Education, Learning and Growth with Dr. Perry Downs

Discipleship was the trend in Evangelical Christian circles when I was in school. Young converts or “committed Christians” were encouraged to talk a more mature Christian into “discipling” them. Many made it a formal process, going through books together or meeting at a particular time with a syllabus of sorts. For others, it was a more informal process, making sure it included regular contact and prayer together. For those in the recovery community, you will know it as being similar to having a sponsor. For those in the business or academic world, it was rather like having a close mentor.

I had been fortunate to have some great mentors whose behavior functioned as a discipling relationship, but none would have allowed it to be labeled that way. Now that I had arrived at Seminary, I figured it was time to make it official. In a new city, a new school, and mostly lost, I looked around to see who I could trap into “discipling” me.

To picture what it is like being a new seminary student, remember what the first day of High School was like, or college if you will. It wasn’t a monastery, and no vow of poverty or celibacy was not required. I ended up landing upon a hippie-like professor of Christian education who responded by denying my request, pleading busyness. 

With reverse Tom Sawyer thinking, I shrugged off the rebuff and told this Professor that I’d love to get off campus, and if he needed any help around the house, like painting a fence or something, I’d love to help. He laughed, asking me who put me up to this. I didn’t get the joke. As it ends up, he had been whining around the office about having to paint the fence the forthcoming Saturday.

Fast forward a few days in 1979, the smell of Fall in the air with newly colored leaves just beginning to drop. There are two unskilled laborers with paintbrushes working on a yard fence, and the laughter started. One might never have guessed these were Seminary types.

The seminarian went on to graduate and plant churches. The Professor became head of the doctoral program with a long, storied history at the school. Today they are in front of a microphone on Zoom during the pandemic on OC Talk Radio.

Here to discuss Education, Learning, and Growth, we welcome to Church Hurts And, Professor Perry Downs.

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