An Introduction to Denver Seminary's DMin Program

Come to be Transformed

Transformation is what our Doctor of Ministry program is about: transformation of your life and ministry. You can’t move forward if nothing changes. You are transformed into “a better me,” not into someone else. We teach you to ask:

“How can I use what I’ve got?” rather than,
“How can I be what I’m not?”


Students say:

  • “I am now more accepting of myself as a leader. I feel more equipped and understanding about what leadership is.”
  • “It has helped me better understand myself and my skills, weaknesses and strengths.”

Mentoring is a part of the transformation process. You work with mentors of your choosing to implement what you’re learning. You and your mentors are trained in the mentoring relationship through an online course.

Two areas are key to your development: you must see reality and respond effectively. If you don’t see reality you can’t know what to do. Only when you see reality can you respond effectively.


Students say:

  • “I was encouraged to think in different ways (outside the box).”
  • “This is revolutionary to my life and thought.”
  • “I figured out some organizational position issues—very, very relevant.”

Denver Seminary’s goal for master’s level students is to teach them to think biblically, live faithfully and lead wisely for a lifetime. In the Doctor of Ministry program, our aim is to help you do that with people in your ministry.


Students say: 

  • “My thinking and approach has been altered significantly.”
  • “Addressing the relationship between the gospel and the moral health of the church has been most helpful to my ministry.”

 

Areas of Study

Leadership

There are four concentrations with different emphases.

Leadership in Preaching and Pastoral Ministry
Emphasizes “knowing,” that is, you communicate truth in ways that lead people—they know the right direction. You learn to lead people from where they are to where they need to go. You give them purpose.

Church and Parachurch Executive Leadership
Emphasizes “doing,” that is, you lead your people forward to accomplish what the Lord has for you to do. “Knowing” and “being” are suspect if nothing ever gets done. People “do” out of what they know and are.

Leadership in Community Spiritual Formation
Emphasizes “being,” that is, you lead the whole community to grow spiritually by first accepting them as they are. “It’s O.K. to be me.” You lead different people differently depending upon their spiritual level.

Leadership in Global Urban Ministry
Emphasizes ministry through understanding and addressing systems (social systems, employment structures, politics, etc.) that constrain life in the urban centers of the world. It’s about personal transformation and system transformation.

Marriage and Family Counseling

Increases students’ effectiveness as marriage and family counselors. They learn to multiply themselves by establishing a variety of programs, in Christian and non-Christian settings, to further healthy marriages and families. They learn to lead through teaching, training, mentoring, and discipling others.

Students say:

  • “I like how the professors took abstract concepts and helped us to use them in a practical situation.”
  • “Immediate impact on my personal and professional life.”
  • “Open doors to access more accurate utilization of Scripture in ministry to marriages and families.”