Bachelor's of Arts in Religion Master's of Arts in Christian Ministry Master's of Arts in Theoligical Studies Master's of Divinity Doctor of Ministry

Doctor of Ministry

Overview

The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) is the highest professional degree for Christian leaders engaged in vocational ministry and is designed to increase their ministry effectiveness. The curriculum consists of nine, 4-hour courses, a 4-hour dissertation proposal, and an 8-hour dissertation (48 hours). Students may develop a concentration in one of two areas: Strategic Leadership or Christian Apologetics.

The Doctor of Ministry is regarded as a professional degree focusing primarily on the practice of Christian ministry rather than intensive academic research. However, Faith Evangelical Seminary faculty members are committed to maintaining high academic standards and to building ministry on a solid biblical and theological foundation. Therefore, the degree involves both academic research and practical application.

The Doctor of Ministry is an in-service program that allows participants to complete the program while remaining in full-time ministry. Participants will be assigned a faculty member who will serve as their advisor. The required courses normally are conducted in a modular format as intensive resident seminars although a limited number of DMin courses are available on DVD. In order to remain active in the program, DMin students must take no fewer than three courses during a twelve-month period.

General Admission Requirements
Applications will be considered when the following have been received:

1. Completed application form (including signature);
2. $40 application fee;
3. Completed tuition payment worksheet;
4. Three recommendations (clergy, personal, academic) attesting to the applicant's commitment to Christ, leadership and decision making ability, emotional stability, and facility in interpersonal relationships;
5. Official transcripts sent directly to the seminary from all colleges, universities, seminaries, and other institutions of higher education attended;
6. Autobiographical essay (maximum 5 pages typed) that discusses the applicant's conversion and call to ministry, past ministry experience, profile of current ministry situation, goals for personal and professional development, and ways the seminary program will help in achieving those goals;
7. An academic paper that demonstrates an ability to research and write at the doctoral level; and
8. Acceptable TOEFL score if English is not the applicant's primary language.

Applicants must have read and signed that they understand and respect the Doctrinal Statement. In addition, applicants must have read and signed that they will abide by financial policies and adhere to the regulations described in the Code of Conduct and Drug Policy. Applicants also must agree to abide by academic policies.

Note: Additional requirements as determined by the Doctor of Ministry Committee may be required.

Residency and Transfer Credit
A minimum of four courses must be taken in residence. A maximum of 8 quarter hours from an accredited, similar doctoral program may be accepted as transfer credit.

Graduation Requirements
In addition to normal graduation requirements, all DMin students must submit a completed and approved draft of the doctoral dissertation at least 90 days prior to the scheduled date of graduation: March 30 for the June commencement and June 30 for the October commencement.

Strategic Leadership Concentration
Christian leadership must be developed to the highest degree possible due to the current void of values-based leadership in the world. Values-based leaders have the ability to transform the world around them. Therefore, the goal of this program is to encourage transformational leadership through a better understanding of strategic vision, ethics, partnerships, coaching, and discipling in the Global/Local Church.

The Strategic Leadership concentration is open to applicants who hold an accredited Master of Divinity degree or equivalent. An equivalency degree must demonstrate a minimum of 72 semester or 108 quarter hours of graduate study in Bible, theology, or Christian ministry. The applicant normally must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, extensive full-time pastoral or other Christian leadership experience (a minimum of seven years), and meet all other seminary admission requirements.

Learning Outcomes

1. Enhance leadership and communication skills by analysis and assessment of current leadership ministry;
2. Acquire new skills in leadership, vision, conflict management, care systems, and other strategies for accomplishing effective ministry; and
3. Acquire skills of spiritual formation to personalize the Christian message for effectively reaching our diverse world with the Gospel.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM

• LE 8545 Principles of Strategic Leadership
• LE 8547 Leadership and Organizational Development
• LE 8549 Strategic Leadership and Care Systems
• LE 8553 Managing Organizational Conflict
• Required Courses16 Hours

• Strategic Leadership Electives 12
• Open Electives related to the degree 8
• Dissertation 12
• AT 8597 DMin Research and Proposal 4
• AT 8599 DMin Dissertation/Project 8

CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS CONCENTRATION

The need to defend Christianity against the charges of its critics is as great today as at any other time in its history. The Doctor of Ministry in Christian Apologetics is designed to equip Christian leaders with the biblical, historical, scientific, and philosophical knowledge requisite to employing various apologetic methodologies effectively in defense of the Christian faith.

The Christian Apologetics concentration is open to applicants who hold an accredited Master of Divinity degree or equivalent. An equivalency degree must demonstrate a minimum of 72 semester or 108 quarter hours of graduate study in Bible, theology, or Christian ministry. The applicant normally must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, extensive full-time pastoral or Christian ministry experience (a minimum of seven years), and meet all other seminary admission requirements. In addition, the apologetics concentration requires that the applicant have a minimum of one year of Greek and one year of Hebrew (or demonstrate acceptable proficiency in these languages) and possess an ability to use various exegetical tools.

Learning Outcomes

1. To equip the student with sufficient competence in philosophy and logic to construct cogent arguments in Christianity's defense and expose inadequacies in anti-Christian arguments and worldviews;
2. To equip the student with sufficient historical knowledge to defend the credibility of the Bible's claims about the life, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus Christ;
3. To equip the student with sufficient competence in the sciences to refute pseudo-scientific objections commonly leveled against the Christian faith; and
4. To equip the student with sufficient interdisciplinary knowledge to understand and refute a wide range of objections and alternatives to Christian belief.

• Required Courses (16 hours)
• TH 8301 Prolegomena of Apologetics
• TH 8303 Logic and Critical Thinking
• TH 8305 The Historical Jesus
• TH 8307 Christianity and the Sciences
• Christian Apologetics Electives (12 hours)
• Open Electives related to the degree (8 hours)
• Dissertation (12 quarter hours)
• AT 8597 DMin Research and Proposal (4 hours)
• AT 8599 DMin Dissertation (8 hours)

Note: All students accepted into the program are subject to the rules, regulations, and time-lines published in the Doctor of Ministry Handbook.