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**Expecting to open in the Fall of 2023**
The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) is a prestigious education program, designed to advance the candidates engaged in Christian ministries to the highest level in his or her field. The Doctor of Ministry degree is considered the terminal degree in the area of ministry, thus the graduates of the Doctor of Ministry program must demonstrate competent knowledge and insights that meets this high expectation. While maintaining its academic expectations, the emphasis of the Doctor of Ministry is the “practice of ministry”. Upon admission to the Doctor of Ministry Program, a candidate’s final goal for degree award, will be to design, implement, evaluate, and record an original ministry-related project at the highest doctoral standards.
The degree emphasizes mastery of advanced knowledge regarding the purpose and practice of ministry in many dimensions. Thus as a candidate undertakes Doctoral studies, he or she must carefully review past achievements, current interests, and future focus of passion in God’s Kingdom. As a candidate considers a doctoral project, the goal of the degree work is to develop new knowledge about the practice of ministry. Many have chosen to view the Doctor of Ministry degree as similar to an Ed.D. in education or J. D. in law. People attaining this degree may be viewed as individuals responsible at the highest levels for maintaining Christ-centered values and practices within the church and its missions worldwide.
The Doctor of Ministry is a degree program culminating in the recognition of advanced professional studies pursued by practicing ministers and Christian professionals. The program sharpens the skills of those actively engaged in ministry. Plenary seminars and lectures are designed to allow ministers to continue their ministry throughout the duration of the program. Professors will teach themost current methods of ministry in various fields through seminars, classes, and dialog with students. The incorporation of technology is also emphasized by the faculty. This doctorate provides an opportunity for high academic achievement, and develops intellectual and practical capability of practicing ministers and Christian professionals. The Doctor of Ministry program at Harvest University seeks to satisfy the standards as defined by the Association of Theological Schools:
“…shall include the design and completion of a written doctoral level project that addresses both the nature and the practice of ministry. The project should be of sufficient quality that it contributes to the practice of ministry as judged by professional standards and has the potential for application in other contexts of ministry.
The ministry project should demonstrate the candidate’s ability to identify a specific theological topic in ministry, organize an effective research model, use appropriate resources, and evaluate the results, and should reflect the candidate’s depth of theological insight in relation to ministry. Upon completion of the doctoral project, there shall be an oral presentation and evaluation. The completed written project, with any supplemental material, should be accessioned in the institution’s library.” (Bulletin 43, Part 1, The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, 1998.p.112-113.
Harvest is an institution of Biblical higher education dedicated to training ministry-bound men and women as Biblical scholars and leaders and to equipping them with practical skills to preach the Gospel effectively into and after the ‘network generation’. Because of the many activities students engage in that are designed to revolutionize the world, a number of Doctoral projects will emerge from student activities. At Harvest, projects in the Doctor of Ministry program are broadly grouped under four headings:
Example areas of ministry projects are:
This list is a sampling of potential projects to start a candidate thinking of their respective interests and gifts. It is not an exhaustive list, but is designed to initiate creative thinking and reflection.
The candidate should seek God’s will in determining their interests and choosing a project. Let Romans 12:1-2 be your guide.
“Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasant to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by renewing your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
The Doctor of Ministry at Harvest is an adult learning experience. Only people who have demonstrated previous academic excellence and ministry achievement should be interested in pursuit of advanced learning. A candidate should have a M.Div. degree or equivalent and 3 years of ministry experience. The candidate will get out proportionately from the program, what they are willing to invest in time and effort. It is designed to be an active, independent learning experience with phased ‘building block’
milestones.
The Candidate should complete Doctoral Studies – Application Form to seek the Doctoral Council approval for Admission to the program.
Applicants in active Christian ministry fields holding relevant master’s degree are also encouraged to apply. Supplementary, prerequisite coursework might be required to reach candidacy in the D.Min.program.
