I sat with a revered father in the faith who shared with me the landscape of Christianity in Nigeria back in the 70s&80s. In the congregation where he grew as a believer, some believed that If you attend the university, you will backslide.
In that generation, some were laid back in matters of education and intellectualism because they don't want their faith to be corrupted. That ideology also encouraged mediocrity in almost every facet of their lives. In spirituals, they were superb but they were unproductive in other aspect of their lives.
Unguarded zeal and ignorance made some christian students abandon school saying God called them into the ministry. They see getting quality education to the highest level as carnal pursuit and waste of time. Unfortunately, some see this version of christianity as authentic because it appears pious and devoid of earthly pursuit whereas it is mediocrity wearing the garb of religiosity.
Those who are conversant with the history of our faith knows that Christians of old excelled in intellectual sphere of life. They shaped culture, were thought leaders and engineered socio cultural change. They were not just prayer warriors. In academics, science, technology, economy, commerce, industry and politics, they were frontliners.
I am a student of written and oral history. Michael Faraday (1791–1867), the man who invented electricity was a church elder. He was a child of God. Science students will remember John Dalton (1766–1844): an English chemist, physicist, and meteorologist. He gave us the popular Dalton Atomic Theory. He was also a Christian. There are numerous Christians who were researchers, inventors and opinion leaders.
If you discard intellectual growth because of spiritual growth, you may be limited in life.
For instance, Paul in the bible had an intercontinental ministry during his days. He preached in what we know today as Europe. His audience were the intellectuals of that time, the Stoics&Epicureans. These were philosophers of great repute. He sat with them and debated scriptures.
Why do you think Paul could reach that class of people and not Peter? It is simple logic. Apostle Paul was well educated. He schooled under Gamaliel, the grandson of Hilel who founded the Hilel Rabbinical school. If Paul were to live in our time, he'll be a leading scholar with numerous papers published in high impact factor journals.
Though Peter was anointed and he even saw Jesus physically yet he was limited in reach because his level of education couldn't match the audience Paul interfaced with. Check the way an educated man will run ministry and compare it with the man that is not educated, the difference will be clear.
Dearest, the God we serve is not anti intellectual growth neither does he hate science and technology as some think. Some ascribe every scientific&technological breakthrough to Satan and the coming anti Christ. To them, every vaccine is from hell to reduce human population. That thinking will limit productivity and innovation. I don't belong to that camp.
God want us to excel in our fields of endeavour and use them as a platform for kingdom expression. We all will not be full time career preachers yet we can still be preachers and kingdom influencers through our professional platforms. Teachers, university lecturers can reach more people for the Lord in 35 years of service than some preachers will reach in a life time.
We need more believers who will shape the culture of this world till it aligns with the kingdom culture. We need policy makers who will make policies that will align with scriptures but how will all of these happen If believers embrace mediocrity?
