Grace in Action
Why the Ministry Requires Lifelong Learning
Pastor Michael King Li serves in the Philippines at Greenhills Christian Fellowship, where he is involved in adult discipleship ministry. Though already serving as a pastor, he recognized that a calling to ministry also requires preparation. Coming from a background in the marketplace rather than formal theological training, he entered seminary with a clear purpose: to be better equipped to minister faithfully to the people God had entrusted to his care.
Grace in Action
Why the Ministry Requires Lifelong Learning
Pastor Michael King Li serves in the Philippines at Greenhills Christian Fellowship, where he is involved in adult discipleship ministry. Though already serving as a pastor, he recognized that a calling to ministry also requires preparation. Coming from a background in the marketplace rather than formal theological training, he entered seminary with a clear purpose: to be better equipped to minister faithfully to the people God had entrusted to his care.
I chose Grace because, first of all, it is online. And the second consideration was its affordability compared to other seminaries.
Grace School of Theology became the right fit for that journey for two simple but important reasons. First, it offered the flexibility of online learning. Rather than being tied to a physical location or a rigid class schedule, Mike could study at times that worked within the realities of ministry life. Second, Grace was affordable compared to other seminaries, making graduate theological education far more attainable.
For Mike, those practical benefits mattered. Like many pastors already serving in local church ministry, he needed a program that could fit alongside the demands of work and discipleship. Grace provided that kind of accessibility. With classes available online and recordings accessible when needed, studying became possible even within a busy ministry schedule.
Yet what Mike found at Grace was more than convenience. It was a place where theological education became deeply meaningful, both for ministry and for personal growth. He entered seminary because he wanted to learn theology and become better equipped to serve others in the church. What he discovered was that his studies were not only strengthening his ministry but also shaping his own relationship with the Lord.
That personal dimension stood out to him in a special way. Seminary was not merely helping him prepare sermons or lead people more effectively. It was helping him enjoy Scripture more deeply. As he grew in his understanding of the Bible, he found himself drawing more from the text than he had before. Studying God’s Word became richer, more rewarding, and more transformative.
“It’s been helpful to me not just as a minister… but to me personally in my walk with the Lord as well.”
Another meaningful part of Mike’s experience was the fellowship he found with pastors from other countries. Through Grace, he was able to connect with fellow ministry leaders serving in different contexts around the world. Those relationships broadened his perspective and allowed him to hear how others were navigating ministry in their own settings.
For Mike, that kind of interaction was especially valuable because it gave him a space to share openly with others who understood the unique realities of pastoral life. There was encouragement in learning alongside men who were facing similar challenges, even if they served in different cultures and contexts. Grace became not only a place of study, but also a place of fellowship and mutual strengthening.
Of course, balancing work, ministry, and seminary was not always easy. Like many students in ministry, Mike experienced the challenge of carrying multiple responsibilities at once. But as he reflects on that season, he does so with gratitude. He sees the ability to continue both work and study as evidence of God’s grace and provision. What could have felt overwhelming became manageable through the Lord’s help.
Mike also points to the providence of God in the timing of his studies. Again and again, the subjects he was learning in class seemed to align with what he was facing in ministry at that very moment. Lessons that might have remained abstract instead became immediately applicable. Grace did not simply teach him information for the future. It equipped him for the present.
“Usually, the subject that I would be studying… He would make it applicable to where I am serving at the moment.”
Among the many things he learned, one lesson stands out most: the importance of continuing to learn. Seminary deepened his understanding, but it also deepened his humility. The more he studied, the more he realized how much more there is to know about God and His work. Rather than leading to pride, learning led him to greater awe and dependence.
That humility is one of the quiet but lasting gifts of theological education. For Mike, seminary was worth it not only because it helped him in ministry, but because it shaped him as a person. It sharpened his thinking, enriched his reading of Scripture, and helped him become a more grounded servant of Christ.
When he speaks about Grace School of Theology, Mike recommends it wholeheartedly. He points to its affordability, its flexibility, and the accessibility of recorded classes for those with demanding ministry schedules. But he also highlights something deeper: the encouragement that comes from interacting with fellow pastors and learning in a community shaped by a shared desire to serve the Lord faithfully.
Grace School of Theology gave Mike more than a degree. It gave him tools for ministry, joy in studying the Bible, and a renewed sense that growth in service to God is a lifelong journey. For pastors and ministry leaders seeking theological training that is both practical and accessible, his story is a reminder that the right seminary can strengthen not only one’s ministry but also one’s soul.
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