Looking For The Best Doctorate Of Ministry Degree Program (ONLINE)--NEED HELP PLEASE!

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by DoctorMinistry, May 23, 2012.

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  1. b4cz28

    b4cz28 Active Member

    I would get your current debt under control first. Seems you can't pay the $150,000 in loans you have now...why would you take on more debt?
     
  2. He/she is probably betting on that medical discharge of student loans.
     
  3. DoctorMinistry

    DoctorMinistry New Member

    To anyone reading this thread, B4 is talking about a Medical Discharge I JUST got approved for this past Thursday (May 24, 2012). So the plans for a doctorate MIGHT or MIGHT not be in motion. I have to think things through. Does not hurt to research though :)

    B4 is combing my other thread with thread, and I wanted to clarify this for those who have not read the other thread.
     
  4. DoctorMinistry

    DoctorMinistry New Member

    Peacful--I DID get approved for that Medical Discharge just this past week. So I probably will NOT go for the doctorate now that I know this. But it is still good to research and know your options. I just got approved May 24th 2012 like I said, so everything is super fresh and I have a lot to think about etc.
     
  5. Julie1014

    Julie1014 New Member

    You are looking to the government for complete loan forgiveness, yet are contemplating a Doctorate in Ministry? Please help me understand this.....
     
  6. DoctorMinistry

    DoctorMinistry New Member

    Julie...

    Well I was not sure I was going to get approved for the discharge. Not everyone does. I was hoping by coming here that I could find an AFFORDABLE Doctorate Program that I can take out loans. I still have like 20K left or so that I could take out (but obviously not now, since the discharge went through). So I was hoping for something affordable (or perhaps family members that could help me, in particular my dad who knows of my condition). So I was planning on moving forward with things as usual. I have come a long way, against all odd. BUT now again, things have changed. Thus is life, you have to roll with the punches. So hopefully that explains things.

    I honestly did not think I would get approved...so I was planning to move forward with things as usual.
     
  7. Julie1014

    Julie1014 New Member

    NationsUniversity - Tuition-free Online Christian Education - Master of Divinity

    I know you are looking for a Doctorate, but since money is tight, you could check the link I posted above, for a Master of Divinity. I believe it is tuition-free, and I have seen some good threads on this forum about Nations University. I'm not sure what type of accreditation they have.
     
  8. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    From your previous post, you note that you don't NEED a DMin degree. This make sense to me because I can't think of any ministry position that would require a person to have a DMin. So I would recommend that you should pursue your call to ministry work now and work on your MDiv degree part time. This doesn't rule out a DMin degree for the future of course, just sounds like while it would be nice to have it doesn't make sense to do it now.

    You may want to investigate parachurch ministries. I worked with Campus Crusade for several years and it was generally a good experience, although many workers at such ministries are responsible for raising all or part of their own funding. One advantage to working with this sort of ministry is that they usually don't require any kind of theological degree, and by working with them you get experience to put on your resume to potentially get hired by a church later on.
     
  9. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    Just a note re Nations ... they seem like a genuinely caring institution that is trying to provide legitimate free education, but they are not currently accredited. They are working towards DETC but it's anyone's guess as to how close they are.
     
  10. DoctorMinistry

    DoctorMinistry New Member

    Thanks Julie and thank you Emmzee. I am checking out the Nations University right now, and it sounds good. Maybe I do have to take a step back and do this type of degree. I tend to get ahead of myself sometimes. Doing this will bridge the gap and then and only THEN will I be able to do a Doctorate much much later on in my life if time and money permits. So I just have to take a step back and rethink this whole thing...thanks guys for all your help. It is VERY helpful and it is VERY appreciated.
     
  11. I'm somewhat confused. So you have got approved yet you aren't going to do a doctorate? Just want to make sure I want to understand that correctly. I assumed (that's what I get for assuming lol) that since your loans would be discharged you would enroll in another problem...just making sure I'm wrong and following your logic.
     
  12. PilgrimPastor

    PilgrimPastor New Member

    DMin programs ate going to require the MDiv and pastoral experience of some type. PhD in theology is going to require at least an MA in Religion / Theology. Here is a thought; I wonder if your MBA would get you into Tennessee Temple's fairly low residency PhD in leadership in their Divinity (I think they are changing the concentration titles, maybe religion now) track.

    You can go their site, call them or email Dr Alexson to find out. If so, that may be an option for you to get right into a doctoral program related to your MBA and sort "crossover" to a religious studies program in religious studies / leadership.
     
  13. scottae316

    scottae316 New Member

    I also know of no credible program that will allow someone to enter a D.Min without an M.Div. Also most D.Min programs that I have checked also require at least three years of ministry experience before acceptance and many want five years. You have stated you want to enter the ministry, but have provided no specifics. Do you want to be a church pastor, work in missions, parachurch, or what. Also what is your church affiliation? Many denominations have a specific program for those wanting to enter the ministry including approved seminaries. I was in the process of becoming a full ordained pastor in a mainline denomination but left. This may I completed a local "Bible School" and was licensed as a minister and will probably be ordained next summer. My undergrad was in Biblical Studies and Philosophy and I have an M.Div. If I can be of any further help just ask.
     
  14. lifelonglearner

    lifelonglearner New Member

    Help with Discernment

    You may find it helpful to work with a spiritual director. You may need to have an initial meeting with three or four directors to find the right fit. It is not necessary to work with someone from your particular religious denomination and may find it especially helpful to work with someone from another denomination or faith tradition. A director does not tell you what to do, but helps you figure out where you are in your relationship to the divine, and to develop a reflection process to help you grow spiritually.

    It is best to work with someone who has an M.Div. or the equivalent, ministry experience, and has completed a formal spiritual director educational process. The best resource I know of for this is Spiritual Directors International. You can look for a director through: Seek and Find Guide : Terms of Use - Spiritual Directors International

    If you have access to Netflix watch the excellent four part documentary "The Calling" the listed description is:

    "What does it take to truly commit one's life to serving God? In this documentary series, seven Muslims, Catholics, Evangelical Christians and Jews embark on a life-changing journey to become professional clergy."
     
  15. rmm0484

    rmm0484 Member

    Far be it for any of us to cast the first stone.

    My undergrad GPA was 2.39, I had to become a provisional student in grad school, for which I eventually received a 3.54.

    Many of our paths have been winding, few of us can see a straight path to our destiny...

    There are schools in South Africa that will allow you to do a distance PhD, but they may ask for prerequisites. The very respectable SATS comes to mind...
    South African Theological Seminary - Christian Online Learning: Bible, College, Seminary Degrees

    There has been some discussion about SATS on this board....
    See http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/37417-south-african-theological-seminary-phd.html
     
  16. Zealot4Truth

    Zealot4Truth New Member

    Hi - I figured I'd weigh in just a little here, and please, do not take anything I say out of context. I hold a M.Div. from Liberty (which I got online), and I can tell you that it will not get you into Liberty's Ph.D. in Theology and Apologetics program. They want residentially obtained M.Div.'s with substantial ministry experience in order to be accepted. I had a 3.96 GPA for my entire 90 hour M.Div. with them (only 1 B out of 30 classes), and I was rejected for 2 years. And I do have a good deal of ministry experience, though not in the full-time pastorate. It is not about that there though, as they consider that their highest "academic" degree, and want ONLY students with a heavy academic background. For whatever reason, Liberty themselves do not consider their online M.Div. to be an "academic" degree.

    There are other schools I'm sure you can get into, though it will probably be a D.Min. and not a Ph.D. or Th.D. There is also the issue that you are a woman. There are very few schools who will allow admittance of a woman into a normal Ph.D. in Theology or anything in that area unless it is strictly for counseling or something along those lines. This is because the Scriptures do clearly say that a woman is not permitted to teach a man, and most seminaries take that to the grave (rightly so).

    As someone else asked, what type of ministry is it you feel you are called to? Counseling would be a great option, and there are a good number of online counseling programs. Liberty's Ph.D. in Counseling is actually far far far easier to get into than their Ph.D. in Theology and Apologetics anyway. And, if you don't want to officially "counsel," there are plenty of non-accredited schools you could attend also. I can assure you, for general church teaching, there are VERY FEW churches who will care if your degree is from an accredited school or not. And, like someone else mentioned, you really don't need a doctorate in the field of ministry unless you want to teach at seminary. Honestly, that is the absolute only reason I can see for wanting/needing a doctorate in ministry. That was what I wanted to do, but I have since given up on that ambition and pursuing other routes.

    I do teach online for Tyndale Theological Seminary and Biblical Institute, and they offer many programs (very cheap) online. They are not accredited, and do not desire to seek accreditation, but they are a very rigorous and academically grounded school. I'd suggest checking them out.

    I'd love to answer any other questions you might have.

    Thanks.
     
  17. Zealot4Truth

    Zealot4Truth New Member

    I forgot to mention, as someone else touched upon also...there is the issue of what type of church you want to be associated with. I can tell you (again from experience), that where you obtain your degree will matter for what type of church/school you can work/teach at. For instance, I obtained my M.Div. from Liberty, and tried to get a job teaching online undergraduate religion for Indiana Wesleyan, and they advised me that because Liberty was a "Baptist" seminary that they would not hire me, as we have different beliefs on salvation and other issues. I agree, but for undergraduate study, you generally don't get into those issues anyway. Needless to say, this is just one example of showing how it does matter where you obtain it as it relates to where you want to work. This would be the same for most churches also.
     

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