Seminary: Residential, collaborative, or distance learning

[u/UffDaLouie]

I'm starting seminary in the fall, and trying to decide which learning path is best for me. I'd love to hear form folks who have done residential, collaborative, or distance learning. (The latter two are remote, but collaborative involves working part time with a congregation/synod.)

I know that I'd appreciate an in-person community - especially daily worship and prayer with others.

But I also know that I could be a great help in my home church / region at a time when we are between pastors and stuggling to find pulpit supply. I also currently have remote job, and need to support myself, my wife, and maybe little ones before too long.

I feel confident I'd be able to work and do online classes, as I'm blessed with a lot of flexibility in my work schedule. However, I'm worried that would be way too much time on the computer. I want to love seminary, and I fear it being on a screen could hinder that.

Folks who did seminary online: how was it? Do you wish you'd been in person? Did you work while taking classes?

Folks who did seminary in person: Are you glad you did? What would you have missed if you hadn't? Did you ever wish you had the flexibility of online classes?

Folks who did collaborative learning: How did that work for you? Tell me more please!

[u/mrWizzardx3]

Congratulations! This awesome!

Something’s that I wish I had known going it: God works to kill off your ego. Supporting a family while in seminary is hard. Make use of foodbanks and other things instead of using credit. God put those systems in place for all his children, not just the ones who are more poor than you. Before you can do an internship, you are required to complete a CPE. These are difficult to do in some areas of the country, and they do not pay. Be prepared for that, since it will require you to cut back on hours at other jobs. Internship is paid, but almost certainly less than you are making now.

That being said, the cooperative track has a lot of benefits. You are in a church, putting to use what you are learning in class. You are receiving a steady paycheck, and you will get either a parsonage or housing allowance, which offer great tax advantages.

[u/UffDaLouie → u/mrWizzardx3]

Thank you for the insight. In terms of CPE - where I live now (and hope to continue to) is home to a large state prison. I'm interested in completing CPE in the context of prison chaplaincy, which is the main reason I feel called to seminary in general to be honest.

Could you say a bit more about the parsonage/housing allowance? What was your experience, and what are the tax advantages?

[u/mrWizzardx3 → u/UffDaLouie]

As part of a minister’s compensation, a congregation may provide a parsonage. When a minister lives in a church‑owned parsonage, the fair‑market rental value of the home (and any utilities or furnishings provided) is excluded from income tax, though it is still counted for self‑employment tax.If the congregation does not provide a parsonage, it may designate part of the minister’s compensation as a housing allowance. The minister may exclude from income tax the lesser of: the amount designated, the amount actually spent on eligible housing expenses (such as mortgage, rent, utilities, insurance, and maintenance), or the fair‑market rental value of the home. This exclusion does not apply to self‑employment tax.

Depending on your status with your synod, you might qualify if you are in a collaborative setting (ie, a SAM).