Doctor Of Ministry

This program is designed to increase the effectiveness of pastors. It is built upon the biblical, theological, and professional foundations of the Master of Divinity degree. The program is designed to be flexible enough to meet individual needs while seeking to encourage increased competence in the classical and functional disciplines already studied in pre-professional courses required for ministry.

Requirements include the successful completion of thirty semester hours, which are offered in eight courses plus a dissertation project. The division of hours is indicated below:

Each course or seminar has three components:

(1) assigned reading of approximately two thousand pages to be completed before attending the classroom session
(2) a one-week (five days) session of classroom meetings for lectures, reflection, and evaluation; and
(3) a post-session integration paper growing out of the reading and class work

Written assignments for winter courses should be submitted to the D.Min. office no later than April 30, and assignments for summer courses should be submitted no later than October 31.

On-campus classroom sessions are offered in the winter and the summer each year with at least two courses available during each session. Students may take twelve hours of work each year and complete all required course work in two years. While it is possible to complete the dissertation project within this two-year period, students ordinarily take three to five years to complete all the program requirements. A maximum of five years is allowed for completion of the program. Doctoral students are required to complete a minimum of one three-hour D.Min. course per year until the completion of their course work.

Students may pursue a general ministries track by choosing any four elective courses or a program emphasis track by focusing their elective course work in one of several areas: missions (Jackson campus); church development, which includes church planting, growth, and renewal (Orlando campus); theology (Charlotte campus); Christian spirituality (Orlando campus); or leadership development (Orlando campus). Completion of at least three elective courses in an emphasis track is required for conferral of the D.Min. degree in that particular emphasis.

Church Planting And Missions

Specialized courses in church planting, spiritual formation and leadership development are offered in Orlando to provide church leaders with training in these focused ministry areas. Students wishing to do focused work in these areas should complete the appropriate elective courses.

D.Min. courses in missions are available on the Jackson campus. It is possible for a missionary on furlough to complete the course requirements for this program in one year.


For more information...
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