Purpose: Christian ministry in our world requires leaders who demonstrate a thorough understanding of Scripture and theology, who demonstrate competence in ministerial functions, and who demonstrate spiritual maturity (including personal holiness, integrity, wisdom, love, and both emotional and psychological wholeness). Therefore, the purpose of supervised ministry is to provide opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate their giftedness and suitability for professional ministry. The following objectives will be addressed through supervision and reflection:

• Personal Maturity: In professional ministry, who you are is as important as what you know or do. Self-knowledge becomes a key to effective ministry as issues such as personal integrity, responsible functioning, interpersonal relationships, and attitudes are addressed.

• Theological Integration: It is crucial for the minister to develop a biblically based philosophy of ministry by articulating a theology that guides his or her personal and professional functions and closes the gap between theory and practice.

• Spiritual Formation: Ministering people who embody and express Christ’s love need to nurture their own ongoing relationships with God. Prayer, Bible study, meditation, and accountability provide needed sustenance for the demands of ministry.

• Skill Development: Placement in ministry necessitates the demonstration of skills in the basic functions of ministry such as preaching, teaching, evangelism, administration, and counseling.

Process: Supervised ministry provides students with opportunities to implement lessons learned in the classroom. These ministry experiences then become powerful motivators to return to the classroom for further training. A growing ability to integrate academic lessons into practical ministry applications is a significant indicator of a seminarian’s future ministry effectiveness after graduation. Students also engage in a process of self-assessment and evaluation throughout their internships.

The objectives described above are pursued through participation in courses that integrate classroom-based education with field-based experience. Psychological and vocational assessments provide additional opportunities for personal growth and development.

Career Development,  Assessment, and Evaluation: Assessment and evaluation are integral developmental components of our professional degrees. Psychological and vocational assessments, peer group sessions, covenant groups, and private consultations focus on personal and professional development in ministry and are integrated into the overall Supervised Ministry requirements. These services have been incorporated into assessment fees described on pages 95-96. Changes in degree programs will result in appropriate adjustment to the fee structure; however, no refunds will be granted for individuals discontinuing studies after the fifth week of the quarter. Students in the non-professional degree programs who choose to do a Supervised Ministry course will be charged the Supervised Ministry assessment fee for that year.

TL551 (TL101) • Field Education Practicum.
This is a second-year course. A vocational assessment component and a pre-approval process precede the practicum. For more details, contact the Office of Supervised Ministry. No academic course credit granted. Students pay a vocational assessment fee, but there is no tuition charge.

In St. Paul, the mentored practicum usually begins during the summer and ends the following May. It is recommended that SP505 be completed prior to beginning the practicum component of this course.

In San Diego, the mentored practicum is usually done in summer and winter terms.

TL552A, B, C (TL102) • Professional Internship.
This is a third-year course. A vocational assessment component and pre-approval process precede the internship. It is recommended that students complete PC501 (Introduction to Pastoral Care) and the Systematic Theology sequence (TS501, TS502, TS503) prior to beginning their internships. (Students pay a vocational assessment fee.) For more details, contact the Office of Supervised Ministry. Four hours.

Prerequisites in St. Paul are SP500 or SP505 and TL551 (Field Education Practicum). 

In San Diego, the professional internship is done during fall and spring terms. (The minimum time requirement is 20 hours per week for eight months.)