Doctor of Ministry

The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) is designed to sustain pastors and ministry leaders for the challenges of ministry. This 30 credit hour degree lets you learn from leaders in ministry, and has a dissertation that will send you deeply into a practical area of ministry that you are currently facing. The result is that you are better equipped and sustained for the mission the Lord has called you to.

Questions Ministry leaders face

 

How do I develop needed skills for the ministry challenges I am facing?

 

Where do I find renewed energy and vision for the next season of ministry?

 

With whom can I safely explore sustainability questions in a life of ministry?

 

Covenant Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry gives pastors and ministry leaders the space to ask these questions and the environment to find answers.

As you work towards your dissertation, you will also gain skills and wisdom from ministry mentors to provide solutions specific to your ministry context. Through flexible seminar-style residencies, you can develop relationships with peers, faculty, and other experts to gain clarity and growth towards your next season of fruitful ministry.

Benefits of the Doctor of Ministry

Church steeple

theory meets ministry

The Doctor of Ministry is designed to meet your actual ministry challenges. Rather than offering a philosophical experience, the DMin is a practical ministry degree designed to pair advanced theology and ministry theory with the needs of the church and your actual ministry.

 

Learn from seasoned pastoral leaders

Have you ever wished you could consult with experts in the challenges you are facing? You can. Courses are taught by leaders in their fields of ministry expertise. Learn from people who have been where you are and can offer wisdom and guidance for your ministry journey.

 

A dissertation rooted in your actual needs

You determine the trajectory of your dissertation based on your unique experience and ministry area. Want to learn how to navigate your local culture? How to understand your ministry’s power dynamics? How to preach to your mission field? All topics that can be pursued within your dissertation.

 

Learn alongside others like you

Ministry can be lonely. Fight back against the isolation by learning alongside other pastors and ministry leaders like yourself who can sharpen you for the task ahead.

Additional DMin benefits

  • One-Week Residencies

    Courses are offered as a series of one-week residencies. Most courses take place on our St. Louis campus, though some are occasionally hosted at other strategic locations around the United States.

  • Be renewed by work you enjoy

    Dive into topics that will have a direct benefit to your personal spiritual life, your ministry, and thus the health of your church. Your dissertation will focus on a personal ministry topic of your choosing.

  • Scholarships available

    Covenant Seminary will match funds that students receive from their ministry organization or church up to a maximum of one-third of tuition per course. See more details about this and other scholarships below.

Program Requirements

Applicants must have an accredited Master of Divinity (MDiv). For applicants without an accredited MDiv, exceptions can be made for those who hold an accredited theological master’s degree (or academic equivalent), with a minimum of 48 credit hours and a minimum 3.0 GPA.*

All applicants will be evaluated in six areas of ministry competency, including significant ministry experience that enables them to engage as a ministry peer with other students pursuing an advanced, professional doctorate.

The DMin application essay will look for applicants to express understanding of scriptural interpretation, their theological context, an understanding of their ministry identity and calling, and a readiness to engage in ongoing personal and spiritual formation.

* Applicants who do not meet these requirements should read exceptions in the FAQs below.

 
 

Format

The Doctor of Ministry is a 30 credit hour degree. Usually this degree takes 3-4 years to complete.

Courses are offered as one-week residencies, mostly on our St. Louis campus, but with occasional courses offered at other strategic locations around the United States. Readings and other preparation for week-long courses take place before the course meets in person. Often there will be appropriate follow-up assignments afterward.

Students learn under a faculty of pastor-scholars alongside a community of peer learners.

 

Degree Tracks

Cohort Track

The DMin Cohort Track is structured for individuals interested in focusing on a key area of learning and development. The cohort-based approach provides focused, collaborative instruction by experienced ministry leaders in the context of trusted peer relationships. Both the structure of the cohort and the self-reflection it promotes allows participants to hone their capacity to lead through the challenges of growth, change and loss.

  • DMin: The Compelling Preaching Cohort, May 2025. The Compelling Preaching Cohort enhances seasoned preachers' ability to communicate the gospel effectively across diverse cultural contexts while addressing typical pastoral challenges. Through Christ-centered preaching as the cornerstone, participants delve into topics like preaching in a post-everything world, engaging hip hop culture, prophetic preaching in cultural moments, and innovative digital preaching. Facilitated by Covenant Seminary Homiletics Director Dr. Thurman Williams, the cohort begins May 2025.

    • Week 1: May 19–23, 2025, in St. Louis: Preaching Christ in a Secular Age

    • Week 2: January 20–23, 2026, in St. Louis: Preaching Christ Cross-Culturally in Today’s World

    • Week 3: May 18–22, 2026, in St. Louis: Prophetic Preaching in Cultural Moments.

    • Week 4: January 19–22, 2027, in St. Louis: Christ-Centered Preaching in Hip Hop Culture.

    • Week 5: May 17–21, 2027, in St. Louis: Preaching Christ in a Digital Age

    • Week 6: January 18–21, 2028, in St. Louis: Dissertation Preparation

  • DMin: Leadership in Ministry Cohort, Summer 2025. The Leadership in Ministry Cohort addresses the leadership challenges that ministry leaders regularly face. Studies show that pastors spend 45–65% of their time on leadership responsibilities. By weaving a biblically informed and grace-based spirituality together with the best practices of organizational leadership, participants are better prepared to navigate these real-world ministry situations. Facilitated by Covenant Seminary President Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs and Dr. Clay Smith, Senior Pastor, Central Presbyterian Church (St. Louis), the cohort begins Summer 2025. Cohort meeting dates:

    • Week 1: May 19–23, 2025, in St. Louis: Introduction to the Task of Leadership

    • Week 2: January 12–16, 2026, in St. Louis: Sustaining and Flourishing in the Task of Leadership

    • Week 3: June 1–5, 2026 (Seattle or NYC): Politics of Ministry and Conflict Negotiation

    • Week 4: January 11–15, 2027, in San Antonio: Visioning and Alignment

    • Week 5: June 7–11, 2027, in St. Louis: Governance and Execution

    • Week 6: January 10–14, 2028, in St. Louis: Dissertation Preparation

 

ADVANCED MINISTRY PRACTICE TRACK

The Advanced Ministry Practice Track offers a dynamic framework for those eager to blend diverse disciplines, crafting a personalized academic journey at their own pace. Students have the flexibility to delve into concentrations that resonate most with them. Additionally, students have the freedom to enrich their studies with self-guided explorations on niche subjects of vocational and personal relevance.

Upcoming Courses

COMMUNICATING CHRIST IN A SECULAR AGE

May 19 – 23, 2025

Instructor: Dr. J. Walter H. Nilsson, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, Lexington Park, MD

How do communicators communicate sermons and messages that faithfully exposit Scripture while engaging the underlying secular narratives through which their listeners interpret the sermon? How can communicators identify the narratives that shape their hearers (and themselves!)? How can communicators engage these narratives and draw their listeners to Jesus Christ, our ultimate hope? This course equips expositors to engage the false narratives of their own ministry context with the hope that is only found in Jesus Christ.

Expanding Your Ministry Skills

January 13 – 17, 2025

Instructors: Dr. Robert Kim, CTS Assoc. Prof. of Applied Theology & Church Planting, and Dr. Mike Park, Assoc. Pastor, Grace Church DC

In order to lead cross-cultural ministries, the ministry leader will require new tools (2 Tim. 4:1-5). Seminaries can often train ministry leaders with a biblical theological mindset without taking into account cultural considerations. This module will focus on ministry skills such as preaching, teaching, evangelism, counseling, developing leaders, and community engagement. Meets in St. Louis, MO.

Engaging the Culture

May 19 – 23, 2025

Instructors: Dr. Robert Kim, CTS Assoc. Prof. of Applied Theology & Church Planting, and Dr. Mike Park, Assoc. Pastor, Grace Church DC

North America is changing culturally at a rapid pace and the church is often slow to respond. The church is called to be light in the midst of darkness (John 8:12). In this module, we will walk through the call to love our neighbor, social and racial issues, apologetics, politics, and biblically faithful cultural engagement. The module will take place in our nation’s capital engaging with thought leaders around these issues. Meets in New York City, NY.

Dissertation Preparation

May 19 – 23, 2025

Instructor: Dr. Joel Hathaway, Covenant Seminary Director of Alumni & Career Services, DMin Program Director

This workshop provides an overview of a qualitative dissertation development process, with an emphasis on gaining skills and practice in doctoral-level research and writing. Topics include identifying a researchable problem of interest, designing research questions, selecting and surveying appropriate literature, choosing research methods, practicing data analysis, and writing interview protocol questions. This course prepares students to pursue research for a standard 5-chapter “general” qualitative dissertation. Students should have completed their coursework or, with permission, have only one course outstanding. Meets in St. Louis, MO.

The Arts and transcendence for an Immanent Generation

August 4 – 8, 2025

Instructor: Dr. Mark Meynell, Director (Europe & Caribbean), Langham Preaching

For many evangelicals, the arts are “nice-to-have” features of church life at best, and a distraction and diversion from gospel priorities at worst. This might have been sustainable in cultures largely shaped by enlightenment ideas because such a mindset is itself an expression of enlightened rather than biblical assumptions. But in a secularized society haunted by, but buffered against, transcendent realities (to adopt Charles Taylor’s terms), our ministries will increasingly be unable to connect with the world around us. This is not a matter of losing confidence in Scriptural authority or the importance of preaching; it is about recognizing the need to be cross-cultural workers in our own cultures, understanding prevailing thought patterns and what it means to be made in God’s image as people of reason and imaginations. The course will draw deeply from the likes of the Inklings (especially C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien) but also Samuel Taylor Coleridge, George Steiner, Malcolm Guite, and many others.

Church Planting and Revitalization

January 12 – 16, 2026

Preaching Christ Cross-Culturally in today’s World

January 20 – 23, 2026

Prophetic Preaching in Cultural Moments

May 18 – 22, 2026

Instructors: Dr. Robert Kim, CTS Assoc. Prof. of Applied Theology & Church Planting, and Dr. Mike Park, Assoc. Pastor, Grace Church DC

As North America becomes more culturally disparate, there will be a greater need and opportunity for cross-cultural church planting and revitalization. Naturally, this will require a new generation of church leaders to be equipped for Jesus’s ongoing work of building his church that will ultimately prevail (Matt. 16). This module will explore the unique work of church planting and revitalization and hear from experienced leaders who have plumbed the depth of church planting and revitalization. Meets in St. Louis, MO.

Instructor: Dr. Thurman Williams, Assistant Professor of Homiletics & Director of Homiletics

In an increasingly more diverse world, how do preachers effectively and faithfully preach Christ across cultures? This course will review biblical principles and seasoned wisdom to equip preachers to wisely and effectively communicate Jesus from the Bible in various contexts that are different from their own. This course will examine various narratives from different cultures and help preachers think creatively of how to engage them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Meets in St. Louis, MO.

Instructor: Dr. Thurman Williams, Assistant Professor of Homiletics & Director of Homiletics

Civil unrest. Elections. Protests. Viral social media moments. When these cultural moments happen what is the response of the preacher? For some, the temptation may be to avoid speaking for fear of enflaming division in the body of Christ. Others may be tempted to chase every cultural happening in the name of “relevance.” This DMin course will help the faithful preacher to speak powerfully, prophetically, wisely, and relevantly to the cultural moments of our time, while remaining faithful to God’s word. Meets in St. Louis, MO.

Dissertation Preparation

May 18 – 22, 2026

Instructor: TBD

This workshop provides an overview of a qualitative dissertation development process, with an emphasis on gaining skills and practice in doctoral-level research and writing. Topics include identifying a researchable problem of interest, designing research questions, selecting and surveying appropriate literature, choosing research methods, practicing data analysis, and writing interview protocol questions. This course prepares students to pursue research for a standard 5-chapter “general” qualitative dissertation. Students should have completed their coursework or, with permission, have only one course outstanding. Meets in St. Louis, MO.

Leading in Tumultuous Times

May 18 – 22, 2026

Instructor: Dr. Philip Ryken, President of Wheaton College, and Dr. Joel Hathaway, Director of Alumni & Career Services at Covenant Seminary

Explore the dynamic history of impactful leaders during times of cultural upheaval. Uncover the principles of effective leadership through the inspiring biographies of key figures who navigated political, religious, economic, and humanitarian crises with enthusiasm, efficacy, and resilience. Gain insights applicable to addressing contemporary challenges in the 21st century, toward effective leadership in the contexts you serve.

Vocationally Healthy Spirituality

August 2 – 7, 2026

Christ-Centered Preaching in Hip-Hop Culture

January 18 – 22, 2027

Preaching Christ in a Digital Age

May 17 – 21, 2027

Instructor: Dr. Damein Schitter, Senior Pastor, New City Orlando

This course is designed to explore the integral relationship between Christian spirituality and vocation, with a focus on cultivating a coherent, holistic, and healthy approach to discerning and stewarding one's vocation. Participants will engage with theological foundations of calling and vocation, current literature on work and calling, and emotional and spiritual maturity. The course will place special emphasis on the health of pastors and leaders as a crucial aspect of guiding others toward vocational health.

Instructor: Dr. Thurman Williams, Assistant Professor of Homiletics & Director of Homiletics

This course will examine the core concerns (e.g. dignity, identity, significance, empowerment) of today’s younger generations and what avenues people look to outside of Christ to have those concerns addressed. The course will explore how the vital doctrines of the reformed faith actually speak to those concerns and how to craft and deliver Christ-centered sermons that speak powerfully and effectively to them. Meets in St. Louis, MO.

Instructor: Dr. Thurman Williams, Assistant Professor of Homiletics & Director of Homiletics

What does the faithful preacher make of social media, artificial intelligence, virtual church campuses, and the like? How does the expositor utilize the redemptive aspects of these tools, while avoiding their overuse, misuse, and abuse? This course will help the preacher to utilize digital means to effectively proclaim the gospel to a wider audience and to deepen discipleship in their context. Meets in St. Louis, MO.

Doctor of Ministry Scholarship

Covenant Seminary will match funds that students receive from their ministry organizations or churches up to a maximum of one-third of tuition per course, for a two-thirds tuition scholarship. In order to be eligible for this scholarship, the DMin student must apply and be admitted to the degree and apply for financial aid by completing the Application for DMin Scholarship by the appropriate deadline before the start of his or her course. The student’s ministry organization or church should complete the Ministry-Match Intent Form. DMin students who do not have funding from their ministry organization or church may also apply for scholarship. These applications will be considered based on need and availability of funds. DMin students are not eligible for federal student loans.

For more information on financial aid, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

Frequently asked Questions

  • Yes. If an applicant does not meet the regular admissions criteria, the Seminary will review the applicant in the following areas: (a) the ability to interpret scripture and the theological tradition of one’s ministry context, (b) the capacity to understand and adapt one’s ministry to the cultural context, (c) a basic self-understanding of one’s ministerial identity and vocational calling, (d) a readiness to engage in ongoing personal and spiritual formation for one’s ministry, (e) an accredited master’s degree (or its educational equivalent) in an area related to one’s ministry setting or vocational calling, and (f) significant ministerial experience that enables the applicant to engage as a ministry peer with other students in this advanced professional doctorate.

    If admitted, applicants who do not have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their master’s degree (or its educational equivalent) will be on academic probation through their first 8-credits (2 standard courses).

  • The DMin degree includes 30 credits spanning 8 courses. The program has two tracks. The Advanced Ministry Practice track allows students the flexibility to craft areas of concentration specific to their ministry passions. The Cohort track clusters students around a specific topic of research and exploration. Recent and forthcoming cohorts have focused or will focus on areas such as Apologetics & Communications, Ministry Leadership, and Leading the Cross-Cultural Church. Cohort options change periodically, so be sure to check this page for updates.

    The first 5 courses in the program comprise specific areas of study and research. Each course is 4-credits. You may select from regularly scheduled courses and independent study courses. Your sixth course, Dissertation Preparation, strengthens your grasp of the qualitative method, and it helps you establish your topic of research. Your seventh course is a faculty-supervised writing course focusing on Chapter 2 of your dissertation, the literature review. Dissertation Defense is the last course in the program, and the only course that is 2-credits.

  • To accommodate your demanding ministry schedule, DMin Courses are offered in one-week residency format. Residencies include five days of live, interactive learning. Most residency courses are held at the main Covenant Seminary campus in St. Louis, with occasional courses held at other strategic locations around the United States. Residencies are usually offered in January, May/June, and August. Readings and assignments in preparation for class usually take place before the residency week, with appropriate follow-up assignments afterward as applicable.

  • Each DMin course requires about 48 hours of pre-course work (8 hours/week for 6 weeks). Students can expect about 80 hours of post-course work. Courses have approximately 2000 pages of reading and some writing elements. Each course includes a ministry project or paper.

  • The DMin degree culminates with a practical dissertation or project using qualitative research that captures your insight into your area of research. You are guided through this life-giving process of researching literature and interviewing those with best practices in an area of ministry challenge that you find relevant to your skill development. Your final project is where your insights and encouragements are captured and presented. Many graduates use their final project as the basis upon which they pursue published writing or public speaking on their research topic.

  • Students in the DMin program can take up to 8 credits of independent study. This allows them to focus on specific topics of interest and study. Students may also transfer doctoral level courses from other accredited institutions.

  • Tuition total = $20,400

    Fee total = $2,439

    Maximum Ministry-Match Scholarship* = –$13,580

    Personal DMin Expense = $9,259

    Tuition Details:

    $680/credit hour x 4 credit hours/course x 7 cohort courses = $19,040

    $680/credit hour x 2 credit hours/DM 898 Supervision = $1,360

    Fee Details:

    Application = $50

    Admin, Enrollment, Infrastructure** ($120/term) = $840

    Technology** ($190/term) = $1,330

    Protecting Human Research Participants (PHRP) Training = $49

    Library Dissertation Posting = $20

    Graduation = $150

    *Includes minimum 33% tuition support from your local ministry matched by 34% scholarship from the Seminary. Church may contribute more than 33%.

    **These fees are charged in the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms, but not the January term. Assumes four years for degree completion.

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We have equipped thousands of pastors, counselors, and ministry leaders to fulfill their callings. We would love to help you fulfill yours.