by Jane E. Scheafer

How am I going to provide for my family? Will I have to work? Will my wife be able to find a job? Where are my children going to go to school? These are some of the questions Greg Bearss, now in his third year at Concordia Theological Seminary, had before making the decision to come to CTS. "Ultimately you can come up with several other questions, questions that might not be able to be answered right away. All I can say is that we, like many others who are here now, had many of these same questions and everything has worked out," commented Greg.

Making that initial decision to leave your current vocation and enter the ministry is a difficult one to be sure. Greg had a very successful career in the banking industry. He had spent ten years of his life working hard at his chosen profession, and yet he continued to feel that pull towards the seminary. "After much prayer and counsel with my pastor and close personal friends, my wife and I decided together that we should not put off this decision any longer, but go ahead and go to CTS."

To make the decision process easier, CTS sponsors two Prayerfully Consider Campus Visits per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. "Prayerfully Consider Campus Visit is a wonderful time for men and their families to visit the seminary and connect with the many resources our community has to offer. While here, many people connect with their future classmates and begin friendships that will remain for a lifetime," explained the Rev. Scott C. Klemsz, Director of Admission. These visits offer time to sit in on classes, visit with current students, and worship at Kramer Chapel. CTS President, Dr. Dean O. Wenthe, and the members of the faculty and staff are also available to meet with prospective students. During the Prayerfully Consider Visits an entire day is planned with sessions designed to give additional information about the admission process, financial aid, relocation, area schools (see article on page 2), and employment opportunities. The fall 2004 Prayerfully Consider Visit is scheduled for September 23-25, 2004, and the spring visit is scheduled for March 17-19, 2005. For additional information on the visits see the Invitational Campus Visit Web site, or call the Admission Office at 1-800-481-2155.

While deciding to come to the seminary may be a "leap of faith," rest assured the seminary community is ready and willing to help. From Admission Counselors, to relocation assistance, to the Student Wives Association there are many people available to answer your questions and assist you wherever you have need. Having experienced this Greg can offer these words of encouragement, "Everyone who comes to CTS has questions about how it is all going to work out and everyone has sacrificed something. Don't let this stand in the way of what God has called you to do with your life in Him. Realizing this is what finally led us to come here and now has left us wondering why we ever put the decision off to begin with."

Jayne Sheafer is a Public Relations Officer at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

From Volume 7, Issue 2, Spring 2004