Grand Rapids Theological SeminaryHolistic Spiritual
and Ministry Formation

The Bible and Theology core of the M.A. in Christian Formation program consists of 32 credits. These courses will give you a foundational understanding of how to study the Bible and how to think theologically about life and ministry.

Bible

• BBL-501  Biblical Hermeneutics
  • An introduction to the process of determining the original meaning and contemporary significance of biblical texts.
• BBL-508  Biblical Theology
  • An integrated study of the central themes from the Old and New Testaments that comprise the grand narrative of Scripture.
• Old Testament Bible Elective
• New Testament Bible Elective
• General Bible Elective

Theology

• THE-501   Program Introduction Seminar
  • This course prepares students for the rigors of graduate scholarship by honing the skills of graduate research, reading and writing
• THE-540   Systematic Theology I
  • This course introduces and practices a metanarrative for doing theology. The biblical narratives and propositions are heard in the context of the story that begins with creation, is centered in Jesus’ first coming and reaches its culmination in the new heavens and earth
• THE-640   Systematic Theology II
  • This course continues our metanarrative theology by examining the Christian story of creation, fall, redemption and consummation, with special attention
    given to the nature and task of humanity, the distortion of the world through sin and the redemptive work and person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
• THE-641   Systematic Theology III
  • This course will examine in detail the doctrine of salvation (soteriology), the church (ecclesiology), the basic elements of pastoral theology (internal and
    external call to the ministry, ordination, ministry of the word and sacraments, church discipline and pastoral spiritual formation) and the four last things (death, judgment, heaven and hell).
• THE-676   Apologetics and Moral Issues in Christian Ministry
  • This course will help students preserve and steward their life and doctrine by evaluating the philosophical foundations of the Christian faith and various ethical problems encountered in pastoral care, spiritual direction, and Christian counseling.
• Select one of:
  • THE-710   Prayer and Spirituality in the Early Church
    • This course will examine the development of spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, meditation on Scripture, corporate worship and right use of the sacraments) in the church from the New Testament to 600 A.D. Early Christian understandings of the psychology of temptation, habituation to evil, personal conversion and spiritual discernment will also be investigated
      and their relevance to the contemporary practice of spiritual direction will be discussed.
  • Historical Theology Elective: THE-515, THE-516, THE-517, or THE-518

The specialization courses in the M.A. Christian Formation degree consist of 24 credit hours, providing you with both theoretical leadership frameworks and practical ministry experience.

• MIN-500   Christian Spiritual Formation
  • An investigation into the meaning of biblical Christianity and its relationship to faith and practice within contemporary cultural contexts. Special attention is given to the corporate dimensions of spirituality and spiritual formation
• MIN-510   Organizational Leadership
• MIN-543   Christian Formation in the Church
• MIN-545   Teach and Learning for Christian Formation
• MIN-560   Global Impact
• MIN-711   Program Completion Seminar

Select either:

• Ministry Residency sequence:
  • MIN-685 Ministry Residency I
  • MIN-686 Ministry Residency II
  • MIN-781 Ministry Residency III
  • MIN-782 Ministry Residency IV
• Thesis Track
  • MIN-584   Thesis Readings: Ministry
  • MIN-797 Master’s Thesis
  • MIN Elective

Student & Family Ministries

• MIN-553 Sociology of Youth and Emerging Adulthood
• MIN-641 Foundations for Ministry to Youth and Emerging Adults
• One of the following:
  • COU-520 Child & Adolescent Counseling
  • COU-521 Marriage & Family Counseling

Small Group & Discipleship Ministries

• MIN-630 Small Group Ministries
• MIN-643 Educational Ministries for Adults
• One of the following:
  • MIN-534 Evangelism/Discipleship Ministries
  • MIN-554 Theology of Women in Ministry
  • MIN-567 The Church’s Relationship to a PostChristian Culture
  • COU-532 Counseling Women through the Life Cycle
  • COU-612 Group Counseling Techniques

Intercultural Ministries

• MIN-567 The Church’s Relationship to a PostChristian Culture
• MIN-660 Cultural Intelligence
• MIN-667 Urban and Local Development

Formation & Soul Care Ministries

• COU-500 Counseling Philosophy
• COU-610 Counseling Techniques
• COU-521 Marriage & Family Counseling

Campus & Student Development Ministries

• MIN-533 Sociology of Youth and Emerging Adulthood
• MIN-518 Foundations of Student Development
• COU-520 Child & Adolescent Counseling

Interdisciplinary Studies

Three course cluster from ministry disciplines (MIN and/or COU) selected with consultation of faculty advisor.