Call me a professional student. Call me a book-aholic. Call me a lifelong learner. But don’t call me late to the classroom! Because I do LOVE to learn. Which is why I am so excited to tell you I will be taking a class on contemporary theology at St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City this fall. Besides the joy I find in learning, there are some other reasons I’m headed back to school.

I guess you could say one reason is that it’s a requirement. As a United Methodist clergy, the Board of Ordained Ministry requires continuing education. But I don’t consider it a “requirement” -- as in I’m doing it only because I have to. I am looking forward to this opportunity. St. Paul’s is a UMC seminary. I did my previous seminary work at Eden in St. Louis, affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Now I’ll have the opportunity to learn from UM faculty and dialogue with other UM brothers and sisters.

Another reason is my commitment to learning and spiritual growth through Scripture reading and study. As I said in a recent sermon, we Christians must not only love God, but know God. We need to be concerned about right doctrine and understanding the truth.

Ours is not an anti-intellectual faith that requires us to check our minds at the door. God gave us a mind and He expects us to use it.

The most important reason I’m headed back to school is something Jesus once said about leadership. His followers were arguing about who was to be the greatest. “Jesus said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them… But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest...” Luke 22:24-26

In Jesus’ countercultural world, the most mature is the youngest. Now Jesus didn’t say He wanted all His followers to be young. Rather, He said that He wanted His disciples to lead as if they were young. When you’re young, it’s easy to ask questions, seek help, desire mentoring, learn new ideas and skills. But no matter our age or experience, we must never stop asking questions, being honest about the limits of our understanding, looking for new, better ways of doing things, or continuing to learn.

Gotta run. Time to get my school supplies.

In Service for His glory,

Pastor Allynn

About Our Pastor

Rev. Allynn Walker was taught as a child about the Lord and nurtured in her faith at Jerome Methodist Church in Springfield, IL. That faith community developed in her a love for the local church that is still alive in her heart. She desires that those who come to Bethany will experience the love and grace of Jesus, and hopes to see them equipped to become His faithful followers in all they do.

She received a B.A. from SIUC and an M.A. from the University of Missouri-Columbia. For many years she loved working with students, teaching Sociology and doing academic advising at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Texas-Austin.

After accepting God’s call to ministry, she completed an M.A. in Pastoral Studies from Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. She was ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church in 2002. Her current status is Local Pastor as she transitions to Elder's Orders. In 1997 she began serving on staff at First UMC in Springfield, IL. She served at Main Street UMC in Alton 2002-2008.

She and her husband David Blackburn live with three cats (but she’s really a dog lover!). She has been blessed with two wonderful stepchildren, Laura in Collinsville and Luke in Edwardsville.

“For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” Mark 8:35