Doctor of Ministry
Drew Theological School invites you to join us on a new path toward your Doctor of Ministry degree. Choose a DMin experience that supports your vocational goals and lifestyle, and that responds to the great theological and ethical challenges of our day.
Courageous Leadership in a Changing Culture (starts Summer 2024)—A radically different degree designed for the engaged and curious leader committed to speaking and leading in congregations and in the public square in relevant and courageous ways.
At Drew, students and faculty are committed to developing responsive leadership in these challenging times. The DMIN program brings together religious leaders and Drew Faculty to develop courageous, gospel-inspired responses that are rooted in the Bible, theology and visions of the beloved community.
Our “Courageous Leadership in a Changing Culture” DMin will help you lead your congregations in these challenging times in a format that meets your lifestyle and vocational goals.
Pastoral Identity & Partnerships (starts Fall 2024)—The world is changing. The changing world needs pastors. Pastors need to change. The work of the Pastor can no longer be limited to the local congregation.
The wisdom, guidance, and counsel that local congregations need are also important contributions to building and sustaining strong communities. Be a part of a learning community that will adventurously seek the larger global possibilities of pastoral presence and leadership and strategically will think about the partners pastors need to accomplish that larger project. This cohort is for pastors, not-for-profit leaders, and chaplains who have been in the work for 3 years or more and are seeking new ways to understand themselves and the theological contribution to the global good.
Led by respected Pastor-Teacher practitioner, Rev. Dr. Gary Simpson, and leading work and though partners, this cohort will explore the Pastoral Identity in its broadest context.
Social Impact (starts Fall 2023)—This cohort is designed to help pastors and social justice advocates critically and constructively explore the various ways in which the organizations that they serve can access multiple sources of capital (beyond member contributions) to fund community revitalization.
Examining the history of financing religious life as well as biblical and other faith-based paradigms, the cohort explores strategies and practical applications to address the many issues facing local congregations as well as non-profit organizations serving under-resource or low-wealth communities. Students will be taught how to develop partnerships with impact investors, social entrepreneurs and how to collaborate with large corporations and foundations to make a meaningful social impact in their communities.
Led by Pastor-Teacher practitioner, Rev. Dr. Sidney Williams, this cohort will push participants into new arenas of ministry and community engagement.
NOTE: There are additional expectations that students in this cohort will attend designated conferences to enhance the learning experience. Drew University will cover the cost of conference registration associated with this cohort as a part of tuition and fees. However, students are expected to cover all travel related expenses related to their attending any of the required conferences.
Social Impact DMIN (Lead: Sidney Williams) | ||
MODULE I – UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL CAPITAL | ||
Fall 2023 – Group Travel + Online | ||
6 credits | Group Travel to SoCap – October 2023 Individual bi-weekly meeting + group project |
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MODULE II – FISHING DIFFERENTLY | ||
Spring 2024 – Online + Intensive | ||
3 credits | Congregational Studies | |
3 credits | Understanding Congregational and Communal Trauma | |
Summer 2024 – No classes | ||
MODULE III – DEFINING SOCIAL IMPACT | ||
Fall 2024 – Group Travel + Online | ||
6 credits | Group Travel + Individual bi-weekly meeting + group project |
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MODULE IV – SOCIAL IMPACT RESEARCH | ||
Spring 2025 – Summer 2025 | ||
6 credits | Research Module I Proposal and Research |
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MODULE V – SOCIAL IMPACT PROJECT | ||
Fall 2025 – Spring 2026 | ||
6 credits | Research Module II Implementation and Project Completion |
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FINAL GROUP TRAVEL – SOCIAL IMPACT SYMPOSIUM |
All Courageous Leadership students pursue their own research projects. There are also 4 optional specializations available to Courageous Leadership students A specialization includes one required course plus topical research in your electives and professional project.
Courageous Leadership DMIN students can opt to specialize in:
How do students progress through their DMin? The following “roadmap” shows the most effective way to progress through the program so they may graduate on time. Year 1 – Coursework Year 2 and 3 – Research Modules Graduation in May of Year 3.
Program Roadmap
Here is just a few examples of some of the course offerings available to Drew’s DMin cohorts:
Sample Course Descriptions
Drew also offers a concentration for Korean-speaking students in Korean and Korean-American contexts:
Bible, Theology and Leadership in the Korean Context (starts Fall 2024) — A reflective and innovative concentration that focuses on inward and outward examinations of effective practices of ministry in Korean contexts. In the core curriculum, students will learn a pedagogical methodology that places scriptural literacy at the center of Christian formation and congregational practice in order to bring spiritual renewal to the Korean church in both the Korean-American and Korean contexts. Rev. Younglae Kim, PhD, (ykim2@drew.edu) serves as the faculty convenor.
The message of Christ is deeply rooted in the heart of the ministry of South Korea. The lead faculty for this concentration partner together to deepen the study of meaning and ministry in South Korea.
This concentration is a three-year, 30-credit D.Min degree. Credits are earned in a combination of on-campus and online courses held in South Korea. All students will be required to attend the Drew summer intensives in Madison, NJ during the summer of their first year. This concentration begins Fall 2022 and is taught in the Korean language.
Applications are due June 1 for all cohorts beginning in Summer 2023:
• Courageous Leadership (all specializations)
Applications are due July 1 for all cohorts beginning in Fall 2023:
• Bible, Theology and Leadership in the Korean Context
• Pastoral Identity and Partnerships