What does theological training matter?... This question made me smile as I mused on how the prophets, patriarchs and apostles of old would have answered it: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, King David, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Matthew, Mark, Peter, James, John and the other disciples, not forgetting the Savior himself. How would they have answered the question: What does theological training matter? The words of the prophet Amos also came to mind: Amos 7:14...“Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:” I am not impliedly decrying theological training: it is important, but not as much as some think. For the fact is, the Almighty raises up believers according to His own standards. Educational qualifications, wealth, fame, talent, social standing, outward appearance etc. are useful; but they are secondary in His sight. Qualities like faith, obedience, holiness, humility, honesty, absolute loyalty to one’s spouse, the ability to raise one’s family to fear God and keep His commandments etc.; these are the things the Most High values. “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” Only on the Day of Judgment will it be known how truly educated, weighty and effective we have been. That is why I had to smile when I heard the question. The vanity of the question is only matched by the foolishness of my answer. As the wise man wrote: “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1: 2). Or as the apostle Paul commented in 2 Corinthians 11:16-30 when rattling off a long list of impressive qualifications “... I speak as a fool.”