Master of Arts in Church Ministry

60 Credit-Hours

Fully Online

Flexible Payment Plans

How Do You Equip Yourself to Effectively Engage People Day-to-Day in the Course of Your Ministry?

An apologetics-focused Church Ministry degree will help you engage with and lead those you encounter

The Master of Arts in Church Ministry at Southern Evangelical Seminary prepares you for leadership and ministry with a strong foundation in apologetics, biblical studies, and theology, along with practical field experience. Graduates of this master’s program are prepared for either church or parachurch ministry in the areas of congregational leadership, discipleship, evangelism, missions, Christian education, and more. An increasing number of churches and ministry jobs require ministers to hold a master’s degree. The M.A. in Church Ministry will prepare you for more jobs and open up new possibilities for you.

Read below for the details of this flexible program, and download your FREE ebook to see how such training relates to real-world Gospel issues.

Faculty With Real-Life Ministry Experience

You’ll be learning from faculty who have served as pastors and in other ministry roles. You’ll be able to go beyond textbook knowledge and gain wisdom and insight from their life experiences. Our faculty are also dedicated to getting to know students’ goals and helping them to understand the material in a way that applies to current or future callings.

Engaging Courses Connect Knowledge with Application

Our courses integrate theology, philosophy, and apologetics in a way that helps you interact with today’s culture. You’ve likely encountered people who have questions about love, suffering, grief, and God’s plan. You will learn how to answer those questions, defend the truth of the Scriptures, and reach people from a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds.

Flexible Course Formats for Your Busy Schedule

SES provides a fully immersive digital campus experience where every aspect of traditional education is achieved in a virtual environment. We integrate industry-leading technologies for live-streaming, course management, and student interaction. Our innovative digital campus can deliver the training you need in a way that fits your schedule and budget.

This seminary level degree can lead to future doctoral study and is ideal for those preparing for Pastoral Ministry, Youth Ministry, or Missions.

Your Academic Experience at SES

We aren’t catching up with the distance learning trend — SES has been breaking ground and pioneering an immersive digital campus experience for years. As a student, you'll enjoy a flexible, compelling, connected, environment for your studies. All of the easy-to-use technology you’ll need to thrive in seminary is housed in one place and accessed through a single, secure log-in.

Collaborate with your peers through our integrated approach

Interact with professors during many live-streamed classes

Conduct research in one of the most expansive theological libraries ever created

(With our membership as a supporting sponsor of the Digital Theological Library)

Learn more about the remarkable digital campus experience at SES that will help you thrive as a student and be equipped with the technology tools you’ll need in ministry.

In the M.A. in Church Ministry Program, You Will:

See the Vital Need for Apologetics-Focused Education

Engaging real-world issues for the sake of the Gospel

Download Your FREE eBook Today!

"Our lives have been changed because what we learned at SES deals directly with the spiritual and intellectual madness which afflicts both the culture and sadly the Church as well. We truly feel like God has prepared us through SES to do something meaningful."

Simon Brace

SES Alum

Courses of Interest in the M.A. in Church Ministry

Intro to Christian Apologetics

Learn the systematic and rational defense of the basic elements of the Christian Faith, including the existence of God, miracles, the deity of Christ, and the inspiration of the Bible.

Biblical Theology & Principles of Missions

A comprehensive study of the missio dei theme, the progressive missional role of God’s people in Scripture, as well as the practical implications and principles these streams bring to Christian ministry.

Discipleship

A study of the principles and practices of Christian discipleship as related to the programs of the local church. Learn how to integrate apologetics into discipleship.

Full Course Listing

PREREQUISITE COURSE – 3 hours Pass/Fail

SM501 Writing & Research Skills (3)

APOLOGETICS – 6 hours

AP501 Introduction to Christian Apologetics (3)
AP502 New Religious Movements (3)

BIBLICAL STUDIES – 12 hours

OT501 Old Testament Survey 1: Genesis–Esther (3)
OT502 Old Testament Survey 2: Job–Malachi (3)
NT501 New Testament Survey 1: Gospels & Acts (3)
NT502 New Testament Survey 2: Epistles & Revelation (3)

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION – 6 hours

CE501 Educational Program of the Church (3)
CE502 Discipleship (3)

HISTORICAL THEOLOGY – 3 hours

HT501 Historical Theology: A Survey (3)

MISSIONS & EVANGELISM – 6 hours

ME507 History of Missions & World Christianity (3)
ME508 Biblical Theology & Principles of Missions (3)

PASTORAL THEOLOGY – 3 hours

PT501 Homiletics or PT502 Pastoral Care
or PT503 Biblical Counseling (3)

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY – 15 hours

ST501 Prolegomena & Bibliology (3)
ST502 Theology Proper & Creation (3)
ST503 Hamartiology & Soteriology (3)
ST504 Pneumatology, Ecclesiology, & Eschatology (3)
ST505 Hermeneutics (3)

ELECTIVES – 9 hours

From CE, ME, or PT

FIELD EXPERIENCE – 0 hours

FE501 Field Experience 1 (0)
FE502 Field Experience 2 (0)

GENERAL ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

GRADUATE REQUIREMENTS

Have earned a bachelors degree from an institution
accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation, the United
States Department of Education, or the equivalent (as assessed by SES)
GPA of 2.5 or above for their undergraduate program

PROVISIONAL GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

If one does not meet the undergraduate GPA requirement, he may be granted a Provisional Admission. This requires
that the student maintain a 2.5 or higher GPA on the first semester of work at SES in order to be granted full admission.

A Valuable Degree with Exceptionally Affordable Tuition

Prospective students are almost always surprised to learn how affordable we keep our degree programs at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

You need effective training for ministry — not a crippling load of student loan debt. The value of a degree here pays off through your entire career and truly has an eternal value as well.

As a result, we're delighted to tell you that you'll have a very difficult time finding a better tuition rate than what we offer at SES: $475 per credit hour.

^$475

per credit hour

Read more about our current tuition rates, flexible payment plans, and financial aid opportunities.

LET'S PARTNER TOGETHER ON YOUR TUITION

Financial Aid & Discounts

Why Should You Seriously Consider Studying at SES?

You almost certainly have at least some basic — and perhaps even advanced — knowledge of Christian apologetics. Many new students at SES have studied books like Tactics by Gregory Koukl, Lewis' Mere Christianity, or I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by SES alum Frank Turek and SES co-founder Norman Geisler. These are all very helpful resources, but perhaps you have reached that point in your self-guided research where you hit a wall or find yourself out of your depth.

Apologetics, theology, and even Bible study will never reach their potential without being grounded in sound philosophy. It's not a matter of whether you're doing philosophy. It's a matter of whether you're doing it well or poorly. You can be a good philosopher without being a good apologist or theologian, but it does not work the other way around! Giving you the philosophical foundation you need for both theology and apologetics is just one of the ways that a degree or certificate from SES will serve you well.

Built for Your Calling

Whether you are pursuing full-time vocational leadership or personal ministry growth, this program is designed to provide a path for your success.

Full-Time Ministry

Christians are called to be salt and light in our world, and leaders should be equipped to confidently engage the ideas shaping today’s culture. Apologetics training is essential for breaking down barriers and effectively leading others. As you pursue God’s calling on your life through ministry, a seminary education will maximize your impact.

Personal Ministry

If your personal study hasn’t yielded the growth you’re looking for, formal training can equip you to answer hard questions and present the truth in love. Being grounded in apologetics prepares you to be fruitful in all aspects of your personal ministry. Our apologetics program offers structured training you need to share the faith and defend truth in everyday life.

Ready to Apply Now?

Start the admission process today. You can begin in just a few minutes by filling out our initial application and it will open the door for us to have an exploratory conversation about your educational priorities and hopes for ministry. We have an entire team at SES who is ready to help you in the process of discerning your gifts and calling to ministry so you can engage our culture in the conversations that matter the most.