Master of Arts: Pastoral Leadership
Stephen T. Franklin, Ph.D., Program Coordinator and Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Theology and Christian Ministry
Who should consider enrolling in the MAPL program?
The Program
Program Objectives
Admission Requirements
Graduation Requirements
Curriculum
The M.A. in Pastoral Leadership integrates innovation with tradition. Olivet Nazarene University possesses a rich heritage of academic excellence in its graduate programs in theology and ministry. The M.A. in Pastoral Leadership leverages that tradition into a new and exciting online format in which leading and experienced practitioners in ministry guide and teach less experienced practitioners. Both faculty and students are actively engaged in ministry, dealing with real-life situations. The M.A. in Pastoral Leadership encourages the dialogue between theory and practice in real time, giving this program its peculiar power and effectiveness.
We believe that the best ministry is "practiced theology." The program leading to the Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership degree is taught by leading pastors, either actively engaged in ministry or with extensive ministerial experience, who also have the appropriate academic credentials (normally a doctorate) and a deep knowledge of theology.
We expect the classes in the M.A.P.L. program to have an average twelve to one student/professor ratio, with some variation either direction. This small student/professor ratio allows for significant interaction of professors with the students, as well as a vigorous interaction between the students.
Who Should Consider Enrolling in the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership?
People who are currently engaged in ministry, either full- or part-time, but who have not had any graduate ministerial education should consider this program. While we expect all faculty and most students to come from the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, other students are welcome so long as they know about this commitment to the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition and accept that faculty and most students will be thinking and writing from this perspective and will be oriented to this tradition in their ministerial thinking. Most students will be working in churches, but students serving as missionaries, as tent-makers, in para-church contexts, and in other non-traditional ministries will find this degree quite appropriate.
It should be noted that this M.A. program does not in and by itself guarantee meeting the ordination requirements for the Church of the Nazarene. Students wishing ordination but who are not yet ordained should consult their local ministerial board for advice about how much of this program can be used to meet ordination requirements. Also see below the admission requirements.
1. The purpose of the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership at ONU is to provide pastoral, academic, and spiritual resources to people who are actively engaged but relatively new in ministry, with the goal of enabling them to build a successful ministry for many years to come.
2. The M.A. in Pastoral Leadership requires 36 semester hours to graduate. That is, the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership consists of a set menu of 12 courses. These 12 courses are tightly integrated to form a coherent educational experience. The student must begin with the first course and take each new course in sequence. This requires some rules that differ from Olivet's other graduate programs in theology. These rules are listed below. In addition, the 12 courses are listed at the end of this document.
3. The M.A. in Pastoral Leadership follows a "cohort model." This means that a group of students - we expect the number to be twelve to fifteen - start together in the introductory course in the M.A.P.L. sequence; the cohort then stays together throughout all 12 courses until graduation. In the cohort model, the students have an excellent chance to get to know each other through interaction on papers, online forums, mutual critiques, and much more. To achieve this level of integration, the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership requires that all students in the cohort take the same classes, in the same sequence, at the same time.
4. Each course normally lasts six weeks, with three courses taken each half-year. Thus, the entire sequence of 12 courses will take two calendar years. Each year, the student will be "in class" 36 of the 52 weeks. While designed so that students can remain in ministry in their local situations, the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership does require a significant commitment of time and energy. Married students are encouraged to consult with their spouses, and those engaged in ministry on a full-time basis are encouraged to obtain the understanding and consent of their supervisors and, when appropriate, of the leaders in their congregations.
The M.A. in Pastoral Leadership program aims to:
1. Nurture theologically formed, technically competent, missionally effective, and ethically aware pastoral leaders.
2. Produce "influence-leaders" who will provide intentional patterns of leadership in ministry.
3. To encourage in these influence-leaders the development of a core theological vision that can be reproduced in other ministers, whom, in the course of time, the students in this program may later mentor.
4. Each student in the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership should reflectively and purposefully address the question, "What does it mean to be an effective pastoral leader of a community that embodies and nurtures the life of the Kingdom as presented in the Bible and incarnated today?"
5. Develop in students an appreciation for and understanding of the history and theology of Christianity and especially the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition.
6. While students from other traditions are welcome, the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership will assume that the Protestant, Wesleyan-Arminian, and Holiness traditions are normative for the faculty and most students.
Olivet Nazarene University carefully assesses applicants for the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership program on the basis of evidence provided in all application materials. Therefore, while there is no face-to-face interview, application materials submitted must be prepared thoroughly, thoughtfully, and professionally for full consideration. Applications will be processed upon receipt of all required materials.
To be admitted into Olivet Nazarene University's Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership program, an applicant must meet these prerequisites:
1. Submit a completed application to Olivet Nazarene University's School of Theology and Christian Ministry.
2. Possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, with a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
3. Submit an official transcript* of the student's undergraduate college work and of any graduate work being used to support the application for admission. Click here to download a form that can be used to request transcripts from other institutions.
*Official Transcript: A transcript with the registrar's seal from the institution granting credit sent directly to Olivet Nazarene University, School of Theology and Christian Ministry, Attn: Graduate Program Specialist, One University Avenue Box 6048, Bourbonnais, IL 60914-2345.
4. Students entering the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership program should have completed an undergraduate degree in ministry preparation. This program assumes basic competency in Bible, theology, and ministry practices. Students who do not have an undergraduate ministry degree may submit their transcripts for evaluation to determine whether they may be considered a candidate for this program.
5. Demonstrate the ability to succeed as a graduate student in Olivet's Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership program, as evidenced by three recommendations. One should be from a person able to comment knowledgeably on the applicant's academic ability and one from a pastor or other person who can speak to the applicant's Christian and moral life. The third may be a reference from a ministry supervisor. Often, for the student who is already in ministry, the pastor and the ministry supervisor will be the same person. That is acceptable as long as there are three recommendations that between them cover these three areas: academic, personal spiritual and ethical, and institutional/ministerial. Click here to download a copy of the recommendation form.
6. Submit a $25 application fee. This fee can be paid by either mailing a check to the School of Theology at the address listed above, or by calling 815-928-5670 and paying with a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover).
7. Possess a moral character consistent with the study of ministry at a Christian university.
8. Demonstrate the ability and discipline necessary to pursue graduate-level studies while engaging in and reflecting upon the actual practice of Christian ministry.
1. Successful completion of the approved curriculum for the Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership, with a minimum of 36 graduate semester hours of coursework.
2. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.
3. Fulfill all general graduation requirements of the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies.
Special Regulations that Apply only to the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership
1. Because the curriculum is very tightly integrated, and because students enrolling in the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership form a cohort in which full participation in each course is expected, students must take all 12 courses. This means that it is not possible to transfer in coursework in theology or ministerial studies.
2. The grade of "incomplete" or "I" will be allowed only in very special situations. And, with the exception noted below, it must be made up by the beginning of the next course in the sequence. This regulation directly flows from the tightly integrated, sequential nature of the program leading to the M.A. in Pastoral Leadership. Students who cannot make up the "I" before the start of the next class may withdraw from the program, or they may petition for a leave of absence. See the next item for the rules concerning a leave of absence. Teachers can, on their own authority, assign an "I" to be made up before the start of the next class, without any reduction of the grade to which the student would be otherwise entitled. If a grade of "I" is not made up by the due date, it automatically changes to an F.
Students, with the consent of the instructor, may petition the Director of Graduate Studies for a longer time in which to make up the incomplete. Normally this would be in conjunction with a petition for a leave of absence. The reason for the longer period should be compelling, and normally a maximum of 45 days will be allowed. In no case, however, will a student be allowed to enter the next course in the sequence until the incomplete is made up.
3. Students may request a leave of absence when, for unavoidable reasons, they cannot complete a course or start a new one. For example, this may be appropriate when a student is called up for military service, must deal with a serious illness in the student's immediate family, loses a job, and the like. Normally, a leave of absence will not be granted if the student voluntarily accepts greater work or ministerial responsibilities. While petitions for an extended time to make up an incomplete grade will normally be associated with a petition for a leave of absence, the reverse is not true. Students may petition for a leave of absence even when there is no incomplete grade.
A student taking a leave of absence must wait until the next cohort reaches the point in the sequence of courses where the student can rejoin where he or she took the incomplete or received the leave of absence. Since cohorts start twice a year, normally the student can expect to wait six months. Thus, any leave of absence must last a minimum of six months. And longer leaves of absence will increase in six-month units. Leaves of absence are not automatic, but must be requested from the Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Theology, and they will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
4. Each teacher will, in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Theology, establish the attendance policy for his or her class. In a course that lasts only six weeks, promptness in handing in papers, providing critiques, and participating in online discussions is essential. Students who do not participate in a prompt and timely manner may receive a lower grade as established in the syllabus for that class. Students who repeatedly fail to meet the standards for attendance and promptness may, upon the recommendation of one or more faculty and at the decision of the Director, be dropped from the program.
5. Students wishing to appeal any decision made under the previous four regulations should first discuss the matter with the professor. If that does not resolve the problem, then the student should send a written appeal to the Director of the Graduate Studies for the School of Theology. If that is not satisfactory, or if the student is appealing a decision made by the Director, then the student should send a written appeal to the Dean of the School of Theology. Normally appeals will not be allowed beyond the Dean. However, the matter is urgent or if the student feels that he or she has "not been heard" at each step, from the professor through the dean, the student can request a hearing according to the appropriate sections of the rules and regulations for the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies as a whole. The program specialist will, upon request, provide the student with a copy of the relevant rules dealing with grievance procedures.
Master of Arts: Pastoral Leadership - The Curriculum.
The professional and pedagogical sequence of courses includes the following 12 courses, which together carry 36 credit hours. Courses are to be taken in sequence, as a part of a cohort, and no course can be repeated for additional credit.
All courses carry three hours of credit.
PAST 600 Theology and Ministry
The purpose of this course is to understand the significance of theologically formed patterns of ministry and pastoral leadership, and to develop theologically reflected models for ministry. Special attention will be given to the issues of ecclesiology as they relate to theological leadership.
PAST 610 Christian Leadership
The class is to be a focused learning conversation among friends exploring the spiritual foundations, the primary influences, the relational context, current literature and authorities of the theory of leadership, and the priority principles and best practices of effective Christlike leadership. We will attempt to apply this holistic view of leadership to the context of ministry in which class members serve, or may serve in the future.
PAST 620 Life Management and Personal Renewal
This course will explore the significance of spiritual development and personal renewal in the life of a leader, with attention to practice and implementation as well as strategies for modeling and teaching healthy patterns as leaders.
PAST 630 Pastoral Leader as Prophet
This course will explore the central content of the Christian message, especially as a theological vision of soteriology/holiness and the role of the pastoral leader as the primary theologian for a local congregation.
PAST 640 Preaching and Worship as Pastoral Leadership
This course will consider the critical roles of the pastoral leader as primary preacher and worship leader. Attention will focus on the critical interaction between theology in practice and confession and how it is formed in practices of worship.
PAST 650 The Teaching Church
This course will develop a comprehensive approach to developing the local church as a teaching community. Attention will focus on assessment and planning of effective and wholistic teaching processes.
PAST 660 Pastoral Leader as Priest
This course will explore the critical role of the pastoral leader in defining the shape, or patterns, of the Christian life. This will include consideration of the proper biblical understanding of the Christian life, the Pastor as model/mentor, and the church as a community of formation.
PAST 670 The Church as A Community of Formation
This course will explore the dynamics of the church as a community which forms by the patterns and practices it cultivates and encourages. This will involve attention to identifying the characteristics of Christian life and character that can and should be encouraged and formed by the life of the community.
PAST 680 The Church in the World
This course will explore the intersection of the church (as a Kingdom community) and the world. Attention will be given to the competing value systems and formation of an approach to developing a church that effects transformation in its community and world.
PAST 690 Pastoral Leader as King
This course will consider the role of the pastoral leader as an organizational leader. Attention will be given to Kingdom values which should be embodied in the organizational structures of the local church and development of an approach to effecting those values in the local church.
PAST 700 Visionary Leadership
This course explores the task of pastoral leadership to effectively communicate and perpetuate a vision of Kingdom community. Attention will be given to identifying core values and definition of mission, as well as strategies for effectively casting vision for a local church.
PAST 710 Development of a Ministry Plan
This course is an application project integrating the coursework and ideas of the program of study into a specific and comprehensive plan for congregational leadership and development.