Dear God, bible college is a really bad idea

It’s not the most respectful of prayers, is it? Yet it was exactly my response when barely a year into becoming a Christian myself (who does that at 43?), God ‘suggested’ I go to Bible College.

Frankly, I thought I’d fail the entry criteria. Growing up in a non-Christian home I have zero in the way of scripture verses committed to memory. My phone’s Bible App has the books listed alphabetically. Reverend Google is often the first place I start because although I know ‘big picture’ I simply fail to remember book, chapter and verse. I’m the one who’ll be typing in, “law, spirit, don’t do what I want, Paul” to be prompted that it’s Romans 7:14 I’m thinking about.

This lack of memory verses is hardly a salvation issue, I know. But I was paralysed by the idea of sitting in a class when everyone else was throwing around such in-the-know Bible shorthand.

Plus I was hardly in my first flush of youth. I have a business. Husband. Kids. Where was the time going to come from to attend bible college, for goodness sake?

So I had all the excuses. But, in my stumbling way, I do try to be obedient to the Lord. I didn’t know why He wanted me to go - I’ve had no big ‘ta da’ callings outside of preaching, speaking and writing - but He knew, and I knew deep down, that Reverend Google and church bible study was no longer the only soil necessary for growth.

Which means this semester, after almost three years of part-time study, I will complete my final unit in the Graduate Diploma of Divinity. The majority of my units have been completed via Morling, based on its flexible, distance-learning and its mix of intensives and the Morling South campus.

Morling South offered me the best of both: closer to home, a physical cohort, with some extra online units supplementing the face-to-face hours. An on-campus summer intensive allowed me to pick up an extra unit.

So it turns out, as often is the case, God was right and I was not. Bible College was not a bad idea at all. Even if I didn’t recognise it at the time.

And that’s the point. You don’t need all the answers as to why you are enrolling. You don't have to know exactly what God is up to in your life. It wasn’t like Moses knew how God was going to get the Israelites out of Egypt, after all. One thing I’ve learned: God always comes through, but often it’s at the last minute when I finally hand it all over to Him. So if this is you, and God is pressing upon you the idea of study - be it Bible, Ministry, Theology, Counselling, Chaplaincy, Education or a Plunge gap year after your HSC - just do it. Hand it over and enrol. God will do the rest.

Morling College is having its Online Open Night on Wednesday 13 May at 6.45pm. Live stream in to explore your options for study. It’s a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have and e-meet course advisors. Register your interest early