Retraining is Retirement Redefined

Clay Warnick had a knack for making people angry. When he was a wise-cracking writer and movie critic for magazines such as Us, People, and The Washington Post, he had a reputation for getting on the wrong side of A-list celebrities such as Helen Hunt, Eric Bogosian, and Madonna.

“I did a great one-word interview about the movie GoodFellas. I asked Madonna what she thought about the movie, and here’s all I got: ‘Riveting.’ She did not like me.”

At the age of 42, Clay made his family angry when he surrendered his life to Christ. Warnick describes his family as one that embraces witchcraft, consults tarot cards, and believes aliens populated the world. They were embarrassed when Clay became a Christian. 

“Everyone in my family was shocked that I got saved. When I got baptized, my family just said, ‘What has he done?’ They made fun of it. If (salvation) could happen to me,” said Warnick, “it could happen to anyone.”

Retired educator Joy Warnick is back in the classroom. But this time, she isn’t the teacher: Joy is the student.

The 69-year-old grandmother is pursuing her second masters degree–this one in theological studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Joy earned her first masters degree in education to make herself a better teacher. She is working toward this master’s degree to become a deeper disciple.

“I have been in church all my life. I’ve read the Bible and heard countless sermons,” Warnick said. “But I have grown my understanding in deeper ways. Studying at Southern Seminary has helped me connect the whole of the Bible together.”

Joy retired from teaching and went to work as a purchasing agent for a small Kentucky hospital. She left that job to attend seminary. Joy says when she completes this degree, she plans to combine her love of writing with her more complete understanding of God’s Word to help others grow their faith in Christ. Warnick says serving Christ is one role from which no one should retire.

When Chris Atzinger worked as an information technologist for a major international corporation, he did not know what to say. Not about computers–he was an expert on that subject. Chris wasn’t sure what to say about Christ when he found himself in a conversation with coworkers from different faith backgrounds.

“I didn’t know how to share my faith with them. I knew nothing about what people of other world religions believe or how those beliefs compare with Christianity,” said Atzinger, who lives in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

So after Atzinger retired, at the age of 55, he began taking classes at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

“My first seminary class was hermeneutics taught by Dr. (Brian) Vickers. Going back to school after all those years was a struggle, but I loved it! Theological training was something I wanted to do for a long time. When I retired,” said Atzinger, “I finally had the time and resources to pursue my degree, a master of arts in theological studies.”

Bob Scott is a part-time ice road trucker and a full-time seminary student. In April, when the spring semester concluded at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Bob and his wife, Julie, climbed into the cab of an 18-wheeler. They are splitting time behind the wheel this summer logging thousands of miles hauling dangerous cargo all across the United States.

“We have special clearance from the Department of Defense and (the U. S. Department of) Transportation to do hazmat transportation. So, in the summertime, we haul explosives from the east coast and the west coast up to Alaska,” Bob said.

Bob, who is 59, listens to podcasts and radio preachers to endure the five-million-plus-miles logged during his trucking career. That’s how he taught himself to teach the Bible. But Bob always knew he could learn more theology seated in a seminary classroom than he can inside the cab of his truck. So a few years after the Scott’s three grown children left home, Bob and Julie did too. They pulled up roots in Fairbanks, Alaska and replanted them in Louisville, Kentucky. The Scott’s are fully committed to the theological education Bob feels responsible to complete.