How do you think theology will impact your discipleship, ministry, and beliefs?

Before starting the CMIT program I had never studied theology, nor did I know much about it. What I knew is that God sent Jesus who died for my sins and that because of this I have committed to following him for the rest of my life. As I have grown in maturity as a believer I now crave a better understanding of who God is and to grow in a deeper relationship with Him. As I do this I know that how I disciple, my ministry and my beliefs will change greatly in a positive way. As I study theology, I will learn more about scripture and who God is, which will help me model my life more like Christ. I will be able to disciple people better because I will have more knowledge, I will better understand my ministry and what God is calling me to do, and my beliefs about God is will change as I get to know Him better.

This is a terrific answer! To gain understanding of God and His calling in our lives equips us for more effective ministries. We are told in 1 Peter to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." By studying God, the source of our hope, we should be able to logically state the reasons leading to our hope. Perhaps my favorite part of studying Theology is that while we grow in understanding of who God is and what He has done, we will become more like Him in displaying His image to the world.

Marie Hugershoff wrote:Before starting the CMIT program I had never studied theology, nor did I know much about it. What I knew is that God sent Jesus who died for my sins and that because of this I have committed to following him for the rest of my life. As I have grown in maturity as a believer I now crave a better understanding of who God is and to grow in a deeper relationship with Him. As I do this I know that how I disciple, my ministry and my beliefs will change greatly in a positive way. As I study theology, I will learn more about scripture and who God is, which will help me model my life more like Christ. I will be able to disciple people better because I will have more knowledge, I will better understand my ministry and what God is calling me to do, and my beliefs about God is will change as I get to know Him better.

I definitely relate to this. I grew up as a church kid, but not one deep in my faith. During my growing years at college, I always felt unequipped to answer difficult questions or even carry my own weight in theological discussions. As I began to take my faith more seriously during my latter years of college, I found a hunger for truth growing. I wanted to know the answers to theological questions, partially out of shame for not knowing them, partially to seek truth and grow, and partially to be able to be a resource for others. This is one of the best parts of being a CMIT. I just want to know God better, to truly comprehend and live out all that I believe, and to put God in the place in my life that he deserves to be. I think that necessitates growing in theology. I am so looking forward to this time of personal growth. As we begin to love and trust God more, we begin to love and serve people more. Great post!