Doctor of Ministry

We have entered into a time of accelerated, discontinuous change which challenges people of faith to find creative ways to do Kingdom work.  The missio dei—the mission of God—is unfolding in traditional congregations, new faith communities, denominational and judicatory structures, not-for-profit organizations, and social entrepreneurial experiments.  Effective leaders for such enterprises must possess a constellation of skills based on a strong theological and spiritual foundation.  The Doctor of Ministry in Creative Leadership seeks to develop such leaders.

Program Purpose

Central Baptist Theological Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program equips experienced ministry leaders to be innovators who inspire teams and create growth opportunities in varied ministry and service contexts.

Overview

 The degree is designed to:

1. Equip the learner with skills to develop and grow group vision for producing fresh, relevant solutions that create positive impact.
2. Guide the learner in the art of taking initiative to lead ministry communities, organizations, and teams to produce better outcomes (products) and services (ministry initiatives).
3. Build confidence in the learner’s creative abilities by equipping him/her with design-thinking skills as a basic method for transforming difficult challenges into opportunities for ministry design.

D.Min. Student Testimonials

Admissions Qualifications

• A Master of Divinity degree (with a B average or above) from an Association of Theological Schools (ATS) accredited school or its equivalent
• Written essay, letters of reference, interview
• Professional experience in ministry, usually following completion of the M.Div. degree
• Evidence of ability to use the ministry context for learning and growth
• Written and spoken ability to articulate faith, vocation, and vision for ministry
• Commitment to life-long learning and enthusiasm for a diverse and collaborative cohort approach to education
• Openness to multi-cultural, international, ecumenical experience and relationship
• Ability to balance ministry, study, and self-care
• Capacity to deepen pastoral identity, clarify ministry formation, and increase ministry competency
• An English language proficiency requirement for students [in the English language D.Min. program] for whom English is not their first language. This includes completing and submitting the results of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) assessment for evaluation.

Pillars

 The classes are organized around three areas of emphasis or pillars:

1. Vision
2. Leadership
3. Strategic thinking

Threads

The degree educates for vocational contexts committed to:

1. Building upon a missional theology (with personal and corporate spiritual discernment as part of this thread).
2. Promoting inclusion and equality (with social justice and human diversity being topics within this thread)
3. Facilitating connectivity for intentional outcomes (with dialogical engagement being one of the topics developed in this thread)

Classes

Classes will be offered in a hybrid format—online and in person.  There are three term or trimesters a year.  A class is offered each trimester with three weeks of work online at the beginning of the term and a week-long seminar on campus, followed by eight weeks of individual, group, and cohort work.  Students will be given opportunities to apply their learning from each seminar to their specific contexts.

Vision	Leadership	Strategic Thinking
Shaping a Theology for Leadership  and Spirituality (4 hours)	Understanding Yourself and Others  (4 hours)	Embracing Design Thinking  (4 hours)
Engaging the Power of Change  (4 hours)	Leading People and Organizations  (4 hours)	Managing Ministry Resources (4 hours)
Capstone Design, Development, and Execution (6 hours)
Capstone Presentation

Sequence of Curriculum

 

	Vision	Leadership	Strategic Thinking	Community
Year one: January to March	Shaping a Theology for Leadership and Spirituality (4 hrs.)			Cohort meeting on campus prior to seminar
Year one: May to July		Understanding Yourself and Others (4 hrs.)		Cohort meeting on campus prior to seminar
Year one: September to November	Engaging the Power of Change (4 hrs.)			Cohort meeting on campus prior to seminar
Year two: January to March		Leading People and Organizations (4 hrs.)		Cohort meeting on campus prior to seminar
Year two: May to July			Embracing Design Thinking (4 hrs.)	Cohort meeting on campus prior to seminar
Year two: September to November			Managing Ministry Resources (4 hrs.)	Cohort meeting on campus prior to seminar
Year three: January to March	Capstone Design and Proposal (6 hours)			Cohort meeting on campus prior to seminar Online cohort group each month
Year three: May to July	Capstone Development and Execution I			Online cohort group each month
Year three: September to November	Capstone Development and Execution II			Online cohort group each month
	Capstone Presentation–January or February Graduation–May

Upcoming D.Min Dates