ACADEMICS: INSTITUTE DIVISION

The Associate of Ministry Degree is designed to prepare a student with a foundation of Bible and Ministry skills for church ministries.  A student will demonstrate and apply the ability to use scripture and specific skills as a foundation for church ministries.

Students completing the Associate of Ministry Degree are expected to:

• [Bible Introduction] demonstrate their understanding of the organization and origins of the written Word of God as a context for translation.
• [Critical Thinking-information literacy, interdisciplinary] build the foundation and processes to think critically regarding decisions and the use of data.
• [Worldview studies-philosophy] compare worldviews and make a decision regarding personal worldview to guide life.
• [Communication-writing, speaking, presentation, conversations] possess the ability to communicate personally and in a group with an understanding of people and community, relationships, and governance.
• [Humanities-history, literature, and philosophy] understand the development of humanity through history, literature, fine arts, and philosophy.
• Minister to people, through local church and the foreign field.

The Bachelor of English Bible Degree is designed to prepare a student with a foundation of Bible and Ministry skills for teaching, preaching, and pastoral ministries.  A student will demonstrate the ability to use Biblical text to support teaching, preaching, and pastoral ministries as well as application to the world.

Students completing the Bachelor of English Bible Degree are expected to:

• Demonstrate their understanding of the organization and origins of the written Word of God as a context for translation.
• Build a foundational theological framework as a basis to defend the core beliefs of the American Baptist Association and to detect false doctrines.
• Build the foundation and processes to think critically regarding decisions and the use of data.
• Possess the ability to communicate personally and in a group with an understanding of people and community, relationships, and governance.
• Understand the development of humanity through history, literature, fine arts, and philosophy.
• Minister to people, through local church and the foreign field.
• Lead a biblical worship service.
• Lead in the development of a congregation that exemplifies spiritual and emotional formation

The Bachelor of Theology Degree is designed to prepare a student with a foundation of Bible and Ministry skills for teaching, preaching, and pastoral ministries.  A student will demonstrate the ability to use Biblical text to support teaching, preaching, and pastoral ministries as well as application to the world.

Students completing the Bachelor of Theology Degree are expected to:

• Demonstrate their understanding of the organization and origins of the written Word of God as a context for translation.
• Build a foundational theological framework as a basis to defend the core beliefs of the American Baptist Association and to detect false doctrines.
• Understand the structure and functioning of biblical languages and have the ability to use them for academic study.
• Build the foundation and processes to think critically regarding decisions and the use of data.
• Possess the ability to communicate personally and in a group with an understanding of people and community, relationships, and governance.
• Understand the development of humanity through history, literature, fine arts, and philosophy.
• Minister to people, through local church and the foreign field.
• Lead a biblical worship service.
• Lead in the development of a congregation that exemplifies spiritual and emotional formation

The Master of English Bible (MEB) degree program is designed as a one-year master’s degree that addresses only the English Bible and is offered for persons desiring an advanced degree in the Bible dealing only with the English text.  The program is 30 semester hours.

Upon completion of the MEB, students will be able to:

• Structure a historical and Biblical theology.
• Demonstrate the historical and biblical perspective of the Christian faith.
• Illustrate the person and nature of God, man’s fall, and God’s promise of redemption.
• Critique the development of the Bible, the written book.
• Evaluate post-modern philosophies in view of biblical truth.

The Master of Theology is a two-year program requiring 54 graduate hours of study.  The program is the first master’s degree available to students desiring to have graduate education in the Bible and areas of ministry. The student selects one emphasis from three possible programs:  Preaching, Pastoral Ministry, and Christian Education.  Each emphasis is 12 graduate hours.  Both biblical languages are required prior to admission. All language courses are taught at the bachelor’s level. Students complete 20 credits of Biblical Language under the Bachelor of Theology.

Upon completion of the MTS, students will be able to:

• Structure a historical and Biblical theology.
• Demonstrate the historical and biblical perspective of the Christian faith.
• Illustrate the person and nature of God, man’s fall, and God’s promise of redemption.
• Critique the development of the Bible, the written book.
• Evaluate post-modern philosophies in view of biblical truth.

Preaching

• Prepare and preach sermons for a variety of settings common in a pastor’s ministry.
• Apply preaching principles as appropriate in pastoral ministries.
• Investigate further the application of preaching in pastoral or evangelistic settings.

Education Leadership

• Defend the Historical, philosophical, and practical basis for the education ministry.
• Apply the principles and forms of a variety of educational ministries.
• Investigate further the application of education leadership in the church’s educational ministry.

Pastoral Ministry

• Defend the Historical, philosophical, and practical basis for the pastoral ministry.
• Apply the principles to the various ministry areas in a pastor’s ministry.
• Investigate further the application of pastoral ministry in the local church.

The Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree program is designed as a three-year master’s degree to satisfy the graduate education needs of a pastor in a local church or para-church organization. The program requires 78 semester hours of graduate study as prescribed in the Program Requirements. The Master of Divinity is no longer viewed as the terminal degree in church ministry.  It does, however, remain the most popular educational preparation for most pastors with advanced degrees.

The Doctor of Ministry program requires the successful completion of the Master of Divinity.

Use of the degree—Pastoral Ministry, teaching undergraduate in Bible or a ministry area, leadership of a church or para-church organization.

Upon satisfactory completion of the prescribed course work, the student shall:

• [Biblical languages] demonstrate proficient use of both Greek and Hebrew in the context of Scripture translation.
• [Theology] structure a historical and Biblical theology.
• [Bible] maintain the capacity to conduct biblical research in both old and new testaments.
• [General Education] have studied worldviews and made the determination that frames ministry for the student.
• [philosophy of ministry] have an in-depth understanding of the role of the Christian in ministry as a paid employee as well as a volunteer in the local congregation.
• [Development of a Professional Ministry] in consideration of a philosophy of ministry and in view of academic and experiential preparation, develop a ministry field and create a philosophy of that ministry that is effective in the growth of the local church.

Education Ministries Major

• [Foundation] have a historical, philosophical, and practical basis for the education ministry.
• [Application] apply principles to the various forms of educational ministry.
• [Ministry Seminars] manifest an understanding of the evaluation of a program and addressing program weaknesses through a structured planning program that informs budget development.

Pastoral Ministry Major

• [Foundation] have a historical, philosophical, and practical basis for pastoral ministry.
• [Application] apply principles to the various ministry areas in a pastor’s ministry.
• [Ministry Seminars] manifest an understanding of the evaluation of a program and addressing program weaknesses through a structured planning program that informs budget development.

Preaching Ministry Major

• [Foundation] have a historical, philosophical, and practical basis for the preaching ministry.
• [Application] apply principles to the various ministry areas in a pastor’s ministry.
• [Ministry Seminars] manifest an understanding of the evaluation of a program and addressing program weaknesses through a structured planning program that informs budget development.

The Doctor of Ministry program (DMin) requires 36 graduate semester hours at the 800-level.

Upon satisfactory completion of the prescribed course work, the student shall:

• Objectively evaluate the ministry in which the student has been involved.
• Identify and analyze limitations that hinder church maturation.
• Develop networking strategies as a means of learning from other pastors regarding church limitations.
• Identify and research diverse approaches as well as implement action to overcome obstacles to church maturation.
• Establish strategies for effective church leadership for the advancement of spiritual maturity.
• Create a Doctor of Ministry Project utilizing a problem-solving methodology to accomplish church maturity.
• Develop a reporting instrument for sharing the results of project implementation.