Theological Education and Missions – 1 Timothy

As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. (3-4)

When we think of missionary work, we often imagine door-to-door evangelism, outdoor crusades, or planting new churches. Sometimes we envision taking the gospel where it has never gone and throngs of converts responding to our gospel message. Of course, these things (and many more) are vital to the missionary task. Yet, 1 Timothy also clarifies that theological education is just as necessary. In 2 Timothy 4, Paul later tells his young disciple Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist.” However, in that same passage, he begins with an admonition to “preach the word” because the time would come when false teachers would mislead God’s people. In 1 Timothy 1, it seems that Timothy’s primary role was to be a Bible teacher in Ephesus. This work is an often-overlooked aspect of missions because it is hard work, requires time and dedication, and, frankly, is relegated to secondary importance by some.

Timothy was charged to come alongside the fledgling churches in Ephesus and teach them sound doctrine. He was charged to make sure they knew the truth of God’s word and were committed to staying true to it rather than deviating into error or heresy. Left without a guide or a sound foundation in God’s word, churches tend to drift towards arguments about meaningless things, or worse, drift towards heretical self-serving doctrines. Theological education is vital to the missionary task because missions is more than just getting converts. We are charged to make disciples and educate them so they can teach others and grow the church in depth as well as width. Theological education is missionary in nature because healthy churches reproduce and win the lost. Unhealthy churches will either fail to reproduce or, even worse, propagate more unhealthy churches and doctrines.