Never too Late to Learn

Back in the 1980's I was teaching at a Presbyterian Renewal Conference in Montreat, North Carolina when a petite lady came up and asked what I thought about her returning to college to get a Master's Degree in Counseling. Should she pursue a degree from a "secular" school or a seminary or a Christian grad school? Before answering I asked her a few questions.

"What led her to be interested in Christian counseling?"
"What were her gifts?"
"How was she ministering now?"
"Why not get a degree?"

That little lady was Bobbie Clemmons and she was full of the Holy Spirit as well as vim and vigor. She was avery actively involved in personal ministry of healing and lay care. Her husband, Elton, was President of an international Men's Movement and traveled to all parts of the known and unknown world to minister to missionaries. Many of these missionaries came to her for prayer and counsel. She knew there was a good graduate program she could attend but maybe she was "Too old".

"Why not sign up right now?" I asked.

She replied, "Do you know how old I will be in the four years it will take for me to graduate?"

I said, "Nope, but how old will you be in four years if you do not go to school?"

Bobbie attended that school and received her master's Degree. She went on to train hundreds of missionaries, pastors and leaders around the world. She established an advanced degree based on the Teleios Model of Ministry at the South Asia Institute for Advanced Christian Studies in Bangalore, India and taught there for 12 years.

She is one of the best counselors I know. PTL! she did not quit.

She got no older as a professional learner than as a wife. We need thousands of bright, dedicated, gifted men and women to keep growing and learning so they can minister in God's Kingdom.