Purpose of the Program
The Associate of Church Ministry (ACM) program is designed for those applicants who have limited or no undergraduate college credit but who have a commendable Christian ministry experience. In general, applicants have circumstances of life that make the acquisition of an undergraduate education impractical, but who would be greatly benefited in their service to Christ through the training achieved with this degree.
The Associate of Church Ministry is designed to emphasize the position that the Seminary does not offer graduate Master of Arts degrees for students who have not completed a traditional bachelor’s degree program.
Admission Requirements
The applicant must present evidence of completion of a high school diploma and present evidence of dedication in some ministry field.
Course Requirements
The Associate of Church Ministry is a 60 credit-hour degree equivalent to a two year junior or community college degree. A core of 34 credit-hours is required in Old Testament, New Testament and Theology. To complete the remaining 26 credit-hours, students select one of the following three concentrations: Biblical Counseling, Biblical Literature, or Christian Ministry.
Students entering this program enroll in the same courses that are required for a Master of Arts degree. However, grading requirements are relaxed consistent with an undergraduate program with grading on a ten-point scale rather than a seven-point scale for master degree students.
Associate of Church Ministry Course Requirements
Core Courses - 34 hours
| OT 501 Old Testament Studies I | 3 |
| OT 502 Old Testament Studies II | 3 |
| NT 501 New Testament Studies I | 3 |
| NT 502 New Testament Studies II | 3 |
| TH 501 Systematic Theology I | 3 |
| TH 502 Systematic Theology II | 3 |
| TH 503 Systematic Theology III | 3 |
| TH 601 Systematic Theology IV | 3 |
| HT 501 Historical Theology I | 3 |
| HT 502 Historical Theology II | 3 |
| ME 581 Mentored Practicum | 2 |
| ME 681 Mentored Internship | 2 |
Biblical Counseling Concentration (26 hours)
| BC 501 Foundations of Bib Counseling | 3 |
| BC 502 Foundational Skills of Bib Counseling | 2 |
| BC 601 Premarital, Marital, and Family Counseling | 3 |
| TH 504 Hermeneutics and Biblical Research | 3 |
Choose 15 hours from practical theology and counseling electives, such as (but not limited to) the following:
| BC 503 Group Practice in Counseling | 2 |
| BC 504 Lay Counseling in the Church | 2 |
| BC 602 Counseling with Children and Adolescents | 2 |
| BC 603 Aging, Grief, and Loss Counseling | 2 |
| TH 602 Apologetics | 3 |
| PT 502 Creative Bible Teaching | 3 |
Biblical Literature Concentration (26 hours)
| TH 504 Hermeneutics and Biblical Research | 3 |
| TH 602 Apologetics | 3 |
Choose 20 hours from biblical and theological electives, such as (but not limited to) the following:
| NT 550 Elementary Greek Grammar I | 3 |
| NT 551 Elementary Greek Grammar II | 3 |
| NT 650 Biblical Greek Exegesis I | 3 |
| NT 651 Biblical Greek Exegesis II | 3 |
| PT 502 Creative Bible Teaching | 3 |
| Electives in English Bible | |
| Electives in Systematic or Historical Theology |
Christian Ministry Concentration (26 hours)
| PT 501 Survey of Ministry | 3 |
| PT 502 Creative Bible Teaching | 3 |
Choose 20 hours from ministry electives, such as (but not limited to) the following:
| NT 550 Elementary Greek Grammar I | 3 |
| NT 551 Elementary Greek Grammar II | 3 |
| TH 504 Hermeneutics and Biblical Research | 3 |
| TH 602 Apologetics | 3 |
| HT 703 Contemporary Evangelicalism | 2 |
| PT 503 Theology of Biblical Disciple Making | 2 |
| ME 501 Survey of Missions and Evangelism | 2 |
| ME 502 Theology and World Religions | 2 |
| ME 503 Issues and Trends in Missions Today | 2 |
| BC 501 Foundations of Biblical Counseling | 3 |
| BC 502 Foundational Skills of Biblical Counseling | 2 |
| BC 601 Premarital, Marital, and Family Counseling | 3 |