“Why go to seminary? There’s a wealth of resources readily available online and in print. Why not stick around, continue serving at church, and do some studies part time? Is it really worth it to spend so much time (and money!) to go to seminary? Is it worth it to step back from the frontlines of ministry to devote yourself to study?” Do these questions resonate with you? Perhaps you, or someone you know, are asking the same or similar questions. Indeed, these are the very questions that I myself faced when weighing whether to go to seminary. And they are certainly valid questions. Seminary is a costly commitment—not only does it cost time and money on the part of the student (and his/her family), it usually also deprives a local church of a faithful member for a time. So, is seminary worth the cost (cf. Luke 14:28)? Reflecting on my time at Westminster Seminary California, I can only conclude that my seminary education was a tremendous blessing. In my view, the training that one receives at WSC, particularly in the biblical languages and in historical theology (difficult disciplines though they may be), is worth it. I will explore why in this essay. LanguagesThe ministry of the gospel is at its core a ministry of the Word. This is why Paul charges Timothy—in the presence of God and Jesus Christ, no less—to “preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:1–2). For this reason, one of the most important components of a seminary education is a good grounding in the biblical languages, so that one can be equipped to “rightly handle the Word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). While it is true that there is a wealth of resources available today in the shape of good English translations and commentaries, the pastor who does not have a good grasp of the Biblical languages is going to be completely reliant on someone else to understand what the Scripture says. And this could be problematic, especially as a translator or commentator will inevitably import his/her own presuppositions into the meaning of a text. At WSC, every student learns Greek and Hebrew as a foundation for subsequent classes; I was expected to use Greek and Hebrew in my biblical studies and systematic theology classes. (English Bibles were not permitted in exams after the first year!) Although this was a demanding process, it was very valuable. As the saying goes with learning any new language: “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” WSC’s curriculum is designed so that we would not lose our Greek and Hebrew after the first year. More than that, the hope is that we keep using the biblical languages for many more years after graduation. Speaking personally, perhaps the greatest blessing I’ve received from seminary is the ability to read the Scriptures in the original languages. Simply put, you see so much more when you read the text in the Greek or Hebrew. I have come to appreciate all the more that the Word of God is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey (Ps. 19:10). This has been worth it. HistoryAnother important component of a seminary education is a good grounding in historical theology. By historical theology, I mean the study of how the church has understood Scripture throughout the ages. While Scripture is the ultimate norm, no one interprets Scripture in a vacuum; like it or not, we are all influenced by our historical contexts. Thus, historical theology helps us to hold fast to the doctrine which the church has confessed throughout her ages—the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). It also helps us to guard against erroneous understandings of Scripture, which creep up in similar forms from time to time. False doctrine is rarely original! (See, for example, 4th-century Pelagianism, medieval Roman Catholic soteriology, and 17th century Arminianism.) Before seminary, I had a vague understanding of the history of the Reformation, but little to no knowledge of anything prior to that. At WSC, I was introduced to the broad contours of the development of church doctrine from the 1st to 21st centuries. I also had the chance to engage with primary sources spanning this period (Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, etc.). Not only will this help me to guard against erroneous doctrine in my future ministry, it has also been profoundly encouraging to see God’s faithfulness in preserving his church throughout the ages. We stand on the shoulders of a great cloud of witnesses (cf. Heb. 12:1), who have gone before us and who confess the same faith. This too has been worth it. Counting the CostI’ve described two important prerequisites of a seminary education: languages and history. Is it possible to study these things on your own? Is it possible to do so part time while working a ministry job? Perhaps it’s not impossible, but it is very difficult. Although there are many resources available in our digital age, it is certainly difficult to receive a good grounding in the biblical languages and historical theology without seasoned professors to guide you along the way. It is even more difficult if you had to juggle studies alongside a job or ministry responsibilities. In my view, a rigorous seminary education, of the kind offered by WSC, is worth the time and expense. It was costly for my wife and me to leave our jobs in Singapore and move to WSC; and it was costly for our home church to be deprived of our service for a season. But the three years at WSC have equipped me thoroughly for a lifetime of ministry. I couldn’t have received a good grounding in the languages and history on my own (not to mention systematic theology and pastoral theology!). And I will return to our home church much better equipped to serve the cause of the gospel for the long haul. Now as I look back on my years in Escondido, I thank God I can say WSC has been worth it.Daniel Tan is in his final semester at Westminster Seminary California, where he pursued a double degree program (MABS and MATS). He and his wife Cheryl plan to return to Singapore, where they were born and raised, to serve the Lord and his church there.This article is from our Spring 2026 edition of UPDATE Magazine, High Standards for a Holy Calling.
