Doctor of Ministry
Credential: Doctor of Ministry
Location: Online
Program Director: Kevin Gushiken, PhD
Assistant Program Director: Debra Johnson-Cortesi, PhD
Introduction: The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree is a terminal professional doctorate that provides the opportunity for high-level education to pastors, missionaries, para-church ministry leaders, teachers, and other Christian leaders to heighten professional development. The DMin at Lancaster Bible College provides academic coursework in leadership studies with the integration of research and application. The delivery of the program allows students to pursue intensive advanced study through online learning while remaining employed full-time in their vocational settings. The degree serves people who have earned the MDiv degree (or its equivalent) and currently serve in church-related or other Christian service organizations.
The following values will frame the student experience:
• Collaborative, cohort-based learning that promotes Christian community among students and professors.
• Academic and personal mentorship that supports students' development of self-awareness, spiritual formation, and recognition of capacities.
• Global and contextualized instruction that considers the understanding and application of knowledge to diverse environments.
• Academic rigor and excellent scholarship that promotes meaningful contributions to the knowledge and practice of Christian Ministry.
• Integration of theory and practice that supports diverse vocational callings.
Program Mission: The Doctor of Ministry program at Lancaster Bible College cultivates exceptional Christian ministry leaders and develops researcher-scholars through biblically grounded, life-engaged, globally diverse education for the benefit of God’s mission in the world.
Program Purpose: The program’s purpose is to further develop quality ministry leaders to effectively meet the challenges of serving God in a complex world. The Doctor of Ministry requires that students expand their abilities to analyze, synthesize, theologically consider, and appropriately apply theories and practices related to Christian leadership. Additionally, the program equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to conduct ongoing applied research within Christian ministry contexts. The church worldwide needs effective leaders who are growing in knowledge and wisdom through effective research and sharing their discoveries with others.
Program Philosophy: The Doctor of Ministry program at Lancaster Bible College cultivates exceptional Christian ministry leaders and develops researcher-scholars through biblically grounded, life-engaged, globally diverse education for the benefit of God’s mission in the world.
Program Core Competencies
Four core competencies are developed in the Doctor of Ministry program. These include specialized skills in contextualized leadership studies, theological/biblical reflection, global/diverse thinking, and applied research.
Advanced Ministry Leadership Concentration - The student will gain the ability to think and execute skillfully in a chosen concentration within the field of ministry leadership.
Theological/Biblical Analysis – In each of the courses, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the relationship between the course's general content and its biblical/theological foundations. By doing so, students will be able to integrate their understanding of leadership concepts to the study of Scripture and practical theology.
Global/Diverse Thinking – In every course, students will engage with diverse perspectives from global sources to critically examine the usefulness of various leadership theories and practices.
Applied Research Skills - The student will learn to use several applied research approaches for the benefit of their own ministry and the church worldwide . Applied research is a cyclical, iterative approach that allows for lifelong exploration for solving problems and developing greater understanding. As part of their studies, DMin students will gain the essential skills needed to develop and implement a Ministry Research Project in a local context.. Graduates of the program are equipped to be researchers/scholars who think deeply, engage problems fully, explore creative solutions, and share what they are learning.
Additionally, students will develop four competencies related to their selected concentration. Concentration work is completed within the Leadership Praxis Courses through individualized assignments. The current available concentrations are: Strategic Leadership, Urban Ministry, Marriage & Family Ministry, Women’s Ministry, and Non-profit Ministry. By completing any concentration, students will be able to:
1. Describe the theological understanding of (concentration).
2. Analyze personal leadership knowledge and skills for (concentration).
3. Generate a set of strategies for leading in (concentration).
4. Conduct an applied research study utilizing scholarly literature within the field of (concentration).
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Program Orientation
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0 credits
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Dissertation Writing Courses (Intro to Applied Research & Applied Research Seminar)
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8 credits
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Leadership Praxis Courses (Healthy Christian Leadership, Principles of Christian Leadership, Leadership Development, & Innovation, Change, and Strategy)
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16 credits
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Dissertation Process (Mentored Research Design & Applied Research Dissertation)
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10 credits
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Program total
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34 credits
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Strategic Leadership DMin Curricular Structure/Degree Requirements
Core Values
The following values will frame the student experience:
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Collaborative, cohort-based learning that promotes Christian community among students and professors.
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Academic and personal mentorship that supports students' development of self-awareness, spiritual formation, and recognition of capacities.
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Global and contextualized instruction that considers the understanding and application of knowledge to diverse environments.
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Academic rigor and excellent scholarship that promotes meaningful contributions to the knowledge and practice of Christian Ministry.
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Integration of theory and practice that supports diverse vocational callings.
Course Sequencing
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Introduction to Applied Research
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Healthy Christian Leadership
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Principles of Christian Leadership
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Innovation, Change, and Strategy
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Applied Research Dissertation
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Application, Admission, Retention, and Graduation
Foundational Literature
Upon admission to a research doctoral program, all new students are required to read/review a significant literature base of selected texts by the end of the first year of the program. However, due to the intense nature of course work as well as the relevance of the precedent material to required courses, students are highly encouraged to complete this reading prior to beginning course work. This precedent literature is reflective of the common knowledge base students need in preparation for the research seminars.
Admission Requirements
Applicants to the DMin program must hold an earned and accredited master’s degree in an appropriately related field. Applicant’s transcripts should reflect a background in biblical, theological and ministry studies at either the bachelor’s or master’s level. Those applicants who have not completed course work in biblical, theological, and ministry studies may be required to successfully complete “leveling” work to prepare the applicant for the biblical and theological component of the program.
Applicants who are deficient in meeting the above requirements must take additional course work to attain equivalency. This process is called “leveling.” Several options for leveling academic deficiencies are available to students. You should discuss deficiencies with the Assistant Director of the Doctor of Ministry. Equivalency options through the completion of additional approved academic courses include: campus-based courses; web-based courses; completing academic courses at another accredited institution; etc. Documentation of experiential learning is possible for the demonstration of equivalency. Such determinations are made by the Assistant Director of the Doctor of Ministry program.
The minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) for admission to a research doctoral program is equivalent to the letter grade “B-” (2.75 on a 4.0 scale) for individuals who hold an accredited MDiv or 3.2 on a 4.0 scale for an accredited ministry-related or Bible/Theology master’s degree.
All applicants to the Doctor of Ministry program must currently be in a ministry position. The degree and dissertation are designed to be applied within the student’s current ministry context.
Applicants whose first language is not English must attain a minimum test score of 600 on the paper-based TOEFL General Test (250 on the computer-based exam or 100 for the Internet-based test) or an equivalent demonstration of the ability to read, write and do academic research in standard English.
Application Process
Application for admission to the Doctor of Ministry should begin with as much lead-time as possible, as some application requirements involve time delays.
Doctoral administrators only review fully completed files because a partially completed application does not always give an accurate picture of the ability to do doctoral work. Thus, applicants with borderline cumulative or area grade point averages but with significant successful ministry experience can be evaluated on the basis of both achievements, not just the GPA. Some applicants mistakenly assume a short-coming in one admission criteria automatically disqualifies them from admission. In reality, significant achievements in other admission criteria may accommodate a short-coming in another area.
Steps to Apply
- Complete the Application Form: DMin Application
- Submit Additional Documents
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended;
- One Recommendation for Admission (one professional)
- Complete Standardized Testing
- Applicants whose first language is not English must submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam (TOEFL).
- Submit a Writing Sample of a previously written research paper (15 pages or more), completed at the master’s level. If a writing sample is not available, students will be asked to complete a field essay.
- Complete a Personal Interview
Application Response
Once the applicant’s file is completed in full, the LBC faculty evaluates the applicant’s profile in terms of demonstrated and potential ability to complete doctoral studies successfully at the research doctoral level. The committee makes a consensus admission decision on applicants (five decisions are possible) using the following scale.
Full Acceptance: The applicant is fully accepted with no deficiencies or leveling requirements.
Accepted with Deficiencies: The applicant is accepted into the program with admissions academic deficiencies identified.
Accepted on Review Status: The applicant is admitted pending further review. This may be because a part of the applicant‘s application was incomplete (e.g. a score was not received in time) or because the applicant did not meet one of the admissions requirements.
Delay: The applicant may receive an application delay. This may be due to the program being filled, a change in the student’s life situation, or an event preventing the applicant from attending the first program session. Delayed status applicant will not have to reapply to the program but must pay the program down payment fee.
Declined: The applicant who is declined will be notified by mail or email. Specific reasons for the decline are not provided.
Applicants will be notified of the admissions decision within three weeks of the submission of all application materials.
Statute of Limitations and Continuation Fee
Students who have not completed their dissertation by August 31 following the established completion date of their program (three years of full-time coursework) will be charged an administrative continuation fee for each term (fall and spring) until the dissertation is completed, or until the student withdraws from the program, or until the statute of limitations (five years) is reached. In cases where the statute of limitations has been extended beyond five years, the schedule of administrative continuation fees will remain in force.
Graduation
COMMENCEMENT
Doctor of Ministry graduates are strongly encouraged to participate in the commencement ceremony which is held in May each year. Additionally, all doctoral students who have successfully defended their dissertation will be invited to attend a special robing ceremony and dinner the day before graduation.
CAP AND GOWN
The program tuition price does not include the cost of regalia. Information on how to be measured for the cap and gown and where to purchase regalia will be sent to graduates early in the semester of graduation.
PREPARING FOR GRADUATION
In addition to completing all academic requirements for graduation, all financial obligations to the college must be paid in full before a doctoral student can graduate.
Final versions of Applied Research Dissertation must be submitted to the School of Bible & Ministry Department by April 1st to graduate Spring semester, or November 1st in order to graduate Fall semester. Incomplete submissions may delay graduation to the following semester.
Program Director: Kevin Gushiken, PhD
Kevin currently serves as Dean of the School of Bible & Theology and as the Director of the PhD in Leadership and Doctor of Ministry. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business/Economics and a Master of Arts in Missions and Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. He also received a Masters of Divinity and a PhD in Educational Studies with a minor in Intercultural Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL.
Kevin’s primary passion is to develop Christian leaders who biblically and critically think with the purpose of influencing the world for Christ. He also has deep interest in how leadership is formed in multiethnic settings. He has written on these topics in numerous journals and presented them at several conferences around the country. He recently published a book on the Theology of Play.
Prior to joining Lancaster Bible College, Kevin served in a variety of churches, most recently as Senior Pastor for 18 years at Harvard Avenue Evangelical Free Church, a multiethnic congregation in Chicago, IL. Kevin has been married to Penny since 1996. They have two children, Ashleigh and Ryan.
In his free time, Kevin enjoys hiking and sailing. He is a self-described “thrill seeker” who is open to trying anything once.
Assistant Program Director: Debra Johnson-Cortesi, PhD
Debra is very passionate about doctoral education and research. She longs to see each doctoral student fully equipped for good ministry. She believes that scholarship and research are, and should be, inextricably tied to practice. Also, good education should never be simply for the sake of knowing something. Knowledge that is not applied has very little value. Her hope is to see every graduate of both Ministry doctoral programs equipped to do research within the areas where they feel called by God. It is her desire that each doctoral student will be empowered to be the kind of researcher-scholar that elevates practice in powerful ways – making themselves and others into exceptional practitioners. This should first be accomplished through their coursework and dissertation and then as God leads them to continue to gain and apply more knowledge and wisdom for the benefit of the church universal.
To help ensure that all Ministry doctoral students are well equipped, Debra is focused on supporting excellent professors and dissertation readers, designing cutting-edge courses, creating helpful resources, and collaborating with the Director to elevate the quality of the DMin and PhD in Leadership programs.
In her free time, Debra has a lot of hobbies. She enjoys many types of crafts, cooking, reading, and making music.
Faculty
Debra Johnson-Cortesi, PhD
Kevin Gushiken, PhD
Steve Yates, PhD