Graduate Ministry Courses
Part 1 of this course is designed to establish foundational biblical principles for life relationships that glorify God. Emphasis is laid on: worldview issues, sources of authority in people’s lives, how people change, and scripture’s teaching regarding biblical relationships. Specific topics covered will include dealing with sin, forgiveness, restoration, confrontation, and repentance.
Part 2 builds on the work done in part I and examines additional specific problems and develops a biblical response to each issue. Accurate diagnosis of root issue followed by accurate application of prescribed biblical solution. Examples of issues that will be addressed include: eating disorders, homosexuality, abuse, addictions, trauma counseling, anger, divorce etc. The ultimate goal of the class is to help people become more conformed to the image of Christ.
This graduate-level course is designed to be a first step in equipping students who feel called to into Christian Ministry. With exegesis of biblical passages on missions, prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit, students are challenged to personally examine motives and confirm their call to ministry. They are guided to discover and write their bible-based purpose, mission statement, vision, establish core values, develop strategy, set initial goals, write a business plan, select initial board members, choose a name for the ministry and incorporate/register with their state government. This course may also be known as Starting an Orphan Care Ministry, Starting an Orphanage, or Starting a Missions Ministry.
This course is a survey of the evidence for the central truths of Christianity: the existence of God, the deity and resurrection of Christ, and the authority and truth of the Bible.
MINS 650 Relational and Emotional Wisdom in Stressful Situations
This course is an examination of biblical principles of effective child rearing and the applications critical to effective parenting of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). Consideration is made of previous history of trauma and possible abuse in the OVC and also to challenges faced by contemporary parents and the Bible’s sufficiency for responding to all these concerns. The wise use of discipline in child training is also examined. Emphasis will be placed on shepherding the child’s heart and how to effectively serve as a parent to an OVC (How to father or mother an OVC).
- Teacher: Ellen Acha
This Bible-centered and bible-driven ministry course (which is a continuation of MINS 501) is an in-depth study of biblical best practices for ministering to the poor in ways that do not unintentionally aggravate poverty (instead of alleviating it) or cause harm to the poor, their communities, or to the poverty alleviator. The course will also introduce different biblical models for ministry to the poor and teach students how to use biblical wisdom to recruit the right candidates to minister to in communities where everyone looks poor and needy.
MINS 501 Effective Ministry to the Poor I, 3 credits
This bible-centered and bible-driven ministry course is an overview of the harm that unbiblical and poor poverty alleviation methods cause both to the poor and those trying to minister to them. It also introduces students to the principles and practice of effective Christian ministry to the poor.
Prerequisites: THEO 506 Spiritual Formation; THEO 508 Encountering & Experiencing the God of the Bible; THEO 520 Life and Godliness; MINS 504 Starting an Orphan Care Ministry; MINS 509 Christ & the Mission of Peacemaking and Reconciliation
This course introduces students to the dynamics of effective Christian leadership by examining the character qualities, principles and practice of successful Christian leaders. Students will become familiar with different ways of exercising leadership, their own strengths and weaknesses, and how they can best work with others in a leadership context. The methodology followed by this course will be one of knowledge acquisition, practice, and reflection. Biblical and contemporary sources and perspectives will be used in this course.
- Teacher: Pastor Stephen Hill