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Master of Arts in Christian Ministry

The Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program is designed to help prepare students for a wide variety of ministries in churches or church-related fields. The degree plan permits students to focus on practical, biblical, historical, theological, and general ministry-related course options offered throughout the various ministry programs in the Graduate School of Ministry. In doing so, the program will offer students a broad, multifaceted exposure to Christian Ministry in the 21st century. In addition, the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program will assist students in discerning and defining the particular direction of their call to ministry. It will also assist students in gaining additional practical and theological training while they are currently serving in churches and church-related vocations locally, nationally, and globally. 

In addition to previously stated admission requirements, the following program-specific requirements must be met:

  • Evidence that the student is a Christian and is compatible with DBU’s mission by proven conduct in accordance with Christian standards set forth in the Bible, announced intent, and by church involvement.

  • Church Membership Requirement (for admission into the EDD in Educational Leadership—all concentrations, PHD in Leadership Studies’ Ministry Concentration, Master’s Ministry Degrees, and Advanced Ministry Certificate Programs): Within the last 12 months, the applicant must have been an active member of a Christian church that holds Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and who holds solely the Old Testament and the New Testament as sacred Scripture.

PREREQUISITES

  • Old Testament Survey

  • New Testament Survey

Prerequisites may be met with equivalent courses from another institution or from a passing grade on the GSOM Old Testament and New Testament equivalency exams and do not count toward degree completion.

course

Credit hours

Core Courses

24

DISC 5302 - Biblical Servant Leadership

GSOM 6310 - Ministry Mentorship (S-L)

MACM 5301 - Foundations of Christian Ministry

MACM 6309 - Shepherding in the 21st Century

THEO 5313 - Applied Hermeneutics

THEO 6305 - Christian History and Heritage

THEO 6306 - Systematic Theology

WORS 6303 - Spiritual Formation and Worship

CONCENTRATION OPTIONS

12

General Ministry Concentration

Select one Old Testament and one New Testament course; and select two courses (6 hours) from the additional concentration options

THEO 6322 - Old Testament Readings: Pentateuch

THEO 6323 - Old Testament Readings: Prophets

THEO 6324 - Old Testament Readings: Psalms and Wisdom Literature

THEO 6333 - New Testament Readings: Synoptic Gospels

THEO 6334 - New Testament Readings: Johannine Literature

THEO 6335 - New Testament Readings: Pauline Epistles

THEO 6336 - New Testament Readings: General Epistles


Christian Ministry and Discipleship

Select four of the following courses

DISC 6301 - Christian Education in the Local Church

DISC 6302 - Biblical Strategies for Discipleship

DISC 6304 - Principles for Bible Teaching

DISC 6307 - Church and Business Administration

DISC 6308 - Disciple-Making Through Evangelism and Missions

DISC 6309 - Equipping Disciples for Ministry (S-L)

MACC 6301 - Introduction to Christian Counseling

MACM 6307 - Christian Ministry Travel Study

THEO 6360 - Proclamation


Counseling Ministry

COUN 5312 - Counseling Theories and Techniques

MACC 6301 - Introduction to Christian Counseling

MAFM 6316 - Faith Formation in the Life Stages

And select one of the following:

COUN 6310 - Career Counseling and Lifestyle Development

COUN 6311 - Addictive and Compulsive Disorders

COUN 6314 - Marriage and Family Counseling

COUN 6315 - Theological Perspectives in Christian Counseling

MACC 6302 - Abnormal Psychology

MACC 6303 - Christian Counseling Skills


Family Ministry

MACH 6312 - Ministry with Children

MAST 5313 - Ministry with Students

And select two of the following:

DISC 6309 - Equipping Disciples for Ministry (S-L)

MACC 6301 - Introduction to Christian Counseling

MACH 6311 - Early Childhood Ministry

MAFM 6353 - Ministry to Families

MAST 6350 - Family-Based Student Ministry


Global Leadership

Select four of the following courses

MAGL 5330 - Introduction to Missiology (Recommended)

MAGL 5331 - Cross-Cultural Living and Ministry

MAGL 5332 - Strategies for Missionary Work

MAGL 5333 - Local Church on Mission

MAGL 5335 - Biographies of Outstanding Missionaries

MAGL 5343 - Understanding Islam


Ministry Leadership

DISC 6318 - Equipping and Nurturing Small Group Leaders

DISC 6362 - Christian Public Relations and Marketing for Ministry

MACM 6310 - Leadership in the Hispanic Christian Community

MAGL 5331 - Cross-Cultural Living and Ministry

Professional Life Coaching

MACM 6303 - Conflict Resolution in Ministry

MAPD 5310 - Foundational Life Coaching I

MAPD 6311 - Developing Coaching Skills

MAPD 6312 - Professional Life Coaching Practicum

Urban Ministry

Select four of the following courses:

MACM 6307 - Christian Ministry Travel Study

MAGL 5321 - Sharing Gospel Faith

MAGL 5326 - Urban Community Development

MAGL 5333 - Local Church on Mission

MAGL 5344 - Strategies for Urban Ministry

MAGL 6312 - The Urban Church in Transition

MAGL 6313 - Developing Neighborhood Churches in Urban Settings

MAGL 6322 - Transformational Church Life


Worship Studies

WORS 5307 - History of Worship Song

WORS 6308 - Worship Through the Ages

WORS 6326 - Worship Praxis II: Worship Media: Technology and Production

WORS 6329 - Worship Praxis V: Worship Leader Travel Study

Total Credit Hours Required

36

Refer to course descriptions in the back of this catalog for course prerequisites.

(S-L) =Course(s) with field-based service-learning component.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM:

Chaplaincy Ministry Program

PREREQUISITES

  • Old Testament Survey

  • New Testament Survey

Prerequisites may be met with equivalent courses from another institution or from a passing grade on the GSOM Old Testament and New Testament equivalency exams and do not count toward degree completion.

Students selecting this concentration will take the eight Core Curriculum Courses, twelve designated General Ministry Courses as outlined below, and the four chaplaincy courses listed below.

course

Credit hours

Core Courses

24

DISC 5302 - Biblical Servant Leadership

MACM 5301 - Foundations of Christian Ministry

MACM 6309 - Shepherding in the 21st Century

THEO 5313 - Applied Hermeneutics

THEO 6305 - Christian History and Heritage

THEO 6306 - Systematic Theology

WORS 6303 - Spiritual Formation and Worship

GSOM 6310 - Ministry Mentorship (S-L)

or

GSOM 6311 - Clinical Pastoral Education Mentorship (S-L)*

or

MACM 6311 - Christian Ministry Practicum (S-L)

*GSOM 6311 only applies to those students who are in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at a hospital.

Chaplaincy Ministry Courses

12

MACM 6301 - Introduction to Chaplaincy Ministry

MACM 6302 - Introduction to Ecumenical Liturgy

MACM 6303 - Conflict Resolution in Ministry

MACM 6304 - Victim Assistance Ministry Training

or

MACM 6305 - Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education*

*MACM 6305 only applies to those students who are in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at a hospital.

General Ministry Courses

36

Christian Ministry and Discipleship (15 hours)

COUN 6320 - Counseling Victims of Trauma

MACC 6301 - Introduction to Christian Counseling

MAFM 6353 - Ministry to Families

THEO 5345 - Christianity in a Pluralistic World

THEO 6360 - Proclamation


Christian Scriptures (15 hours)

THEO 5307 - Old Testament Literature and Interpretation

THEO 5308 - New Testament Literature and Interpretation

THEO 6303 - Biblical Greek Linguistic and Exegetical Tools

Select one Old Testament and one New Testament course:

THEO 6322 - Old Testament Readings: Pentateuch

THEO 6323 - Old Testament Readings: Prophets

THEO 6324 - Old Testament Readings: Psalms and Wisdom Literature

THEO 6333 - New Testament Readings: Synoptic Gospels

THEO 6334 - New Testament Readings: Johannine Literature

THEO 6335 - New Testament Readings: Pauline Epistles

THEO 6336 - New Testament Readings: General Epistles


Heritage and Missions (6 hours)

THEO 5317 - Baptist Heritage and Polity

Select one of the following courses:

MAGL 5321 - Sharing Gospel Faith

MAGL 5331 - Cross-Cultural Living and Ministry

THEO 6350 - Christian Ethics

Total Credit Hours Required

72

(S-L)=Course(s) with field-based service-learning component.

Refer to individual course descriptions for course requisites.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Find course descriptions by category under the Graduate Course Descriptions section in the navigation panel.