Garrett-Evangelical News

Congregational Leadership

Recognizing the complex demands placed on pastoral leaders to serve as heralds of the gospel, teachers of the Christian heritage, chief administrative officers of the church, long-range planners, budget directors, program innovators and implementers, and personnel managers, the G-ETS Congregational Leadership track, partnering with Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management,  offers the best possible mix of practical management training and theological education to enhance a pastor's ability to be a more effective leader. Students in this track will develop the necessary skills to understand their own leadership styles, recognize how to best lead in their local congregations, and prepare their congregations to be change agents in their respective contexts.

Admissions

Admissions Requirements:

  • Applicants must have earned a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree or its equivalent.

    Most master's degrees that are not MDivs require at least some additional theology courses for students to meet MDiv equivalency. Please feel free to contact the Registrar's Office to have your transcript evaluated for equivalency.
  • Applicants must have completed at least three years of full-time ministry following the awarding of that degree.

    Applicants do not, however, have to be ordained nor does the ministry have to be in a parish setting.
  • Applicants must be serving in a ministry setting in which the applicant could direct a ministry intervention as part of the final DMin project.

    It is important that applicants have both the access to and support of a ministry setting in which they can complete their final project. This setting could be a parish church, a cluster of local congregations, an annual conference or judicatory, or any other setting appropriate to the practice of ministry being studied by the applicant.

International Student Applicants

The DMin Program offers coursework in intensive sessions twice a year. This schedule has implications for international students and visa applications. Therefore, we are unable to offer F-1 visas for Doctor of Ministy students. 

A completed application consists of:

  • Application Form
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Biographical Essay
  • Sample of Writing
  • 3 letters of reference
  • Ministry site Endorsement Letter
  • Transcripts from all institutions attended
  • $75 application fee
  • Background check (conducted by the seminary, may take up to two weeks to complete)
  • Additional financial and church documents are required of international students in order to satisfy internal and federal requirements.

Detailed information for the application requirements can be found on the online application.

The Doctor of Ministry committee reserves the right to determine in its sole judgment whether an applicant is a suitable candidate for a specific concentration in the DMin program.

Graduation

DMin Degree - 30 semester hours
DMin Degree Grid

The following are a list of courses that are commonly offered as part of this track:

"Administration and Leadership"
"Leadership for Pastor and Laity"
"Spiritual Disciplines for Leadership"
"Stewardship and Institutional Development"

Schedule

Students in the Congregational Leadership track will attend two different types of sessions in the program.

In January and late-June students will attend two-week intensive terms during which they will take two courses. These courses will cover topics related specifically to church leadership, such as stewardship and renewal, as well as providing fundamental research skills for deepening the student's academic facility and helping the student better analyze the local congregation.

In mid-Fall and mid-Spring students will participate in three-day seminars led by Northwestern University and Garrett-Evangelical faculty, covering the latest in management and leadership studies. Each session will conclude with a discussion led by the Garrett-Evangelical faculty member who will facilitate the students' theological reflection on the content from the seminar.

Sample Schedule (based on school years beginning with the Fall semester):

Year 1:
Fall: Apply to program by 1 October, notified of acceptance by 1 November
January: Complete two courses
Summer: Complete two courses

Year 2:
Fall: Attend Kellogg Seminar
January: Complete two courses
Spring: Attend Kellogg Seminar
Summer: Begin working on mid-program material

Year 3:
Fall: Attend Kellogg Seminar
January: Continue working on mid-program material
Spring: Attend Kellogg Seminar, Submit mid-program material for approval
Summer: Begin ministry intervention

Year 4:
Fall: Complete ministry intervention and begin writing final ministry project paper
Spring: Complete and defend final ministry project paper, Graduate

Kellogg Seminars

Students in the Doctor of Ministry track in Congregational Leadership are required to participate in four seminars developed in collaboration with the Center for Non-Profit Management at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Intended to help clergy become more effective leaders in their vocational settings, the seminars are led by faculty members from both schools and will focus on developing increased leadership capacity and application of management principles in congregation and faith-based organizations.

Participants who complete all four seminars will earn a Certificate of Excellence in Church Leadership issued jointly by Garrett-Evangelical and Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

The four seminars are:

  • Leadership and Teams
  • General Management
  • Building External Relationships
  • The Leadership Challenge

UMC Logo Garrett-Evangelical, a seminary related to
The United Methodist Church, welcomes
students from a wide range of faith traditions.