Weekly Email: March 10, 2025
As I was reading Brad Stulberg’s recent book, The Master of Change, this week, I was struck by this quote:
“For all the things in life that you cannot control, there is at least one that you can: your core values, which represent your fundamental beliefs and guiding principles. They are the attributes and qualities that matter to you most.”
Seminary can be hard. When life feels overwhelming and deadlines are closing in, it can be tempting to take shortcuts. In those moments, I encourage you to remember some of our core beliefs as followers of Jesus Christ. No matter how you perform in your classes, no matter how good or bad your grades are, and no matter if you miss a deadline, you are loved by God the Father. That will never be taken away.
You do not have to perform. You do not have to excel. You can rest in the truth that you are known and loved by God (Romans 8:38–39).
Student Tip: The Four Levels of Competence
One of the most helpful ways I’ve found to gauge my progress in different areas is the idea of the four stages of learning. As a seminary student, you’ll enter each class at a different point in this process. Some subjects will feel brand new, while others might seem familiar until you realize just how much there is to learn. Understanding where you are in this journey can help you stay patient, focused, and intentional throughout your studies.
The Four Stages of Competence
Unconscious Incompetence: At this stage, you don’t know what you don’t know. As a new seminary student, you might assume you understand biblical interpretation, only to realize in the middle of your Hermeneutics class that your knowledge is surface-level. I remember feeling this way when I took New Testament I with Dr. Pennington. I thought I knew how to read the Gospels well, but I quickly realized I was lacking in many areas. If you’re in this stage, the best approach is to stay humble, ask questions, and rely on structured learning.
Conscious Incompetence: You now recognize where your knowledge is lacking. This is where deliberate study techniques matter. Instead of passively absorbing information, begin using specific study habits that strengthen your weaker areas. One effective strategy is to explain what you’re learning. Can you put it in your own words? Could you teach it to a member of your church? If not, revisit the material until you can.
Conscious Competence: You have now reached the third level, but applying what you know still takes deliberate effort. You can do the work, but it doesn’t feel natural yet. You’ve developed the skills, but putting them into practice requires time and focus. For example, after a few Systematic Theology classes, you may start incorporating things you’ve learned into your sermons or lessons, but it still takes careful study and research. The more you engage with the material through study, practice, and real-life application, the more naturally it will come. Many students remain in this stage for years as they work to integrate what they’ve learned into their ministry.
Unconscious Competence: Eventually, the concepts and skills you once struggled with become second nature. After years of reading and studying Greek, you begin to read intuitively instead of laboring through each verse. Reaching this level takes years of growth and intentional effort. The foundation of skills and knowledge you build in seminary will set the stage for your ministry, allowing you to continue developing and refining your understanding throughout your life.
Program News: Ask-A-Librarian
Our library is more than just a place to find books and journal articles. It is a resource designed to support you throughout your seminary journey, and our team of research assistants is here to help.
Not sure where to start your research for a paper? Ask a research assistant.
Looking to dive deeper into a particular topic? They can point you in the right direction.
Need help tracking down a source you saw referenced in a book? They have you covered.
Getting help is easy with the Ask-A-Librarian feature on our website. I recommend bookmarking the page for future use, but if you would rather find it yourself, here is how:
Visit library.sbts.edu.
Open the Research Help dropdown at the top of the page.
Click Ask-A-Librarian.
Our library team is here to make your research process easier in your classes. Whether you need a place to start, a deeper dive, or help finding a specific source, they are ready to help you out.
Faculty Devotional
This week’s faculty devotional is from Dr. Roberto Carrera, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, CSB).
When we come to the Christian life, we have to walk in through the doors of faith. The gospel, its essence, is that only through faith in Christ I can be saved and be part of flock of God. But the role of faith does not end with salvation. Faith is not only the ticket to heaven. According to Paul in Galatians 2:20, faith is the context in which we live out our Christian lives. We begin in faith, and continue in faith.
The practical upshot of this is that it informs how we relate to God and to one another daily.
When you pray, are you resting on the promises of God? Or do you feel the need to pray harder and longer and more eloquently “because God won’t hear my prayers if I don’t.” When you sin, do you turn to Christ, to the gospel right away? Or do you feel the need to keep your distance from God, thinking that now he doesn’t love you?
If you are in Christ, today, God delights in you. He loves you. No matter what. Yes, we still need to walk by the Spirit. But it is a walk, a life, that flows from faith.
That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading and check in next Monday. You can find an archive of each week’s email here. If you’re looking for information on courses such as textbooks, course description, and what we have to offer online, check out the Course Snapshots!
