Latest / Eurasia Region Podcast / S2-E4 | Everyday Eurasia |  Peter Rae

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S2-E4 | Everyday Eurasia |  Peter Rae · Eurasia Region Podcast

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  This first week of Season 2, they'll be joined by the Co
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  Regional Education Coordinators for the Eurasia region.
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  Today we will listen to Peter Ray.
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  Peter served as Regional Education Coordinator for the
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  Eurasia region since 2022, a role he shares with Antoni
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  Holloman. Peter served as VP Academic at
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  NTC for 15 years and though in such areas as leadership, data,
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  media and theological education. In January of this year, he
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  stepped down from that role and supports now NTC by working with
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  alumni and development matters. He's a worship leader and board
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  member at Alongside Church of the Nazarene in Manchester.
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  Ecclesiastes 10/10 reads If the axe is blunt and 1 does not
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  sharpen the edge, then you must use more strength.
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  But wisdom brings success. You may feel that theological
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  education shouldn't be a big priority of the church at the
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  moment. After all, we live in times when
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  in many places the church seems in retreat.
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  We should be focused on mission, on evangelism, on more practical
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  things to move the church forward.
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  But our passage tells us if the axe is dull, if you don't wet
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  the edge, the job takes a lot more effort.
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  Theological education is a way to sharpen your axe.
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  Have we ever tried shaving when your razor blade is dull?
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  Or try to cut a ripe tomato when your knife blade is blunt.
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  It's not good. It can even be quite dangerous.
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  And so we need to have leaders who are theologically informed,
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  who can rightly divide the word of truth, can apply that truth
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  to life and ministry. Today.
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  The writer of Ecclesiastes paints an image that's both
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  ordinary and profound. A lumberjack stands before a
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  tree with an axe in his hand. The task is clear, The strength
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  is available, the desire to work is present, but the blade is
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  dull. Every strike demands greater
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  effort. What could have been
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  accomplished simply with good preparation now becomes
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  exhausting labour. The issue isn't passion or
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  energy. The issue is sharpness.
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  This simple picture speaks deeply to the calling of
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  theological education. Many men and women enter
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  ministry with genuine love for God and compassion for people.
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  They pray fervently, serve faithfully, labour tirelessly.
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  But passion alone isn't enough to sustain the work of ministry.
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  A dull axe can still cut, but it does unnecessary damage to both
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  the worker and the wood. In the same way, ministry
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  without theological depth often produces exhaustion, confusion,
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  and instability. Theological education is not
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  opposed to spiritual passion. It's the sharpening of spiritual
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  passion. It's one of the means God uses
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  to prepare us to handle God's Word with wisdom, clarity, and
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  faithfulness. Scripture consistently portrays
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  spiritual leadership as requiring both devotion and
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  disciplined understanding. It sharpens the mind to
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  understand Scripture in its context rather than merely
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  through assumptions or emotions. It teaches you to wrestle
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  carefully with doctrine, history, language,
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  interpretation. It exposes shallow thinking and
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  develops discernment. It trains leaders to recognize
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  error before error harms the church.
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  It forms leaders who can answer difficult questions with wisdom
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  rather than speculation. But theological education isn't
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  just intellectual training. True theology always leads to
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  worship. The word theology just means the
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  study of God. When approached rightly, it
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  should deepen awe rather than inflate pride.
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  Every doctrine studied carefully becomes another window into the
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  glory of God, that the holiness of God produces reverence.
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  The grace of God cultivates humility.
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  The cross of Jesus Christ humbles every human achievement.
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  Of course, Scripture warns that knowledge can puff up if
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  separated from love and obedience.
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  Theological education becomes dangerous when pursued just for
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  status or intellectual superiority.
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  A sharpened axe isn't meant to be admired on a shelf, it's
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  meant to serve. Theological education is not
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  about the production of religious experts, but faithful
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  servants. Ecclesiastes also reminds us
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  that sharpening requires intentionality.
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  No acts becomes sharp accidentally.
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  It takes time, patience, friction, repetition.
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  Theological growth often feels the same way.
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  There are seasons of reading difficult books, wrestling with
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  challenging doctrines, confronting difficult questions.
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  Sometimes study exposes how little we know.
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  Sometimes. It challenges traditions we've
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  never examined. Sometimes it forces us to slow
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  down and listen carefully to Scripture instead of rushing
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  towards easy conclusions. But this sharpening is an act of
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  grace. God prepares his servants before
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  he uses them more fully. As a Craftsman cares for his
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  tools, God shapes those he calls.
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  Moses spent years in the wilderness before leading
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  Israel. Even the disciples walked
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  closely with Christ before being sent into the world.
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  In a generation that often values charisma over depth and
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  speed over wisdom, theological education reminds the church
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  that roots matter more than appearances.
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  A shallow tree might grow quickly, but it can't withstand
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  storms. Deep roots sustain lasting
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  fruitfulness. The church desperately needs
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  leaders who are both spiritually alive and theologically
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  grounded, who can preach truth faithfully, counsel wisely,
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  defends sound doctrine, shepherd people gently through suffering
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  and confusion. Theological education helps
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  cultivate such servants. And this calling is not only for
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  pastors or professors. Every believer is called to grow
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  in the knowledge of God. Some may formally study in
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  colleges, others learn through local churches, mentors, books,
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  lifelong discipleship. The setting may differ, but the
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  principle remains the same. God honours those who seek
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  wisdom. Ecclesiastes teaches us that
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  strength alone is insufficient. Hard work matters, but wisdom
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  makes the work effective. There are moments in ministry
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  when the answer is not simply to work harder or preach louder, or
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  to strive more intensely. Sometimes the wisest step is to
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  pause and sharpen the blade. To study deeply is not a
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  distraction from ministry. It is preparation for faithful
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  ministry. A sharpened axe cuts cleanly.
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  A sharpened mind handles truth carefully.
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  A sharpened soul serves God humbly before swinging harder.
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  Wisdom asks us to sharpen the blade.
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  Lord, teach us to take the time needed for you to prepare us for
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  service. Thank you for listening to the
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  Everyday Eurasia podcast, Inspiring Fate for everyday.
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  For more Everyday Stories, subscribe on this podcast
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  channel, follow our socials, Facebook and Instagram, or our
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  newsletter Snapshots. For our newsletter and further
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  information about the Eurasia region, visit our website,
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  eurasiaregion.org.