I once posted the following on Facebook: “Passing a lot of classes in college (or seminary) is not the same as receiving an education.” From the comments and my reflection, I realized I needed to say more.
I am grateful for the education and degrees I have earned. Still, I came to understand that the degree was simply a foundation from which to start my life-long education. To be honest, some degrees are necessary for entering specific career fields; however, we should never let education stop there.
I once read a quote attributed to various individuals, including Jack Welch and Confucius. The adage is, “If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.” I agree because, as one of my early ministry teachers often said, “You already know everything you know.”
If you are always the smartest person in the room, you will never be challenged to grow in your understanding or have additional insights. You will never be challenged or learn to ask questions that might lead to greater insights. So, how do you get in the smarter rooms?
While serving a church, my District Superintendent came to see me and noticed the bookshelves in my office. He said, “I can usually tell when a pastor graduated from seminary by looking at the books on his or her shelves.” As we talked further, he said many pastors almost quit reading when they graduate. I was shocked, but not really.
I usually looked forward to the coffee times I would have with area pastors in my denomination. Yet, I quickly learned that was not the place to “talk shop.” As a relatively new pastor, I wanted to discuss Scripture, theology, or leadership but found very few opportunities.
The first place I looked for smarter rooms was books. The more I read, the more I was challenged and stretched. Often, I was perplexed about a particular subject, so I read several books on the topic until I was satisfied that I had a good grasp of the subject and a basis for my views. An indispensable place to start is Mortimer Adler’s book, How to Read a Book. Adler’s book is a classic approach to reading that teaches you how to follow an author’s argument and assess the author’s evidence and reasoning. I would also advise not only reading by people with which you agree. Stretch yourself, understand the opposing arguments and ideas, and take note of aspects of your ideas that you have not considered.
I also look in the footnotes of books I value to find additional resources. I would also browse bookstores or the book tables at various conferences. Honestly, I picked up some books I never got around to reading, but that’s Ok. I could always sell them or give them away later.
I also listen to podcasts. Podcasts are an easy way to connect with smart people without having to travel! I often listen to podcasts while walking or on long trips. It is remarkable how frequently I discover books I want to read by listening to authors or reading reviews of books. By the way, always have a wish list of books on Amazon. I create a list of books that interest me and later decide if I want to read and or purchase the book. Occasionally, I review my wish list and delete books when I realize I’m no longer interested in the subject – I’ve saved a lot of money that way.
Of course, It is always good to be in the same physical room as experts if possible. You may not be able to ask questions of the speaker, but you can interact with people around you who are at the event.
Let me talk to my pastor colleagues for a moment. If we, as pastors, are not regularly engaging with challenging resources, our sermons become more like spiritual junk food than nourishment for the congregation. If we only interact popular-level books, we cannot lead our people to a greater understanding and depth because we have nothing to offer them except warmed over leftovers and trite cliches. To use a more biblical metaphor we cannot provide the solid food people need, if all we consume is milk (Heb 5.12)
On a recent podcast from the Center for Pastoral Theologians (June 9, 2025), Dr. Douglas Sweeney Dean and Professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama said, “it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when you malnourish people over and over and over again for generations, they act like they’ve been malnourished, you know, in our churches today and in our society today. And I don’t think things are going to get better until we get more serious about thoughtful ministry, thoughtful biblical, theological leadership of God’s people.”
Could it be that the lack of spiritual maturity in the church and the substitution of cliches for sound teaching is our fault as pastors and preachers? If we preachers are responsible for feeding the congregation, we need to make sure the food we serve is nutritious and not junk food. We can only offer good food if we have feasted on nourishing food first.
The primary goal here is learning more. A degree says you completed a course of study. What we need is the kind of character that enables us to become lifelong learners, regardless of formal degrees.