Pastor’s Corner September 2012

The following was published in our monthly newsletter, the Redeemer Report.

Done!

Shortly after I became the senior pastor of Redeemer in 2001 I began to look for ways to improve on my biblical and theological knowledge. It was almost four years after seminary with a very busy ministry schedule that made ongoing study very difficult. Several older ministers counseled me about degree programs that would provide accountability to continue learning. I searched high and low for a master’s program or doctoral program that would provide more biblical and theological training, yet would allow for my full time ministry schedule. Whitefield Seminary’s European style Ph.D program caught my eye immediately, especially because they allow for completing the degree by extension. The European model is predominantly reading, writing, and research under the guidance of a research advisor, instead of the American classroom-heavy approach. Having spent seven years in classrooms for my undergraduate and graduate work, the more independent study model was the best fit for me. So, in 2002 the Redeemer Elders gave me permission to pursue a doctoral degree so long as it didn’t interfere too much with my pastoral ministry at Redeemer. I was accepted into the program, did some preliminary work, and then found my times available to actually do the work evaporate. From 2002 to 2007 my Redeemer ministry duties were off the chart. This time frame was exhilarating and exciting (it still is, by the way!). Those years saw the development of our ministries and the building of our buildings, but no “extra” time to devote to doctoral studies. My Whitefield advisors were very understanding about my ministry duties and time constraints and encouraged me to stay enrolled in the program. In 2008 I decided to switch my degree plan to the Doctor of Arts in Religion with the general area of study being “Christian Intellectual Thought with emphasis on Reformation Theology”. The Doctor of Arts degree differs from a Ph.D in that it covers a wider breadth of content and requires separate written thesis papers in each area instead of one longer dissertation on a narrow topic. The D.Arts is the perfect degree for what I need as a pastor-teacher. The D.Arts is often described as a “teaching doctorate”. From 2008 until I passed my oral comprehensive exam last week I have been working on the eight content areas required to earn the degree. The summer sabbatical I took in 2010 was devoted to working on this doctorate. I have found my doctoral studies to be immediately relevant and helpful for the teaching I do at Redeemer. The Whitefield program was crafted perfectly to complement and improve upon my earlier seminary studies.

I want to thank the Redeemer Session and the congregation for your patience and encouragement along the way. I wish to thank my faithful advisor, Dr. Kenneth Talbot, for his very encouraging, yet challenging guidance. I must thank my children for understanding why I needed to stay up late many nights to read and write, be away for several weeks in the summer of 2010, and spend extra time in my church office. Finally, I want to thank my devoted wife Shari for putting up with my stress connected to constantly having another assignment to turn in.

The end goal of this degree is to be a more able teacher of God’s Word, which by God’s grace, is my life’s calling.

In the Lamb,
Tony Felich