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| ACADEMICS: DOCTOR OF MINISTRY |

Doctor of Ministry Degree

Purpose: The purpose of the Doctor of Ministry degree program is to equip students for the practice of ministry at a higher level of competence than that achieved in the foundational work done in the M.Div., where the primary purpose is preparation for the beginning of professional ministry (Association of Theological Schools, Bulletin 37, 1986). The 30-semester hour program of study involves completing six seminars (18 hours) that introduce the candidate to new resources and insights in ministry, a research course, and a dissertation/project.

This rigorous but highly practical program is designed to equip ministers for productive Christian ministry.

The Graduate School offers this degree for three primary reasons:

• To serve ministers through a program tailored to their particular needs, interests and circumstances.


• To serve the church by providing training for ministers who can be equipped to lead in a creative, effective and biblical way.


• To enhance ministry effectiveness in such areas as homiletics, leadership or church growth by integrating theory and practice.

Therefore, this program is designed to keep the candidate actively involved in ministry in the local church while pursuing an advanced degree.

Emphasis: This program seeks to advance the knowledge and skills of students by providing both the stimulus and the curriculum for increased competency in ministry. The D.Min. program focuses primarily on the practical aspects of ministry and provides the candidate with opportunities to cultivate self-directed learning skills; to integrate biblical, historical and theological disciplines into ministry; to participate in peer learning; and to use the resources of the library and faculty.

Goals: The D.Min. is distinguished from a doctorate in philosophy (Ph.D.) or a doctorate in theology (Th.D.) in that it focuses specifically on excellence in practical ministry rather than academic research. It is distinguished from the master of divinity in that it demands a higher level of competence, more extensive analytical skills, and greater ability to do practical and thorough research related to ministry.

The benefits of this program of study in the classroom and the church include:

• applying biblical, historical and theological perspectives to ministry;


• integrating those perspectives with sociological, psychological, homiletical, missiological, ecclesiological and/or experiential insights in order to carry out the tasks of ministry more effectively;


• creating effective strategies for implementing specific ministry goals in the church.

ADMISSION

Education: Candidates must have a Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent.

Experience: Candidates must have three years of appropriate ministerial experience beyond the first master’s degree.

Please refer to the catalog for details about the D.Min program.

PROGRAM: 30 HOURS

1. 7980 Research in Ministry (3)
2. Seminars (6 total, 18 hours)
3. 8000 Dissertation (6) and 7990 Internship in Ministry (3)
   or
   8001 Dissertation/Project (6) and Additional Seminar (3)