Ministry in the Master of Divinity
The Master of Divinity is a professional degree designed to prepare individuals for ministry within their particular calling utilizing their particular gifts. Practical minstry cannot be separated from academic study nor from personal, spiritual formation. We have found that preparation for ministry ocurs best:
- within a learning community,
- where classroom work includes both academic content and ministry praxis,
- while classroom learning is put into practice under the guidance of a mentor,
- when involvement in a local church and in personal spiritual development do not become secondary matters.
Church Involvement
Church involvement is vital during your seminary education, not only for spiritual health, but also as a local body within which you may minister. Depending on your ministry interests, this may include meeting Field Education and Internship requirements:
Field Education
For three semesters you will be engaged in ministry for 2-5 hours per week in a context of your choosing. You will work with a mentor who will assist you in discerning reasonable goals for this time, and then assess your success at meeting these at the end of the semester.
Internship
The MDiv internship is full-time for one semester, or half-time for two semesters. Like Field Education, you will be engaged in ministry within your partiular context, and will work with a mentor who will help to guide your ministry. If your interest is pastoral work, develop a relationship with a local pastor while starting your degree, and then minister with that pastor for your internship. If your interest is in academics, develop a relationship with one of the professors. If it is intercultural studies, check out the many opportunities to work with internationals in Chicago.
Campus Ministry
The colocation of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Trinity College provides opportunities to work with college students in various roles, whether through College Residence Life, leading a Life Together group, mentoring (opportunites are annouced at the beginning of the school year), or finding your own unique place to serve. Seminary students also serve other seminary students in various ways, including Graduate Residence Life, working in various departments as student workers or full-time employees, and helping with the chapel.
Student Groups
Through the years, students have come together to form various student organizations on campus. Along with these officially recognized student groups, other students regularly gather others with a similar vision or passion for learning, fellowship, and doing ministry.