Alan Knox and Me at Seminary Graduation 2006

I was looking through some old photos the other day when I came across these two. In the first, I'm hanging with my good friends Alan Knox (the famous blogger) and Roy Sams. This is taken just a little while after the ceremony.

In the second picture I'm receiving my diploma from President Akin of SEBTS.

As I think back on that time I continue to have such mixed emotions. I suppose that will never go away.

I made great friends, learned a lot about scripture, and got to travel to the other side of the world while in seminary. However, seminaries are not necessary for the church (only for the institution). The existence of seminaries actually perpetuates the clergy-laity divide.

In the end, I'm really glad for the friends I made while at SEBTS. I just wish seminaries didn't have the institutional side effects that they automatically do.