Why the Seminary is needed.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us, "For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." One of the major functions of the word of God is that it opens up the revelation of one's very soul, judging our intentions, actively separating from our minds the difference between our own desires, and what God desires for us. It is an essential part of our spiritual growth, and must not be ignored. It is the purpose of the church to feed the congregation with the word of God, discipling its members.

Contrary to the thoughts of many people, the central purpose of the local church is not to evangelize, though evangelism is important in any congregation's life, but it is to disciple its people, to train them to be spiritually independent enough to stand on their own in times of crisis; to discern the difference between truth and error. In other words, the word of God changes the hearts of believing Christians, giving them a desire to get closer to God. This was the main reason seminaries were created in the first place. They were created to effectively shape the minds of those who wish to be of service to God. If any person has this desire to grow closer to God, it is because God put that desire in the heart of that individual.

Anyone who has this desire to grow in God's word has the right to be educated in God's word. Unfortunately this is not being done in many churches today. We are simply failing to equip the saints with what is necessary for a person's spiritual life and growth. Instead, seminaries have now re-categorized themselves as training grounds for church workers. And what they have done is to impose restrictions on who is entitled to a seminary education, whether the seminary candidate has the desire to grow in the deeper things of God, or not. For example, women have not been allowed to receive a seminary education historically, in spite of the fact that they may have an earnest desire to grow in their relationship with God.

Those of us who are gay or transsexual have been denied the right to study the deeper things of God, because we have been labeled perverts by many Christian Churches. But the Holy Spirit functions the same way in the hearts of Gay Christians as it does in all others. And the Gay Christian who has the desire to learn God's word has this desire because God put it there. God does this because He loves all His children., and wants them to grow closer in their relationship to Him. And unlike what many ministries imply, God's purpose is not primarily to train pastors. God puts the desire to learn God's word in the hearts of His children for them to grow. God places this desire in the hearts of men because it is an act of His divine love.

When this love is experienced, the only thing that the Christian needs to do is follow the leading of the heart; the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But we must be made aware of the fact that we have no idea where the Holy Spirit will lead us, or what purpose we will serve in God's plan. We may end up as evangelists, missionaries, teachers, or we may be lead to serve in areas that we would never have imagined for ourselves.

Most churches once taught that God did not lead women to become pastors. But over the past century many woman pastors have emerged who are the finest examples of church pastors.

One may only conclude at this point that any person who wants to be trained or equipped for service should in no way be hindered from doing so. We have no right to restrict anyone from this training, when God has placed the desire to learn His truths upon their hearts.

This seminary will provide spiritual freedom in ways that have long been forgotten. The fact that I, {Dr. Crane} am here making this is a miracle in itself, because this is probably the first time a seminary has ever been proposed by a professor who is transsexual. But this is God's work, and it will succeed because it is His work which is being done, for all people that have been forgotten and despised by even their own brothers and sisters in Christ. I believe that the Lord God has now given the opportunity for us to take a stand among our fellow Christians to become a voice that has long been silenced among men. For it is to the greater glory and honor of our Lord Jesus Christ that we do this.

Hebs.4:12 - NKJV tells us that God's word is "discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart".

The Casa de Cristo Theological Seminary is a post denominational seminary offering Masters and Doctoral programs of study for the serious Bible Scholar. Click here to learn more about the seminary!