Ministerial Education

Associates of Applied Science (AAS) – 2 year degree
Bachelor of Arts (BA) – 4 year degree
Master of Arts (MA) – 2 year graduate degree

Why choose Ministerial Education at GBSC?

  • Campus degree
  • Online degree

The AAS degree in Ministerial Education is ideal for students who are unsure of their calling to preach. The AAS degree will give you the 9-hour preaching sequence which prepares you to enter the BA in Ministerial Education.

The BA degree gives you many tracks to choose from:

  1. Pastoral Counseling
  2. Youth Ministry
  3. Pastoral Ministry
  4. Urban Ministry
  5. Christian Leadership
  6. World Missions
  7. Music Ministry
  8. Christian Education

All BA track options will introduce you to research methodologies unique to the disciplines of biblical studies, systematic theology, church history, and pastoral theology.

Masters Degree

  • Online degree

The MA in Ministry is designed for those with Bible college undergraduate degrees who would like graduate-level theological and practical ministry training. Read more about this degree.

With a core of 18 hours and 18 hours of electives, the degree will be crafted to target the ministry field in which the student is currently serving or planning to serve. Language proficiency in Greek and Hebrew is not required.

Graduates went off to be a

  • senior pastor
  • associate pastor
  • youth pastor
  • director of inner-city missions
  • graduate student
  • church leader
  • evangelist
  • Bible translator

Associates of Applied Science (AAS) – 2 year degree
Bachelor of Arts (BA) – 4 year degree
Master of Arts (MA) – 2 year graduate degree

Why choose Ministerial Education at GBSC?

  • Campus degree
  • Online degree

The AAS degree in Ministerial Education is ideal for students who are unsure of their calling to preach. The AAS degree will give you the 9-hour preaching sequence which prepares you to enter the BA in Ministerial Education.

The BA degree gives you many tracks to choose from:

  1. Pastoral Counseling
  2. Youth Ministry
  3. Pastoral Ministry
  4. Urban Ministry
  5. Christian Leadership
  6. World Missions
  7. Music Ministry
  8. Christian Education

All BA track options will introduce you to research methodologies unique to the disciplines of biblical studies, systematic theology, church history, and pastoral theology.

Masters Degree

  • Online degree

The MA in Ministry is designed for those with Bible college undergraduate degrees who would like graduate-level theological and practical ministry training.

With a core of 18 hours and 18 hours of electives, the degree will be crafted to target the ministry field in which the student is currently serving or planning to serve. Language proficiency in Greek and Hebrew is not required.

Graduates went off to be a

  • senior pastor
  • associate pastor
  • youth pastor
  • director of inner-city missions
  • graduate student
  • church leader
  • evangelist
  • Bible translator

Shepherds Global Classroom Certificate

Why choose a Certificate at GBSC?

Our Certificate’s notable features are listed below.

  • Low cost to serve pastors and other church leaders around the world (not eligible for federal or state financial aid)
  • Also available, depending on course offerings, for US students who desire training for ministry involvement without earning a degree
  • Uses the Shepherds Global Classroom (SGC) (https://www.shepherdsglobal.org/) curriculum already in use around the world
  • Classes offered in various languages (e.g., English, Russian, Simplified and Traditional Mandarin, Tagalog, Spanish, French, etc. — offerings vary by semester)
  • Delivered via Google Classroom, a free learning environment
  • Taught by adjuncts engaged or experienced in educational ministry
  • Includes 20 1-credit courses

Learning outcomes:

  • Knowledge of the Bible
  • Knowledge of core orthodox Christian doctrine
  • Knowledge and application of Biblical leadership in the church, including in worship
  • Knowledge and application of key principles for spiritual formation

Admission is limited each semester by available courses and language, with courses having a maximum enrollment.

Online Certificate

Our Christian Ministry Certificate is designed for leaders in the local and global church. It provides the ministry skills and biblical knowledge needed to be more effective ministers in God’s kingdom. The classes are taught by credentialed ministry practitioners who can contextualize the training to specific contexts. Students can use credits earned in the certificate toward an associate or bachelor degree at GBSC.

Sample Classes

  • Exploring the Old Testament
  • Exploring the New Testament
  • Principles of Biblical Interpretation
  • Life and Ministry of Jesus
  • Romans
  • Christian Beliefs
  • Doctrine and Practice of the Holy Life
  • Doctrine and Practice of the Church
  • Eschatology
  • World Religions and Cults
  • Ministry Leadership
  • Spiritual Formation
  • Introduction to Christian Worship
  • Principles of Communication
  • Christian Counseling
  • Biblical Evangelism and Discipleship
  • Apologetics
  • Survey of Church History 1
  • Survey of Church History 2
  • Practical Christian Living

Certificate Requirements

Program Credits: 20 Credits

Sample Classes

AAS / BA

  • Principles of the Christian Life
  • Doctrine of Holiness
  • Discipleship & Small Groups

BA w/Youth Ministry track

  • Current Youth Issues
  • Adolescent Psychology

BA w/Pastoral Counseling track

  • Problems in Counseling
  • Marriage & Family Counseling

Other tracks

  • Pastoral Ministry
  • Urban Ministry
  • Christian Leadership
  • World Missions
  • Music Ministry
  • Christian Education

MA in Ministry

Shepherds Global Classroom Certificate

Why choose a Certificate at GBSC?

Our Certificate’s notable features are listed below.

  • Low cost to serve pastors and other church leaders around the world (not eligible for federal or state financial aid)
  • Also available, depending on course offerings, for US students who desire training for ministry involvement without earning a degree
  • Uses the Shepherds Global Classroom (SGC) (https://www.shepherdsglobal.org/) curriculum already in use around the world
  • Classes offered in various languages (e.g., English, Russian, Simplified and Traditional Mandarin, Tagalog, Spanish, French, etc. — offerings vary by semester)
  • Delivered via Google Classroom, a free learning environment
  • Taught by adjuncts engaged or experienced in educational ministry
  • Includes 20 1-credit courses

Learning outcomes:

  • Knowledge of the Bible
  • Knowledge of core orthodox Christian doctrine
  • Knowledge and application of Biblical leadership in the church, including in worship
  • Knowledge and application of key principles for spiritual formation

Admission is limited each semester by available courses and language, with courses having a maximum enrollment.

Online Certificate

Our Christian Ministry Certificate is designed for leaders in the local and global church. It provides the ministry skills and biblical knowledge needed to be more effective ministers in God’s kingdom. The classes are taught by credentialed ministry practitioners who can contextualize the training to specific contexts. Students can use credits earned in the certificate toward an associate or bachelor degree at GBSC.

Certificate Requirements

Program Credits: 20 Credits

Sample Classes

  • Exploring the Old Testament
  • Exploring the New Testament
  • Principles of Biblical Interpretation
  • Life and Ministry of Jesus
  • Romans
  • Christian Beliefs
  • Doctrine and Practice of the Holy Life
  • Doctrine and Practice of the Church
  • Eschatology
  • World Religions and Cults
  • Ministry Leadership
  • Spiritual Formation
  • Introduction to Christian Worship
  • Principles of Communication
  • Christian Counseling
  • Biblical Evangelism and Discipleship
  • Apologetics
  • Survey of Church History 1
  • Survey of Church History 2
  • Practical Christian Living

AAS Program Requirements

Program Credits

68 credits

General Education: 19 – 25
Bible & Theology: 15 (14 included below)
Biblical Studies: 14
Theology: 17
Ministerial Education: 11


Standard Completion Time

2 years

BA Program Requirements

Minimum Program Credits

120 credits

General Education: 36 – 42
Bible & Theology: 30 (all 30 included below)
Biblical Studies: 23
Theology: 27
Ministerial Education: 10
Biblical Languages: 12
Church History: 5
Preaching: 11
Internship: 3
Track dependent: 8 – 9


Standard Completion Time

4 years

MA Program Requirements

Program Credits

36 credits

Core: 18
Electives: 18


Standard Completion Time

2 years

SGC Certificate Requirements

Program Credits

20 credits

Core: 18
Electives: 18


Standard Completion Time

2 years

Accreditation

We are accredited by both the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). See why having both matters.

Navigate