I find myself perennially interested in the question of what motivates our students to pursue a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree. Though the answers vary, a prevailing theme emerges: “I seek to gain insights, sharpen my skills, and connect with like-minded co-laborers to better serve those entrusted to me by God.” Central to the TEDS DMin program is the emphasis on a major project that involves the application of a theology of ministry and data from research to a particular aspect of professional ministry. In this way, students are tasked with identifying and framing a ministry challenge in a manner conducive to research with the goal of improvement, implementation, or innovation. A defining feature of our program integrates theological and biblical foundations with insights from social sciences, tailored to address the pertinent issue within one’s ministry setting. Every human connection, conversation, and course contributes potentially to one’s major project.
Our students, however, are not simply “students.” They embody leadership in various capacities—from senior/lead pastors, associate pastors, and missionaries to nonprofit and non-governmental organization workers. Their interests span a diverse spectrum of talent and vocation, all deeply engaged with the critical issues impacting their ministry contexts. Their major projects yield either tangible results to existing practices or the implementation of fresh ideas. Here are just a few of the DMin projects we’ve seen at TEDS this academic year:
- exploring missional community as a discipleship strategy
- integrating creation care into discipleship programs
- evaluating the efficacy of online Alpha programs for evangelism in virtual/digital spaces
- investigating the reasons behind second-generation Indian Pentecostals leaving the church
- addressing moral injuries in chaplaincy
Whether your focus lies in church revitalization, immigrant congregations, missional discipleship, clergy care, leadership development, preaching, or other areas, we stand ready to walk this journey alongside you. Regardless of the challenges within your ministry context, together, we can glean insights and skills to improve current practices, implement new ideas, and innovate ministry approaches for the sake of God’s church and his kingdom. Throughout your journey in the DMin program, we will help navigate your every step until program completion, nurturing your deeper growth into the ministry leader God has called you to be.