A transformational journey of discipleship focused on helping you develop vocational excellence in your current or desired context – all on your time and from wherever you are.
This Doctor of Ministry is a practical and professional degree program. It is centered around a praxis model of theological reflection that stresses the continual interaction and integration of the biblical, theological, and cultural disciplines in ministry. If you are seeking continued development in a program that is rooted in your context and have exhibited exceptional leadership and academic ability, this program is for you!
By inviting Kairos to walk on this journey with you, you’re seizing a unique opportunity to deepen your faith while simultaneously developing the content, character, and craft to flourish in your vocation. You’ll develop a mentor team that walks with you throughout the entire program. And then, we will invite you to integrate discipleship, vocational excellence, and proficiency learning.
The Doctor of Ministry is 36 credit hours and consists of the following phases and courses:
Program Entry Phase
You’ll begin the program in the preliminary Starting Well course and the required Foundations Seminar.
Foundations Seminar/Project Proposal
Your mentor team will help you finalize your project proposal. Effective Project Design is complete once the Foundations Seminar has been taken and the project proposal is approved.
Integration and Directed Learning Phase
After you successfully complete the Foundations Seminar and your project proposal is approved, you will move onto the Integration Seminars and Directed Learning Experiences.
Integration seminars are required. They may be taken in any order after completion of the Foundations Seminar. However, Biblical and Theological Understanding is typically taken first. Prior to each seminar, you will do extensive background reading and then prepare a 30-40 minute presentation (in consultation with
your mentor team) that will be presented to and evaluated by peers.
Directed Learning Experiences significantly contribute to the final project and allow for concentration in a particular area of ministry in relationship to the final project. Planning for these experiences takes place within the Foundations Seminar and as part of the project proposal.
Directed Learning Experience I
Directed Learning Experience II
Program Completion Phase
The program comes to a close with the successful completion of a final project and Continuing Well.
Mentors commit themselves to the student’s full educational process. Beyond evaluators and supporters, mentors are co-learners with students. They invest considerable time and energy to steward your journey of discipleship and to help you flourish in your vocation.
Faculty mentors are approved members of the Kairos faculty. Obviously, all faculty mentors are acquainted with academic standards and scholarly research. More importantly, they are skilled integrationists who have a desire to help students deepen their faith and flourish in their chosen vocations. Kairos assigns a faculty mentor with appropriate disciplinary expertise to serve on each team.
Vocational mentors are aware of and often active in the student’s current context and/or role. In most cases, vocational mentors are supervisors, leaders, experienced colleagues, or those familiar with the context and its requirements. Students are empowered to identify and invite the vocational mentor who will serve on their team. Vocational mentors need not be doctorally qualified but should bring some high-level expertise to the team.
Personal mentors are confidants or individuals from whom students wish to learn. They must have, or be willing to develop, a close relationship with the student. Personal mentors provide spiritual companionship because they are rooted in faith. Students are empowered to identify and invite the personal mentor who will serve on their team. Personal mentors need not be doctorally qualified but should bring some high-level expertise to the team.
While engaged in this program, you will walk with a mentor team through the following:
With a focus on formation, biblical study, vocational discernment, theological reflection, and integrated practice, the Doctor of Ministry helps you connect your journey of discipleship with what God is doing in the world. Through the program, you will develop and demonstrate proficiency in its seven integrated outcomes: Starting Well, Effective Project Design, Bible and Theology, Integration in Ministry, Sociology and Culture, Final Project Completion, and Continuing Well.
Many students count the peer reflection seminars as a highlight of their time in Kairos. Over the course of your time in the program, you will participate in four peer reflections seminars – twice as an observer and twice as a presenter. In these seminars, students give a presentation on some aspect of their doctoral project and then engage in a facilitated dialogue with their peers.
Learning experiences in Kairos are built around an invitation for you to explore some aspect of your vocation, Christian thought and practice, or the human experience. You have the opportunity to progress through these learning experiences in the way that is most helpful to you in your context and vocation. You also have the opportunity to work with faculty members to create entirely new or customized learning experiences that help you develop vocational excellence and expertise. Learn more about customized learning here. In the Doctor of Ministry program, you will develop and complete two of these customized learning experiences in collaboration with your mentor team.
You will be invited to complete a final project in which you integrate your learning, theology, and practice. The project is intended to help you take the next best step in your vocational context by planning, conducting, and reflecting on a project that you completed in your context while engaged in the program. You will work with your mentor team to customize or concentrate in any area of interest. This means you can focus on anything from missional theology, systems design and thinking, pastoral care, or chaplaincy to biblical languages, spiritual formation and direction, finances, strategic leadership, and much more. The choice is yours!
We’d love to help you discern if this is the next best step for you. Start a conversation with us today or check out our “Discerning Your Calling” step-by-step guide.
Ready to move forward? Here are a few things you’ll need to get started (more details in the catalog).