Jeffery Stark, D.Min., Coordinator
We believe that the best ministry is “practiced theology.” The program leading to the Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership degree is taught by leading pastors and church leaders, either actively engaged in ministry or with extensive ministerial experience, who also have the appropriate academic credentials (normally a doctorate) and a deep knowledge of theology. A small student/professor ratio allows for significant interaction within the group.
The aim of the program is to a) nurture theologically formed, technically competent, missionally effective, and ethically aware pastoral leaders; b) produce ‘influence leaders’ who will provide intentional patterns of leadership in ministry; c) encourage in these influence-leaders the development of a core theological vision that can be reproduced in other ministers, who, in the course of time, may be mentored by students in this program; d) address reflectively and purposefully the question, “What does it mean to be an effective pastoral leader of a community that embodies and nurtures the life of the Kingdom as presented in the Bible and incarnated today?” and e) develop in students an appreciation for and understanding of the history and theology of Christianity and especially the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. The program assumes that Protestant, Wesleyan-Arminian, and Holiness traditions are normative for most students and faculty, but students from other traditions are, of course, welcome.
36 hours
