Ministry Leadership (ML)
ML501 - Theology and Practice of Gospel-Centered Ministry. Those who desire to serve effectively as ministry leaders must be able to articulate a sound biblical theology of ministry and apply that theology to the ministry environment of the 21st century. This course is designed to help students integrate an understanding of the Word and the world in the development of a personal, Gospel-centered philosophy of ministry. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML502 - Transformational Leadership. This is a core leadership course that builds upon ML501 and is designed for those who intend to be future leaders, committed to leading evangelical renewal. This course will move from definitions to the core of a godly leader; how to take a ministry through a vision process; engage in strategic planning, decision-making, and implementation; build great teams; work through conflict and change; delegate tasks; and effectively mentor the next generation of leaders. Models from the ministry, corporate, political, athletic, and military worlds will be compared and contrasted with leadership found in the Scriptures. Prerequisite: ML501. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML503 - Nurturing Faithful Disciples. This course will provide the student with a biblical and theological framework for the edification of the Body of Christ that will contribute to evangelical renewal. Attention will be given to the process of nurturing disciples in such a way that they become reproducing disciples and ministry leaders. Specific ministry skills will be cultivated which contribute to personal, relational, and corporate growth in Christ. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML504 - Taking the Gospel to Diverse Cultures. You will learn to articulate the gospel clearly and to develop your own skills in personal evangelism as well as through the local church. You will gain the skill to communicate across personal and cultural barriers. 2 credits or 2 learning units.
ML505 - Applied Pastoral Counseling - Caring for People in a Broken World. This course will focus on how to help people deal with the problems, crises and issues of their lives in the context of a broken world. Attention will be given to understand the role and limits of pastoral counseling, the development of one’s own style and abilities, and the various challenges and methods of helping people move in a healing direction. Special focus will be given to skill development by role and live practice. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML506 - Ministerial Ethics. In order to maintain and model ethical integrity, church and ministry leaders must be able to discern right from wrong and apply that discernment consistently in life and ministry. You will become acquainted with some of the fundamental issues involved in developing a biblical approach to ethics. Building on this basis and growing in moral sensitivity and Christian character, you will become equipped to navigate difficult situations and the ethical dangers associated with ministry leadership. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML507 - Pastoral Apologetics: Responses to Contemporary Challenges. You will develop an ability to address questions about the truthfulness or believability of Christianity through a biblically-based and personally relevant apologetic strategy. You will develop strategies to identify and respond to crucial challenges to the truth of Christianity. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML508 - Preaching Gospel-Centered Messages. In this course, you will be immersed in the biblical/theological foundations that define expositional preaching. Correspondingly, you will be introduced to the skills necessary to prepare and deliver relevant sermons that reflect the meaning and shape of a biblical text as discerned by a grammatical, historical, contextual, redemptive hermeneutic. Prerequisites: BT501 and 502. 2 credits.
ML 509 - Church Planting for God’s Mission. This course considers biblical, theological, and practical dynamics of evangelical church planting, specifically as an integral part of God’s history-long mission. Students will examine, analyze, discuss, and critique various church planting models, methods, and aspects of ministry through the lens of a church planting team. The class culminates in each team’s creation of a theological vision for a prototype church plant. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML 510 - For the Life of the City: Reimagining Urban Ministry. This course will focus on the complex dynamics of ministry in cities. Attention will be given to a theology of the city and ministry contextualization for urban contexts. Special focus will be given to the unique challenges of urban ministry, including reaching the creative class, inner-city ministry, pluralism, multiculturalism, secularism, violence, gentrification, and economic viability. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML 511 - Practical Church Leadership & Eldership. (Videos by Jonathan Leeman, Ph.D.) The goal of this course is to provide a biblical, theological, and practical explanation of the local church. Particular attention will be given to understanding the centrality of the local church to the Christian life, congregational rule within canonical perspective, the relationship between congregational rule and elder leadership, a baptistic understanding of the ordinances, how these polity distinctives are conducive to a culture of discipleship, and the importance and unimportance of contextualization. Though grounded in academic study, this course does not target academics, but pastors/elders and engaged church members. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML 531 – Philosophy for Public Theology. Through this course, students will understand significant eras of Western philosophy (i.e., ancient, medieval, enlightenment, and modern/contemporary/postmodern). Students will evaluate how various philosophies have shaped our present moment. Likewise, students will understand how the employment of philosophical ideas might bolster the task of public theology and how an understanding of philosophy helps to engage not only the conclusions to which people arrive but the processes and presuppositions by which they come to conclusions. 2 Credits. Cross-listed with TH 531. 2 credits or 2 Learning Units.
ML570 - Select Topics in Ministry Leadership (special limited-time electives)