Bethel Seminary St. Paul
Traditional Program
In the traditional program students are free to choose between two tracks (Church Leadership or Congregation and Family Care), as well as pursuing a more specific concentration within the track. This allows students to select up to four electives over the course of their program. Courses are offered in the summer on the St. Paul campus and in January on the San Diego campus.
The Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership
The Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership program is designed for pastors and ministry staff of churches as well as for those carrying leadership responsibilities in other Christian organizations. For persons in the program, it will develop personal and spiritual well-being for ministry effectiveness and satisfaction; increase capacities for understanding congregations and leading effectively in situations of change; and provide opportunity for development of understandings and skills in one or more of the major strategic areas of ministry leadership.
This program is driven by the conviction that the challenge for the 21st-century church is primarily a challenge for leadership. Whatever the roles, goals, or contexts of ministry, the ultimate questions in this dawning postmodern era will be, “What kind of leadership is needed for a renewed and revitalized church?” and “How can such leadership be developed?”
Bethel’s program blends ministry experience with future-oriented instruction to prepare persons committed to Christian ministry for leadership in the 21st century.
Earning the Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership degree requires completion of 48 quarter credits. All persons in the program will take three required courses (18 credits): Personal Well-Being and Ministry Effectiveness; Understanding Congregational Systems; and Thesis Proposal Workshop. The remaining work in the program can be spread over a number of ministry areas or may be focused in a concentration. Concentrations listed below can be completed in a three-year period (two weeks of residence for two of the three years; three weeks for one of the years) with all work being taken in St. Paul during July and/or San Diego during January sessions. A concentration consists of two advanced-level courses (12 credits) plus the thesis project (six credits) being focused in the area of concentration. The other 12 credits of the program consist of two additional six-credit courses, which may be taken from offerings in other ministry areas. Each course is preceded by preparatory assignments and followed by a ministry application experience.
Organizational Systems (OS) for persons wishing to focus primarily on developing their abilities to lead Christian congregations/organizations in change and in the promotion of organizational health.
Evangelism/Discipleship (ED) for persons wishing to focus primarily on developing their abilities to lead in the growth of the Christian community quantitatively through evangelism and qualitatively through the nurture of individuals and groups.
Faith Communication (FC) for persons wishing to focus primarily on developing their abilities to lead through effective preaching and teaching of the beliefs and practices of the Christian faith.
For persons not wishing to select a concentration, a Generalist (G) program may be taken. It consists of three required courses, four electives, and a thesis project in an area of choice.
The Doctor of Ministry in Congregation and Family Care
The Doctor of Ministry in Congregation and Family Care program is designed for pastors and ministry staff of churches as well as for those carrying specific responsibilities in the areas of pastoral care and spiritual formation. Persons in the program will explore the most common spiritual, mental health, and relational issues encountered in ministry; plan appropriate strategies of care and guidance for those issues; attain insight into how their own spiritual, mental, emotional, theological, and cultural formation affects their ministries; and practice contextualization and theological reflection with regard to issues of human need and pastoral care.
Earning the Doctor of Ministry in Congregation and Family Care degree requires completion of 48 quarter credits. All persons in the program will take three required courses (18 credits): Whole and Holy: The Person of the Minister; Understanding Systems: Family and Congregation Contexts; and Thesis Proposal Workshop. The remaining work in the program can be spread over a number of ministry areas or may be focused in a concentration. Concentrations listed below can be completed in a three-year period (two weeks of residence for two of the three years; three weeks for one of the years) with all work being taken in St. Paul during July and/or San Diego during January sessions. A concentration consists of two advanced-level courses (12 credits) plus the thesis project (six credits) being focused in the area of concentration. The other 12 credits of the program consist of two additional six-credit courses, which may be taken from offerings in other ministry areas. Each course is preceded by preparatory assignments and followed by a ministry application experience.
Marriage and Family Studies (FS) for persons wishing to focus primarily on developing their skills for effective care with individuals and groups.
Pastoral Care (PC) for persons wishing to focus primarily on the care of both the pastor/leader and the community to which they minister.
Spiritual Formation (SF) for persons wishing to focus primarily on developing their own spirituality and their capacity to lead in processes designed to deepen the spirituality of individuals and groups.
For persons not wishing to select a concentration, a Generalist (G) program may be taken. It consists of three required courses, four electives, and a thesis project in an area of choice.
D.Min. Traditional Program: Structure of an Average Year
Year One
|
Pre-Course Work
3 Months |
On-Campus Intensive
# 1 5 Days |
Project Proposal
45 Days |
Project Completion 7.5 Months |
|
Pre-Course Work
3 Months |
On-Campus Intensive
# 2 5 Days |
Project Proposal
45 Days |
Project Completion 7.5 Months |
Year Two
|
Pre-Course Work 3 Months |
On-Campus Intensive
# 3 5 Days |
Project Proposal 45 Days |
Project Completion 7.5 Months |
|
Pre-Course Work 3 Months |
On-Campus Intensive # 4 5 Days |
Project Proposal 45 Days |
Project Completion 7.5 Months |
Year Three
|
Pre-Course Work 3 Months |
On-Campus Intensive
# 5 5 Days |
Project Proposal 45 Days |
Project Completion 7.5 Months |
|
Pre-Course Work 3 Months |
On-Campus Intensive
# 6 5 Days |
Project Proposal 45 Days |
Project Completion 7.5 Months |
Thesis Schedule
|
Thesis
3 Months |
Thesis 5 Days |
Thesis
60 Days |
Submission
3 Months |
|
Submission 3 Months |
Submission 3 Months |
Submission 3 Months |
The Bethel Seminary Catalog is provided online as a convenience for those who desire course information in electronic form. The printed version of the Bethel Seminary catalog is the official version, and it will be treated as the document of record in all seminary business.