.

I looked into an organization that is somewhat like the Army version of the Civil Air Patrol or that is the best way I can describe it.  They had the granting authority to give me a Bachelor of Special Training/Military Science for all the various schools I took in 20+ years of military service. I have diplomas from three branches in at least six career fields but I wanted something other than a 1 inch thick binder to show people my military experience.  That is all I wanted from them but they looked at all my stuff and gave me an honorary PhD probably because of the publishing but they have also given them to various political and military figures.

The irony is that I had noticed that many of my peers were dropping the ThD for a PhD and I figured that was either another way to kiss the foot of the culture or if the ministry gig didn't work out they might be able to get a job in a secular school or at best it was a new fad.  

I told my wife that I refused to give into that. "If a ThD and my experience and gifts were not enough then phooey on them. The only way I will ever get one of those things is if someone gives me one." It wasn't long after I said that and shazam there it was.

Some rock star had got one from a school where he had only attended one semester but since the publicity might help them get more students they give him a degree.

I asked about a degree I had never heard of before and the school said they gave it to a guy because he had given a bunch of money to the school.  Got $15,000 or so to spare and you can probably get one from almost any college.  Got $1.5 mill and maybe Harvard will give you one.

Now, are there paper mills?  Yes. There are places that if you pay them whatever they want you do not get an honorary degree.  You get a degree and even transcripts for nothing but the fee.  That kind of stuff is purely a paper mill. If the only background I have is working in fast food as a fry cook and a HS diploma but for $1500 can get a degree with transcripts in Business Administration we have a paper mill. You can even become a Duke or Baron of someplace for some bucks.  One thing I laughed at is that you buy one square inch of land and they make you a Duke or something.

Now after all that, are traditional schools wrong?  I think for pastors and missionaries they are unnecessary.  Besides your pastor there are enough books and courses available online or in CD version that you can self-study possibly quicker and certainly cheaper than spending 4 or more years in college.

If you can do online learning for almost any secular career outside of MD there is no reason why long distance or non-traditional education cannot be used for the ministry. I mean after all, we only really need one textbook and the Holy Spirit is supposed to be our primary teacher.  

My senior pastor only has a degree in business from Stephen F. Austin but he is more squared away then many that have higher degrees.  He was given a DD not too long ago for his experience.  Indeed, other pastors come to him for prayer and guidance.  

Funny, since I got fed up and got the papers to at least get a hearing in some arenas I am now in a place where the congregation could care less. In fact, my Youth Pastor says that now my resume is too scary for many of the churches he knows.  

Since more and more seminaries are being taken over by Liberals and some of the schools are being set up by people who just want schools for fame or finances or as a "revenge" thing it really is not profitable to go somewhere where you have to be in constant debate or become a parrot.  There is also no reason to put your family under a lot of financial or spiritual strain just for the sake of having someone's "approved" signature on a piece of paper.  Who approves the approver?  

2 Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. KJV

I have people who consider me wiser than many who have gone the traditional route. I have people in other lands who contact and I am on many forums including one where they have asked me to be a moderator.  That shows me approved unto some men but no one is approved unto all men.
However, if I am not approved before God it doesn't matter if I have degrees from the finest universities and my books sell more than anyone else. I will stand before Him a failure and saved by fire.

"God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas, but for SCARS!" - H. A. Ironsides

"Henceforward, therefore, I hope you will enter into your studies, not to get a parish, nor to be polite preachers, but to be great saints." - George Whitfield

Be a great saint, get your share of scars and it matters not what pedigress you have or do not have!

What are the favorite letters after my name?  PWT - Poor White Trash. I am just the son of a widow woman that was voted most likely to be in jail in HS and now I am a jail minister. They were almost right.  If God can use me and get glory to His name that is all that is important. My folks call me Bro Ron more than anything and that is just fine with me.

May God grant you great wisdom as you seek His Word!!