who cancels all debts public and private.
Since graduating from seminary in 2005, we have carried with us a significant debt load. It's the common story of pastors in denominations that require their ministers to have masters-level education: students invest in expensive coursework with the hope that their future calls will enable them to pay off the debt.
Problem is, most congregations in our denominations are rural, with mid- to low-income members, and are often struggling to meet minimum salary qualifications for pastors. So my denomination has a program called Seminary Debt Assistance, which offers annual grants to pastors serving a full-time call in small rural congregations.
Sara and I have been blessed by many blessings, including jobs before seminary that allowed us to save, a CFO in the household who knows how to work the numbers, a congregation faithful to its commitments, and the Seminary Debt Assistance program. As a result, we've been steadily paying down my student loan. In case you're wondering what "steadily paying down" looks like, here's a snapshot:
Note the CFO figuring with eyes and lips, and me staring blankly at all those numbers on the screen. Yep, that's how it is.
Until tonight. Tonight we (mostly Sara, but I watched and fulfilled the ever-important function of peanut gallery) clicked the online banking buttons that will deliver the final payment to Citibank. In just two brief business days, our balance due to them will be $0.00! So that my colleagues can be inspired by what they, too, will do some day, here's what that looks like:
We are out from under the yoke of Citibank! Praise the Lord for bringing us out of Babylon!
On a sobering note, the Seminary Debt Assistance has already begun to decrease the amount of cash it offers to strapped seminary graduates, because of the widespread shrinking of funds in denominational coffers. Perhaps we need to begin finding ways to prevent the saddling of future pastors with that debt in the first place. It's strange that in order to lead us in prayer that we be forgiven our debts every Sunday morning, pastors are asked to take it on themselves.
~emrys
4 comments:
The obvious solution is to allow denominations to compete with each other for potential seminary recruits, NCAA-style.
Praise Jesus indeed! Oh, how I long for this day for our family. Way to go guys!
Stephen:
That would mean I'd have to be in way better shape than I am now. Have you seen those NCAA guys?
em
Oh, wait, I just re-read your comment. That means THEY would have to be in better shape. I just have to sit back and let the offers roll in, right? Saccharine.
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