Doctor of Ministry

The classes are written in a 15-week format and are hosted primarily through digital learning platforms. All DMin core classes have a one-week residency component during week eight. There exists the potential for residency weeks to be hosted at off-site locations. Non-residential students are those who elect to enroll in the program exclusively online and may include students local to BHU’s main campus, out of state, and international.

The D.Min. Program focuses on equipping ministry professionals for leadership in traditional and non-traditional ministry contexts through a combination of practicum and scholarship. Through an emphasis on formation, candidates will focus on mastering critical skills and thinking biblically about the many challenges facing the local community and world. The DMin Program engages a hybrid learning model, a blend of face-to-face instruction, and technological learning tools. The D.Min. project and dissertation is the culmination of the program and demonstrates the development of essential ministry skills and personal transformation.

D.Min. students will:

• Engage in the process of self-assessment and reflection, both personally and professionally, within a ministry context in order to analyze and enhance their ministry effectiveness.
• Demonstrate enhanced ability to integrate effective and appropriate research design, methodology, and analytical evaluation techniques with biblical and theological reflection to enhance the practice of ministry.
• Develop a “needs assessment” and “strategic approach” for identifying and addressing a specific challenge and/or issue within their identified ministry and community context.
• Complete a thorough implementation project for the strategic ministry model developed for their ministry context and be able to communicate and collaborate with stakeholders in the implementation of the model.

DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

First Year

Fall Semester - 6 credit hours (2 courses)

• DM 901 Doctor of Ministry Orientation and Assessment
• DM 902 Foundations for Ministry Leadership: Scripture, History, and Theology

Spring Semester - 6 credit hours (2 courses)

• DM 904 Leadership and Peacemaking: Conflict and Reconciliation
• DM 931 Advanced Research Methodologies

Summer Semester - 3 credit hours (1 course)

• Elective

Second Year

Fall Semester - 6 credit hours (2 courses)

• DM 903 Executive Coaching for Transformational Ministry
• DM 906 Leading Worship and Discipleship: Equipping People, Communicating the Word

Spring Semester - 6 credit hours (2 courses)

• DM 909 Holistic Mission: Evangelism, Justice, and Mercy Ministries with Global Awareness
• Elective

Summer Semester - 3 credit hours (1 course)

• Elective

Third Year

Fall Semester - 6 credit hours (2 courses)

• DM 933 Doctor of Ministry Project

Spring Semester - 6 credit hours (2 courses)

• DM 934 Doctor of Ministry Project 

PROGRAM TOTAL - 36 credit hours (12 courses)

TRANSFER OF CREDIT

Students may transfer up to 9 hours (generally three classes) of elective credit with approval from the DMin Director. The courses must be congruent with the student's concentration or dissertation focus. Transfer courses must be recommended by the DMin Director, must receive final approval from the Academic Dean, and must have been earned within the last ten years of study. The courses must be from accredited institutions and on an equivalent doctoral level.

ELECTIVES

Elective courses chosen should be within the general scope of the student’s major concentration. The student will engage these courses with a view to executing his or her project, and writing his or her dissertation. There are two options for the student regarding the elective credits. First, students may take courses in the graduate program of BHU either on-campus or online. Students may concentrate on biblical/theological studies, applied theology, or leadership studies. Some of these courses will be cross-listed with master’s level classes. They will have their own syllabi and necessitate additional reading, book reviews or reflection papers, and additional writing for the final research paper. Second, the student may enroll in doctoral level courses from another accredited university or seminary in the area of their concentration. Students may transfer those credits into the BHU DMin program with prior approval from the DMin Program Director. The total number of required hours for elective courses will be 9 semester hours (generally three classes).

RESEARCH MODULE WORKSHOP

Each student must attend a research module workshop conducted by the BHU library while the student attends a main campus course. The research module will provide orientation about the nature of theological research on the Doctor of Ministry level. Further, the research module will provide the students information and preliminary experience with the research resources of BHU. This includes a comprehensive orientation to the variety of library resources, literature review resources, holdings of the library that are particularly helpful for DMIN research, and computer access to library holdings. The research module is preparatory for DMIN projects.

PROJECT/THESIS COLLOQUIUM PROCESS

At two junctures in the student’s project/thesis a colloquium of faculty and students will be used to evaluate and approve the student’s proposals and work. The two-colloquium times are as follows:

1. Project/Thesis Prospectus Proposal
2. Project/Thesis Defense The colloquium group for each of the above times is composed of a minimum of two approved faculty members and an approved learning group member. If a student who is not a member of the student’s learning group participates, the Director of the DMin Program must grant approval.

Colloquium group assignments are made after the student submits a request to the Director of the Doctor of Ministry program for a colloquium group to meet. Students submit requests for colloquiums when they are ready to enter each of the above-mentioned stages of the program.

Colloquia typically meet in conjunction with course meeting times. Colloquium meetings may be before, parallel with, or after the class meetings for a course. Colloquium members and students submitting proposals or theses will be notified by the Doctor of Ministry Director about colloquia membership, meeting time, and location.

Colloquium members may or may not participate in the same colloquium group to which they are submitting a proposal or thesis. In other words, some or all of the student members of a colloquium group may both assess the proposals or theses of others as well as submit one’s own proposal or thesis.

Colloquium groups may be multi-purpose. That is, groups assessing and approving Project Proposals may also assess and approve Project Thesis Proposals and/or Project Thesis Defenses. Each member of a colloquium group votes upon the approval or disapproval of a proposal or thesis.

Doctor of Ministry Orientation and Assessment - DM 901

This introductory course gives a general overview of the program and provides specific instruction and guidance toward fulfilling the requirements of the program. This includes: course progression, APA writing requirements, statistical analysis, covenant group stipulations, dissertation planning, etc. Students will meet with their individual faculty advisors and begin preliminary discussion of project/thesis topic.
Foundations for Ministry Leadership: Scripture, History, and Theology - DM 902
This course will address the theological, philosophical, and historical tenets of ministerial leadership by exploring Scripture, the historical development of ecclesiastical leadership paradigms, and some contemporary models of ecclesiastical leadership. The servant leadership model of Jesus will also be explored as a methodology for contemporary ministerial leadership in the twenty-first century.

Executive Coaching for Transformational Ministry - DM 903

This course will expose students to the executive coaching model. The students will be expected to learn the practices of executive coaching techniques, including developing authentic peer relationships, employing the Socratic method of listening and asking questions, providing focus, feedback, and reflection in a coaching context.
Leadership and Peacemaking: Conflict and Reconciliation - DM 904
This course will address the role and function of ecclesiastical leaders as peacemakers and the manner in which this role and function can be used in conflict management and the reconciliation of parties. The theology, philosophy, and ethical dynamics associated and ascribed to the role of the “peacemaker” will be explored and examined with the context of a transitioning global context. This exploration will therefore examine and discuss the diverse techniques being taught and practiced within the 21st century on issues of conflict resolution and recon-ciliation.

Leading Worship and Discipleship: Forming a People, Communicating the Word - DM 906

This course will highlight the role of the minister within the worship experience, church discipleship, and communicator of the Word. It will examine and discuss biblical principles and precepts related to facilitating the liturgical embodiment of a community at worship and how that worshipful community lives out its divine calling. It, therefore, provides individuals with a forum to enhance their skills in these areas and provide them with methodologies and techniques for teaching others to function in these roles within the church or parachurch set-ting.

Holistic Mission: Evangelism, Justice, and Mercy Ministries with Global Awareness - DM 909

This course will explore the role of the church in addressing social justice issues within the United States and around the world and engage in mercy ministries that empower and liberate the mind, soul, and spirit of op-pressed, marginalized, disenfranchised, and dispossessed people. This exploration shall invite the students to ex-amine acts of mercy and justice as loving acts of evangelism. It will address the concept of holistic mission as it relates to the church or parachurch ministries in the world of the21st century.

Electives

The elective courses are to be taken in a common area of concentration reflecting the area of research that the student will engage in for his or her project and dissertation. There are two options for the student regarding the elective credits. First, the student may take courses in the current graduate program (either on the BHU campus or Online) in the concentration of biblical studies, applied theology, or leadership studies. These classes are currently offered at the master’s level of instruction, but to facilitate the D.MIN. program, additional reading with a reflection paper and an additional 10 pages of writing will be added to the research paper required in the elective course. Second, the student may enroll in doctoral level courses from another accredited university in the area of their concentration and may transfer those credits into the BHU D.MIN. program. (The total elective courses will be 9 credit hours.)

Research & Dissertation

Advanced Research Methodologies - DM 931

This course is designed to offer advanced instruction in research, structure, and development of scholarly work. It will expertly guide students in the initial formulation of a dissertation proposal and outline. This course pro-vides specific instructions concerning Turabian writing and dissertation planning. Students will undergo a thorough review of the process and management of research, especially as it relates to theological studies. Students will be introduced to the contemporary conventions of advanced academic research and communication, and be-come acquainted with newly emerging possibilities for framing inquiries and for gathering, organizing, and critically examining data.

DM 933 - Doctor of Ministry Project and Dissertation Proposal

The class will guide students through the proposal stage of a dissertation. It will expose students to many models and will engage students in interactive reflections as they go through the process of writing a research proposal. Specifically, DMin 933 will explore chapter 3 of the proposal and dissertation – “methods.”
*Along with the regular tuition for this course, the $1,000.00 USD one-time fee for the dissertation committee compensation will be charged.

DM 934 - Doctor of Ministry Dissertation and Defense

This class is a 3-credit hour class offered in a Directed Study format. Students will schedule periodic meetings with the Dissertation Chair for consultation and guidance in writing their dissertation. The course will culminate with a complete dissertation that is ready for defense before the dissertation committee.

DM (TBD) Professional Development Seminar (*Preferred Elective)

Subject matter experts will be invited as guest lecturers to train doctoral students with cutting edge skills and strategies for ministry and professional development. With a mission of preparing global leaders for ministry and marketplace, BHU desires to develop its doctoral candidates to be equipped and confident that they can function and contribute to church and society in their new role as a doctor of the Christian faith.

Critical Issues for 21st Century Ministry – DM 920

The purpose for this course is to survey contemporary issues that those who are engaged in ministry in the 21st century will certainly encounter. The principle objective of the course is to provide a socio-cultural overview of the perennial challenges of the contemporary times and suggest methods for meaningful Christian engagement with people and the issues they embody. This course frames discussions about prevalent cultural concerns within a framework of sacred scripture, cogent theology, and solution-oriented practical suggestions. This course hinges upon the notion that those engaged in ministry must be conversant in these issues of common culture.