Doctor of Ministry
Concentration in Evangelism, Mission & Church Growth
Objectives
Within the nine courses required for the Doctor of Ministry program, four of them must be in this concentration area. An Evangelism, Mission and Church Growth concentration gives you:
- Mastery of the normative literatures that form the effective practice of evangelism, church growth, and cross-cultural service and witness.
- Capacity to integrate missiological learning with broader theological knowledge and with relevant secular knowledge.
- Ability to apply missiological knowledge to the practice of ministry in evangelism and mission with cultural adaptation and effectiveness; and to reflect upon and learn from ministry experiences.
- Informed, and comfortable self-understanding as an ambassador for Christ and a leader in Christian evangelism and mission.
Outstanding Course Offerings
- Church Growth for Local Churches
- Leadership for Church Growth
- Communication of the Gospel
- New Church Development
- Theology of Christian Evangelism
- Revitalizing Small Churches
- Christian Witness and Other Faiths
Our Professors Make the Difference
- Dr. Ronald K. Crandall B.S., D.Th.P.
McCreless Professor of Evangelism
Expertise: Evangelism, Church Growth, Small Churches, Discipleship
Dr. Crandall has significant local church and denominational experience. He is an ordained elder of the Kentucky United Methodist Annual Conference, and has pastored in Arizona and California. Dr. Crandall frequently speaks at conferences, seminars, and workshops. He authors several books on evangelism including, Turn Around Strategies for Small Churches.
- Dr. George G. Hunter III B.A., B.D., Th.M., Ph.D.
Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth
Expertise: Evangelism, Church Growth, Communication Theory, Leadership and Change Agentry
Dr. Hunter is the dean of Asbury Seminary’s ESJ School of World Mission and Evangelism. As a young seminary student, he spent eight weeks sharing his faith with dozens of "Muscle Beach" surfers, beatniks, and body builders. That experience set Hunter on a lifetime quest that has placed him among the world’s leading authorities on communicating the Gospel to secular people. He has authored several books, including Abingdon Press’ top professional book in 1992, How to Reach Secular People.
- Dr. Robert G. Tuttle Jr. A.B., B.D., M.A., Ph.D.
Professor of Evangelism
Expertise: Theology, Historical Theology
Dr. Tuttle taught at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Oral Roberts School of Theology, and Fuller Theological Seminary. He has extensive pastoral experience. In addition to his knowledge of evangelism, he is a recognized scholar in the area of Wesleyan studies. Dr. Tuttle has written nine books and scores of articles for such magazines as Good News, Charisma, and Manna. Dr. Tuttle is a member of the American Academy of Religion and the Academy of Evangelism.
- Dr. A. H. Mathias Zahniser B.A., M.I.S., B.D., Ph.D.
John Wesley Beeson Professor of Christian Mission
Expertise: World Religions, Islam
Dr. Zahniser has taught at Greenville College and Central Michigan University and served as a pastor in New York and a missionary to the Arab Republic of Egypt. Dr. Zahniser has published more than thirty articles in magazines and journals and has delivered several papers for such groups as Qur’anic Studies Section of the American Academy of Religions and American Society of Missiology.
Biblically Sound
The Christian faith rests on the personal self-revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the philosophy of education at Asbury begins with the Christian faith which centers in God as revealed in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and as witnessed in the Holy Scriptures by the Holy Spirit.
While Asbury Seminary stands within the Wesleyan tradition and holds to a clearly defined statement of faith, the faculty is committed to academic freedom. Central to all academic work at the seminary are two commitments: the first to Jesus Christ as sovereign Lord and the second to the pursuit of truth as a corporate and personal vocation.
Faculty members are committed to objective study and discussion of all theological opinions, and the seminary regards liberty of conscience as an important dimension of theological and personal integrity.
Course Descriptions
- DM 831 Church Growth for Local Churches (3) - Hunter
A course that focuses upon the "expansion growth" of local churches from the insights of Church Growth literature, with attention to planning and implementing the changes in churches that free them to achieve Great Commission objectives.
- DM 832 Building a Church for the Unchurched (3) - Hunter
Studies in organizational leadership, especially the leadership of change, applied to the contemporary challenge of helping local churches move from tradition to mission and become effective "apostolic" churches. Draws from the writings and legacy of Lyle Schaller.
- DM 834 New Church Development (3) - Crandall
This course gives an orientation to the theological, sociological and practical dimensions of starting new churches in the USA.
- DM 835 Theology of Christian Evangelism (3) - Crandall/Tuttle
This course presents evangelism as the controlling purpose of all divine revelation and clarifies the doctrines immediately related to the propagation of the gospel. Various theologies of evangelism will be examined in light of both their historical and contemporary expressions. The course seeks to clarify, from a Wesleyan perspective, the basic gospel message and aid students in their design of theologically appropriate methods and motivations for its communication in order that we may be better equipped as "ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20).
- DM 836 Revitalizing Small Churches (3) - Crandall
A course designed to give an intensive examination of the special historical, theological, sociological and pragmatic dynamics of smaller congregations with attention to the challenges and opportunities for evangelism effectiveness in such settings.
- DM 837 Anthropology for American Church Ministry (3) - Rynkiewich
A course designed for Beeson Pastors, to give a delineation of the shape, origins and major components and traits of American cultures and subcultures, enables ministers to see their own culture more objectively, understand its people, and communicate and lead more indigenously and effectively.
- DM 838 Christian Witness and Other Faiths (3) - Staff
This course offers a survey of key issues in the encounter between Christianity and other religions. Looks at some historical precedents as well as contemporary trends including pluralism. Students are encouraged to develop a theology of religious encounter.
- DM 839 Issues in Evangelism, Missions & Church Growth (3) - Staff
This seminar addresses a variety of topics in evangelism, mission, and church growth through the use of resident and visiting faculty. It focuses on contemporary and emerging issues, and draws upon the expertise of noted experts in the field of evangelism, mission, and church growth in order to optimize flexibility and relevance for the doctoral student. (Occasional and experimental--Instructor to be assigned.)