The Master of Ministry degree instills leadership while providing a great foundational understanding of ministry. This unique approach to ministerial leadership is designed for those who have recently felt the call to the ministry, for those already involved in the ministry but who never received an advanced degree, and for lay leaders who want to increase their effectiveness. It is intentionally broad-based, with a mix of biblical studies, theology and practical preparation. And our faculty members are not only academically trained but also practitioners with more than a century of combined experience in full-time ministry.

A flexible schedule

This program allows adults to continue their education while managing all their other responsibilities. You don't have to quit your job and move to seminary. This schedule allows students ample time to digest the material they are reading and writing about and to watch online videos that complement the class instruction. A student taking two classes per semester, along with two May term classes and two week-long summer intensive classes, can complete the 42 credit hours for the degree in just two years, which is much shorter than a traditional Master of Divinity degree. Or, students can spread out the coursework if preferred and complete the degree in up to five years.

Classes can also be completed online, an option that has attracted students from across America and as far away as the mission fields of Brazil, Thailand, and Laos. This is a testament to the power of online education and the reach of this program. (Online classes can be used to substitute for all but one of the summer intensive classes, if preferred.)

Solidly Biblical. Intensely practical.

Each class deals with an area of biblical studies or practical ministry yet all classes include both a foundational component (why it's done) and a practical component (what it looks like). For example, Biblical Hermeneutics and Exegesis teaches not only the history of the formation of the Biblical canon but also guides students toward how to interpret the Bible for preaching and teaching. Communication for Ministry examines not only rhetorical theory but also includes advice about interpersonal communication, communicating via electronic media, and marketing for ministry. Some of the other courses are Evangelism & Church Health, Pastoral Ministry, Christian Preaching, Leadership in Ministry, Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, and Church History.

The program includes a capstone project in which the student identifies a ministry problem or opportunity and develops a sustainable solution. The goal is to help the student in becoming a self-directed, self-motivated Christian leader.

Prepared for ministry jobs of the future

The ministry is constantly changing, and this program can prepare you for such new positions as media ministry, family ministry, discipleship pastoring, creative arts ministry, and many more emerging roles, in addition to traditional positions, such as senior pastor, youth pastor and more. We want people to come out of this degree prepared to do ministry in a wide variety of settings and to be able to adapt to the positions that will be available in the future.

Graduates of AU's Master of Ministry have moved into new positions in their current ministry (from youth pastor to senior pastor, for example). Some are serving in churches in a new career, such as worship leadership. Some have moved from part-time to full-time positions, others from volunteer to professional posts.