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Doctor of Ministry – 36 credits

Purpose: To offer experienced ministers opportunities to hone skills in theological
reflection, research design, and methods within a specified area of ministry to improve
their service and leadership among God's people.

Learning Competencies:

  1. Learners will refine the theological basis for ministry in their area of specialization.
  2. Learners will describe and evaluate various approaches to conflict resolution within Christian organizations.
  3. Learners will use appropriate research methodology to evaluate and improve their practice of ministry.
  4. Learners will complete a Capstone Ministry Project reflecting their theological basis for ministry and their understanding of sound research principles.

General D.Min. Structure
D.Min. Qualifying Core – 12 credits
Major Core – 18 credits
D.Min. Capstone Research Project – 6 credits

RW 001 Trinity Tutorial – 0 credits

D.Min. Qualifying Core – 12 credits

  • RW 800 Research Within a Christian Worldview
  • PM 741 Applied Research in Theology of Ministry
  • CM 726 Critical Issues in Managing Conflict
  • Choose course depending on the nature of anticipated capstone research
    project:
    • RW 810 Bibliographic Research Methods (Prerequisite: RW 800)
    • RW 710 Empirical Research Methods (Prerequisite: RW 800)

RW 774 D.Min. Qualifying Examination – 0 credits
(Prerequisite: D.Min. Qualifying Core)

Major Core – 18 credits
(Prerequisite: D.Min. Qualifying Examination) – SEE LISTINGS

D.Min. Comprehensive Examination – 0 credits
(Prerequisite: Major Core)

  • Choose exam based on major:
    • AD 894 D.Min. Comprehensive Examination for Christian Management and Leadership
    • BC 894 D.Min. Comprehensive Examination for Biblical Counseling
    • CM 894 D.Min. Comprehensive Examination for Conflict Management
    • EP 894 D.Min. Comprehensive Examination for Pulpit Communication
      and Expository Preaching
    • PM 894 D.Min. Comprehensive Examination for Pastoral Ministry

RW 825 Doctor of Ministry Capstone Research Project – 6 credits
(Prerequisite: D.Min. Comprehensive Examination)

RW 991 Mission Outcomes Assessment – 0 credits

Courses may be taken in any order unless otherwise specified.

General D.Min. Information
Prerequisite: See Full Admission Requirements and Processes for the D.Min.

Total Credits required = 36.
A minimum of 33 credits must be earned at Trinity. All courses are 3 semester credit
hours unless noted otherwise. A maximum of 3 credits may be satisfied via transfer
credit. The transfer must be relevant to the student’s program of study and equivalent in both content and degree level of doctoral courses. Transfer (grades of “B” or higher) for core credits must be from an appropriately accredited school and satisfy the
requirements of the core program. Awarding degree credit for experiential learning is
not available at the doctoral level.

Full Admission Requirements and Processes for the D.Min.
Applicants should not disqualify themselves from applying for admission due to any low
standard on any application requirement—an application is reviewed as a whole packet rather than just as a collection of individual items.

Provisional Enrollment Requirements (All Applicants)

  1. Complete the Doctoral Application Packet
    • Application form
    • Application fee
    • Earned M.Div or equivalent from appropriately accredited school.
  2. Enroll for Any Two of the Four D.Min. Qualifying Core Courses (6 month registration)
    • RW 800 Research Within a Christian Worldview
    • PM 741 Applied Research in Theology of Ministry
    • CM 726 Critical Issues in Managing Conflict
    • Choose either course:
      • RW 810 Bibliographic Research Methods
      • RW 710 Empirical Research Methods
  3. Complete the Trinity Tutorial

Provisional Admission Requirements (All Applicants)

  1. Complete the Doctoral Admission Packet (within 90 days of provisional enrollment)
    • Official transcripts verifying higher education prerequisite requirements for the D.Min.
    • Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) combined minimum of 900 on the verbal and analytical sections, or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) minimum of 350. Official scores must be within the last 5 years.
    • Written statement listing a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience (up to 1 year can be earned concurrent with the 1st year of study unless otherwise stated)
    • Scheduled phone interview with the appropriate Department Chair
    • Essay of 4-5 pages on why professional doctorate study is being pursued at Trinity
    • Two letters of recommendation for pursuing doctoral study
    • Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not earned a degree from an appropriately accredited institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or 80 on the on the Internet based TOEFL, or its equivalent.
  2. Doctoral Studies Committee Evaluation of Completed Admission Packet
  3. If Accepted By the Doctoral Studies Committee, Enroll for Remaining Two D.Min.
    Qualifying Core Courses (6 month registration)
    • RW 800 Research Within a Christian Worldview
    • PM 741 Applied Research in Theology of Ministry
    • CM 726 Critical Issues in Managing Conflict
    • Choose either course:
      • RW 810 Bibliographic Research Methods
      • RW 710 Empirical Research Methods
  4. Take the D.Min. Qualifying Examination Upon Completion of the Four D.Min. Qualifying Core Courses

Full Admission Requirements

  1. Successful Completion of the Four D.Min. Qualifying Core Courses with a “B” or
    higher
  2. Successful Completion of the D.Min. Qualifying Examination with a “Pass”
 

Major in Biblical Counseling

Purpose: To offer experienced ministers the opportunity to hone their understanding
and skills in counseling as a form of discipleship and to develop a model of promoting
Christian growth by mobilizing people to help one another through trials.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Learners will develop a model of church life that promotes spiritual development and change among the members of the congregation.
  2. Learners will interact with and evaluate the claims of non-Christian counseling
    systems against a biblically informed theology of ministry.
  3. Learners will develop the skills necessary for leading counselees through their
    struggles so as to grow in the process.

Major Core – 18 credits

  • BC 713 Advanced Principles of Biblical Counseling
  • BC 804 Counseling Families in the Church
  • BC 840 Doctor of Ministry Biblical Counseling Practicum*
  • Electives:
    • Any 3 courses in Biblical Counseling (BC) – 9 credits

Biblical Counseling students will take BC 991 Biblical Counseling Pre-Program Assessment after completing RW 001 Trinity Tutorial and prior to beginning other course work. Students will also take BC 992 Biblical Counseling Post-Program Assessment after completing all course work and prior to beginning RW 991 Mission Outcomes Assessment. These are non-graded, non-credit assessments.

* Learners wishing to receive the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC) certification must pass the NANC exams before taking BC 840 Doctor of Ministry Biblical Counseling Practicum. See their website: www.nanc.org. Learners are encouraged to pursue remaining courses while in the counseling practicum course.

 

Major in Christian Management and Leadership

Purpose: To prepare learners for spiritual leadership in the church or Christian
organization, to enhance competency as practicing theologians, and to prepare for
success in an increasingly dynamic ministry or community environment.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Learners will critique, distinguish, categorize, and organize various theories of
    administration, management, and leadership in light of biblical truth for creative
    application.
  2. Learners will identify, modify, organize, and evaluate the dynamics involved for
    successful administration, management, and leadership in the church or Christian organization.
  3. Learners will evaluate the various administrative, managerial, and leadership
    practices used in their current area of responsibility and will be able to utilize those that adhere more closely to the biblical model.
  4. Learners will develop a personal theory of administration that is grounded in a
    biblical philosophy and theology.

Major Core – 18 credits

  • AD 837 Advanced Management and Leadership Theory
  • PM 704 Leading Change
  • AD 824 Administration Principles: Research and Methodologies
  • AD 701 Applied Theories in Human and Organizational Development
  • CE 788 Assessing and Applying Appropriate Teaching Strategies
  • AD 811 Reflective Review of Management Case Studies
 

Major in Conflict Management

Purpose: To enable learners to pursue biblical and theological studies with special
emphasis on managing conflict in the church and para-church setting; investigate the
major issues and theories of conflict management from a Christian perspective; explore
current intervention strategies for resolving interpersonal and systemic discord;
formulate their own working model of conflict management compatible with scriptural
principles and practices; and explore how their own responses to conflict impact their
personal and professional/ministerial relationships.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Learners will critique theories and methodologies of both interpersonal and systemic conflict in the light of biblical data and perspective.
  2. Learners will analyze conflict scenarios, assess the various conflict dynamics
    involved, and choose appropriate intervention strategies.
  3. Learners will formulate their own synthesis of methodologies and apply it to concrete church or other organizational contexts.
  4. Learners will be aware of the psychological/sociological dimensions of conflict and the typical internal and relational dilemmas conflict participants encounter when in discord.

Major Core – 18 credits

  • CM 765 Difficult People: Current Issues and Strategies
  • PM 704 Leading Change
  • CM 832 Principles and Practices of Christian Mediation
  • CM 835 Interpersonal Forgiveness: Theological and Psychological Perspectives
  • CM 850 Church Discipline: History and Current Practice
  • Choose either course:
    • CM 753 Principles of Restorative Justice
    • PM 749 Survey and Research of Small Group Dynamics
 

Major in Pastoral Ministry

Purpose: To provide persons in ministry with opportunities for advanced, professional
studies in theological reflection on pastoral ministry in order to enhance their service
through the local church or church-related ministries.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Learners will enhance critical thinking skills in Bible studies, theological reflection
    and ministry practices.
  2. Learners will develop new abilities in synthesizing and formulating models for
    ministry.
  3. Learners will increase confidence for new ministry opportunities where specialized skills are needed.

Major Core – 18 credits

  • EP 725 Doctrinal Preaching: Case Studies in Preaching on Hope
  • CE 735 Devotion to Christ
  • PM 742 Mentoring in Today’s Culture
  • PM 704 Leading Change
  • CE 788 Assessing and Applying Appropriate Teaching Strategies
  • PM 749 Survey and Research of Small Group Dynamics
 

Major in Pulpit Communication and Expository Preaching

Purpose: To equip pastors and other church leaders in advanced skills of sermon
preparation and public exposition of Scripture and enable them to engage in biblical
interpretation, theological reflection, and creative homiletical design in order to
effectively communicate today.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Learners will develop the ability to critique their own sermons and the sermons of
    others based on sound exegetical and theological principles with appropriate
    awareness of communication theories and practices.
  2. Learners will propose a research question relevant to Pulpit Communication and
    Expository Preaching that can be researched adequately and will advance
    knowledge in the field of Homiletics.
  3. Learners will construct a research design in the field of Homiletics that is valid,
    stable, and reliable for gathering the data necessary to answer the proposed
    research question.
  4. Learners will construct a practical research project that combines academic
    excellence with application to a contemporary ministry setting for the purpose of
    enhancing biblical preaching in the twenty first century.

Major Core – 18 credits

  • EP 890 Theories and Modalities Impacting Today’s Preacher
  • EP 875 Critical Aspects of Old Testament Expository Preaching
  • EP 874 Critical Approaches to New Testament Expository Preaching
  • EP 871 In-Depth Exegesis for Expository Preaching
  • EP 870 Analyzing the Theological Basis for Expository Preaching
  • Elective:
    • Any 1 course in any area – 3 credits
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"I was able to gain valuable knowledge. As a pastor's wife and mother of two children, I wanted to gain more knowledge in leadership and theology. Trinity gave me this opportunity through their distance study and seminar programs. I was able to gain valuable knowledge in spiritual wisdom, and the study of leadership provided me with the knowledge that has enabled me to become a more effective leader."

~Chong Ye Sikes Marn-Baeksung