I am in Uganda, but I heard that the government of Rwanda stopped all ministers of the gospel that had no graduation certificate of theology. Many of them fled to our country Uganda where there is no such a requirement by the government. But from the ministry of these visitor preachers, it was clear that their home local churches had not taught them the Bible to depth. Most of them just prophecied and prayed for people to be delivered and the like... With discernment, many of them were actually having 'another spirit'. So academies can help in such instances.
Jesus's way of evangelizing was by teaching and revealing the light of scripture. Even faith comes from hearing the Word of God. The first apostles too preached Christ as revealed in scripture. To Christians I think theology is the study of God through His revealed Word - The Bible. Evangelism is declaring God's plan of salvation through His son. Therefore theological studies, as part of the study of the Bible, support evangelism and help to prepare the evangelist with every truth and revelation that he is required to present with the gospel. The problem of disconnection arises with some theological schools, when they remove the best teacher - The Holy Spirit, from the scene of leading the teaching. Just as it is true that every church that forgets the role of the Holy Spirit to lead His Church and become locked up in systems and traditions that are not necessarily biblically unadjustable. The local church is the primary theological school. Schools that are set up beyond the local church can benefit many local bodies, if they stick to the true gospel. There are teachings or methods of teaching that may be used in external theological schools, that may not be available in the local church. But there is nothing to worry about because God will always lead a minister to where he or she will be prepared best for ministry and personal growth. We should remember that the Bible says that a time is coming when no one will teach the other to know God, for the whole world will be filled with the knowledge of God...
I am in Uganda, but I heard that the government of Rwanda stopped all ministers of the gospel that had no graduation certificate of theology. Many of them fled to our country Uganda where there is no such a requirement by the government. But from the ministry of these visitor preachers, it was clear that their home local churches had not taught them the Bible to depth. Most of them just prophecied and prayed for people to be delivered and the like... With discernment, many of them were actually having 'another spirit'. So academies can help in such instances.
Noted : That question should always guide us ; "why am I studying theology?"
Jesus's way of evangelizing was by teaching and revealing the light of scripture. Even faith comes from hearing the Word of God. The first apostles too preached Christ as revealed in scripture. To Christians I think theology is the study of God through His revealed Word - The Bible. Evangelism is declaring God's plan of salvation through His son. Therefore theological studies, as part of the study of the Bible, support evangelism and help to prepare the evangelist with every truth and revelation that he is required to present with the gospel. The problem of disconnection arises with some theological schools, when they remove the best teacher - The Holy Spirit, from the scene of leading the teaching. Just as it is true that every church that forgets the role of the Holy Spirit to lead His Church and become locked up in systems and traditions that are not necessarily biblically unadjustable. The local church is the primary theological school. Schools that are set up beyond the local church can benefit many local bodies, if they stick to the true gospel. There are teachings or methods of teaching that may be used in external theological schools, that may not be available in the local church. But there is nothing to worry about because God will always lead a minister to where he or she will be prepared best for ministry and personal growth. We should remember that the Bible says that a time is coming when no one will teach the other to know God, for the whole world will be filled with the knowledge of God...