Master of Arts, International Family Ministry: Children’s Ministry (Partner Sites) Two-Year Plan

Program Description

The Master of Arts in International Family Ministry – Children’s Ministry track is a 30 hour degree program that stresses the application of biblical, theological, ministerial, and leadership principles to the design of innovative family ministries in various global contexts. Regardless of their chosen track, all students will complete 7 required core courses. These courses cover the biblical, theological, ministerial (with a special emphasis on family ministry skills), and strategic leadership foundations necessary for leading family ministries in the 21st century. The final 3 courses focus on ministry skills that are contextualized to children’s ministry in global contexts. Students who complete this degree program will be able to:

1. Articulate the ongoing priority, opportunities, and challenges of ministering to children and youth in the 21st, global context.
2. Be equipped to design ministry for the flourishing of children and youth with integrative and theological thinking that draws from complementary disciplines of developmental psychology, education, research, and spiritual formation.
3. Develop foundational skills for creating contexts and content best suited for holistic flourishing in children and youth. This includes:
   • A utilization of the skills of teaching to children and youth
   • Scriptural knowledge of the Bible’s principles and content
   • An ability to create environments and programs conducive for spiritual formation
4. Integrate knowledge of, lessons from, and understanding of contemporary cultural issues into a particular context of youth and children’s ministry.
5. Be conversant in contemporary models for engaging children and youth.
6. Build ministry teams to sustain and support ministry to children and youth.
7. Continue personal development as a leader.

The maximum number of C grades allowed in a graduate program is two and the minimum GPA requirement is a 3.0. Grades of less than C- will not be counted toward degree completion.