Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries

Note:  In 2008 the Pastoral Ministries program will be combined with the Discipling Ministries program.  The new program is called Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership.  Please contact Amy Mattox at 260-359-4129 or amattox@huntington.edu for additional information.

The mission of the Pastoral Ministries program is to prepare graduate students for healthy and balanced pastoral leadership.

Our M.A. in Pastoral Ministries is recognized by the Board of Education of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ as the basic standard for ordination.

View Our:

• Goals

• Program Objectives

• Core Curriculum

• Pastoral Ministries Courses

• Concentrations

We want to help our students display competence in:

• Proclamation that is reflective of an understanding of principles of sermon preparation and persuasion.

• Pastoral counseling with individual and small group ministries.

• The organization and administration of persons for pastoral care.

• The practices of corporate worship.

“Great professors ... Practical and useful classes with immediate application. Each time I come for a class I receive information which can be implemented immediately upon return to home."

Mark Whinery, Current Student

Program Objectives:

• Students are expected to be able (a) to balance ministry programs around purposes of evangelism, nurture, and equipping, (b) to design and implement assessment strategies of ministry outcomes and processes that are consistent with the ultimate biblical ends of ministry, (c) to articulate a philosophy of ministry based upon the integration of biblical, empirical, historical, and social science research.

• Students are expected (a) to expand their vision for leadership through pastoral ministry, (b) to increase their attentiveness to their personal spiritual formation, (c) to demonstrate an understanding of biblical and theological roots for ministry practice, (d) to grow in interpersonal awareness and skills, and (e) to improve their abilities to organize and manage ministry processes.

• Students are expected to be able (a) to identify personally relevant problems related to pastoral ministry leadership, and (b) to move toward solutions through the process of collecting information, devising and evaluating alternative approaches, and choosing and implementing decisions.

Achievement in these areas is measured by classroom interaction and course projects, accumulated material in the ministry portfolio, the student’s mentoring, and the culmination project.

Core Curriculum
The M.A. Program in Pastoral Ministries includes an 11-hour Ministry Core as well as a 12-hour Biblical Core.  The Core Curriculum of the Graduate School helps students in all programs attain the understanding and skills necessary for effective leadership and biblical faithfulness while integrating important ministry values.

Pastoral Ministries Courses
Students pursuing a M.A. in Pastoral Ministries will also complete 15-hours of Pastoral Ministries courses.

Areas of Concentration
The remaining 10 credit hours are electives.  Students in the pastoral ministries program may elect courses that further develop their disciple-making specialization in the areas of ministry leadership or family ministry. Students may also elect courses from those offered for the youth ministries or discipling ministries programs to complete their degree requirements.

Course descriptions are available on-line

* Students must demonstrate proficiency in this area by 1) having a course at the undergraduate level with at least a B- grade; 2) passing the proficiency exam administered by the graduate school; 3) taking the class, which may add hours to the program.
 

Note:  In 2008 the Pastoral Ministries program will be combined with the Discipling Ministries program.  The new program is called Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership.  Please contact Amy Mattox at 260-359-4129 or amattox@huntington.edu for additional information.

Prospective students should also consider the following Master's degree from Huntington University:

• Master's Degree in Discipling Ministries with a Specialization in Adult Leadership