Course Catalog

Divisions of Study in the Curriculum:

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• Biblical Studies 100 – dialogue with biblical truth and content.

• Practical Theology 200 – the practice of biblical truth/content.

• Church & Society 300 – theory in use of biblical truth/content. 

 

Bachelor of Religious Studies | [36 Credit Hours required]

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• 101 Old Testament – This course will introduce students to a general overview of the Old Testament writings and its content.

• 102 New Testament – This course will introduce students to a general overview of the New Testament writings and its content.

• 103 Hermeneutics – This course will introduce the discipline of interpreting the Bible.

• 106 Christian Ethics – This course will equip students with the moral and biblical values of the Christian faith necessary for effective witness.

• 201 Homiletics – This course will give the student basic principles of sermon development and delivery.

• 202 Public Speaking – This course will equip students with the seven principles of effective communication in public speaking.

• 203 Introduction of Christian Education – This course will introduce the basic principles of learning, teaching, and curriculum development for the Christian faith.

• 204 Church Worship – This course will introduce the basic components of biblical worship and demonstrate those components in various worship settings.

• 206 Christian Skills in English Writing – This course has been designed to introduce, establish, and maintain, effective communication among God’s people.  A wide range of communication skills will be examined to include the written and oral mediums.  Various learning styles will be explored to enhance critical thinking, pragmatic reasoning, an empathetic communication among diverse groups of people. (*This is not a credit earned course, but a requirement of orientation)

• 207 Technology Tools For Christian Leaders* – This course will explore various ways students can use technology creatively in order to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ in various Church ministries.

• 302 Christian Counseling – This course will introduce the basic principles of spiritual guidance utilizing biblical truth to assist human need.

• 303 Psychology of Religion – The purpose of this course is threefold: (1) to understand who you are in terms of your religious foundation; (2) to show the importance of a strong religious foundation to help facilitate the transitions that occur throughout life, and (3) to understand the connection between psychology and religion.

• 310 The Missional Church – This course is designed to equip students to be authentic disciples who live and proclaim God’s kingdom to the world.

• 313 Clinical Chaplaincy - This course is designed to train the order of clergy in the basic responsibilities and requirements of providing support for the emotional and spiritual challenges that accompany illness and hospitalization.

 

Masters in Pastoral Care (M.A.P.C.) [80 Credit Hours Required] (36 undergrad credit hours + 44 graduate credit hours)

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• 104 Life of Christ – This course is a study of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as presented in the Gospels and early Christian literature.

• 105 Pastoral Ministry – This course will explore biblical truths to help those in pastoral ministry lead Christ’s flock---the Church, with the same passion as the Apostles to assist in meeting the needs of the people. Students will receive survey tools to help congregations achieve spiritual growth, educational excellence, and economic empowerment through pastoral leadership.

• 111 Ethics, Pastoral Counseling, and Spirituality – This course teaches therapeutic approaches covering ethical values of providing services to people with diverse religious values and backgrounds.

• 205 Philosophy of Religion – This course will study the questions regarding religion, including the nature and existence of God, the examination of religious experience, and the relationship of religion and science.

• 208 Teaching the Bible – This course is a study of fundamental and advanced methods of Bible study relating to teaching situations in the Church today.

• 211 Ministry and Leadership Development – This course is a study of biblical principles and methods of training Christians for ministry and leadership in the Church.

• 220 5 Types of Sermon Outlines – This course will explain to students the five types of common sermon developments when preparing for homiletical delivery.

• 301 Church Administration – This course is a study designed to introduce the student to the practical aspects of administration within the Church setting.

• 304 Human Growth & Developmental Psychology – The focus of this course is to provide an understanding of the numerous and complex changes that occur in intellectual, social, emotional, moral, and personality development. Considerable attention will be placed on the individual differences that exist in development as well as the commonalities in growth and development.

• 305 Christian Faith and Ministry – This course will explore biblical truths and teachings of the Christian Church designed to shape and enhance Church ministry.

• 311 Evangelism and Outreach – This course surveys the evangelical dimensions of preaching, teaching, counseling, visitation, and training the parish for outreach.

• 323 Homiletics for Special Occasions – This course will engage students in sermon development for preaching during any special occasion centered around God or His people.

 

Additional Requirement:

• Graduate Student Internships {10 credit hours} 

• Graduate Participant in Leadership Conference {4 credit hours}

 

Masters in Pastoral Counseling (M.A.P.C.) [80 Credit Hours Required] (36 undergrad credit hours + 44 graduate credit hours)

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• 111 Ethics, Pastoral Counseling, and Spirituality– This course teaches therapeutic approaches covering ethical values of providing services to people with diverse religious values and backgrounds.

• 112 Prophetic Witness in the 21st Century– This course will engage students in sermon development for preaching that offers hope of a new day to come and the promise of liberation to God's oppressed people.

• 215 Addictions and Models of Therapy– This course will equip the student with a basic understanding of the practical issues surrounding the prevention and treatment of substance abuse and dependence.

• 217 Research Methods for the Pastoral Counselor– This course introduces master-level pastoral care and counseling students to the fundamentals of research methods common to pastoral care and counseling common to social science.

• 219 Internship Supervision II– This course is designed to consider the special issues associated with the theory, practice, and administration of counseling in the community contexts. Students will formulate a biblical and theological foundation for the practice of community counseling.

• 220 5 Types of Sermon Outlines– This course will explain to students the five types of common sermon developments when preparing for homiletical delivery.

• 306 Public Mental Health– The emphasis of this course will focus on the mental health and well-being of the Christian individual.  It will examine current literature which explores the adaptive and maladaptive behaviors which exists in God’s people.  Additionally, emphasis will focus on the biblical perspective of mental health which will include personal maintenance of the whole individual to produce abundant life.

• 313 Clinical Chaplaincy– This course is designed to train the order of clergy in the basic responsibilities and requirements of providing support for the emotional and spiritual challenges that accompany illness and hospitalization.

• 315 Family Therapy and Personal Transformation– This course will examine the foundations of, and theory and practice of family therapy expressed through theological dimensions.

• 318 Pastoral Counseling in an Intercultural Context– This course explores the cultural relativity of individual, family, and social life.  Students will learn to respect the diversity in various human systems for pastoral care and counseling.

• 321 Prison, Hospital, and Caregiving Outreach Services– This course will identify new paths and spaces for providing spiritual care while staying grounded in their personal Christian faith.

• 322 Career Counseling– This course will examine the world of work, life career development, career decision- making theories, the process and techniques of career counseling and the interrelationship between career and life balance issues and mental health; these issues will be discussed using multicultural and social justice frameworks.

 

Additional Requirements:

• Graduate Student Internships {10 credit hours} 

• Graduate Participant in Leadership Conference {4 credit hours}

 

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Doctor of Divinity Studies (D.Div.S.) [125 Credit Hours required] (36 undergrad credit hours + 44 graduate credit hours + 45 doctoral credit hours)

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• 110 Apologetics – This course will equip the student with the ability to systematically defend or explain the Christian faith.

• 212 Christian Theology – This course of study will help the student formulate a coherent system of Christian belief and practice based primarily upon the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as well as the historic traditions of the faithful.

• 214 Therapeutic Preaching – This course will discuss the theocentric aspects of preaching that minister to the one who is preaching as well as the congregation.

• 308 Social Psychology – This course has been designed to aid students in understanding the relationship between self and others.  It is meant to facilitate and explain specific social relationships in the Bible which are pertinent to growth and development.  Special emphasis will be placed on (1) defining social psychology, (2) defining social intelligence, (3) understanding the components which give rise to social intelligence, and (4) developing social intelligence.  Essential in this course will be the ability to identify those who possess/lack social intelligence and how we can manage or deal with resulting behaviors.

• 309 The Christian Minister in the 21st Century – This course will help the student develop radical new approaches to ministry in the Church by examining the traditional and contemporary approaches versus the missional and strategic approaches of church ministry.

• 312 Sociology of Religion – This course of study will focus on the ways that religion affects society, culture, and personality.

• 320 Psychological Issues in Ministry – This course includes a study of personal and familial issues that demand ministerial care with special attention to family patterns, incarnational spirituality, sexuality and gender in human development.

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*24 credit hours assigned to doctoral dissertation and defense focusing on application of knowledge to the individual’s ministry.

*3 credit hours per course in the doctoral program [7 courses required].

*3 credit hours for doctoral internship assignment.