Overview
The goal of this degree is to equip students who are interested in working with people in a variety of ministry settings. The curriculum will expose the student to biblical and theological training beyond the core, while also creating constructs for understanding human development and growth. The educational nature of this degree provides training for how to assess needs and develop nurturing programs that would be an asset to a church or non-profit organization’s educational program. A student who graduates with this degree would be equipped for overseeing soul care ministries that facilitate healthy spiritual growth for a variety of ages and stages of life. These include positions in churches related to children, family life, small group, discipleship and Christian educational and formational ministries.
Course Requirements for a B.A. or B.S. Educational Ministries
Courses
Examples of courses in this major:
BBL 203 Foundations of Educational Ministry
This course exposes students to learning theories and educational practices that can be applied to ministry settings. Learning theories help teachers understand how humans acquire new knowledge and embrace truth for transformational life change. This course will address not only inner processes that bring about growth, but also the environmental and social influences that can either promote or hinder wholistic learning that results in biblical wisdom.
BBL 204 Foundations of Ministry Leadership
This course looks at the life of Jesus to learn from Him as the Master Teacher, Leader and Discipler. Students will explore Scripture and the lives of other godly men and women to gain a composite picture of leadership that addresses heart issues in the lives of people they will lead. Leadership from a biblical perspective will be countercultural and address issues of pride vs. humility, how we view failure/success and taking initiative in a Spirit-driven process. Students will have the opportunity for hands on integration of theory with practice as they process the course concepts in life with others in a relational context of ministry.
PSY326 Biblical Psychology
This course will examine the relationship between the fields of psychology and theology. A theory of integration will be presented, along with discussions concerning specific psychological topics (i.e. self-esteem, etc.) from a biblical vantage point. Prerequisite: PSY110 or SOC110. Three hours.
Faculty
The individuals who will challenge you to learn:
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Christy Hill, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Spiritual Formation and Women's Ministries
Education History
B.A. in Christian Education, Wheaton College; M.A. in Christian Education, Talbot School of Theology; Ph.D. in Educational Studies (Character Development and Spiritual Formation), Talbot School of Theology
About
Dr. Hill brings her passion and training in spiritual formation to facilitate the holistic development of students while at Grace. Her research interests include personal and interpersonal development with empirical work conducted in the area of adult attachment styles and relationship with God variables. She taught at Biola University and Talbot School of Theology before coming to Grace in 2006. While she focuses primarily in women's ministries, she has served in a variety of leadership roles cross-culturally, in the local church and in the parachurch context. Dr. Hill has developed a number of Bible study materials, published in the Christian Education Journal and presented research findings at the North American Professors of Christian Education Conference, a society of which she is a member.
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Stephen Grill, B.A., M.A., Ed.D.
Dean, School of Adult and Community Education
Education History
B.A. in Speech Communication, Grace College; M.A. in Communications, Ball State University; Ed.D. in Educational Administration for Higher Education, Ball State University
About
Dr. Grill chaired the Grace College Communications Department for nearly 20 years before being named Dean of Ivy Tech State Community College/Warsaw in 1988. During his 10 years at Ivy Tech, Grill was named both Kosciusko County "Man of the Year" and Winona Lake "Citizen of the Year" for his efforts in bringing higher education to a wider range of citizens in this area. He returned to Grace in 1999 in order to begin a Grace College community education outreach.
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Thomas Edgington, B.A., M.A., M.Div., Ph.D.
Chair, Dept. of Behavioral Science, Professor of Psychology/Counselor
Education History
B.A. in Psychology, Grace College; M.A. in Biblical Counseling, Grace College; M.Div., Grace Theological Seminary; Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, Ball State University
About
Dr. Thomas Edgington joined the Grace College faculty in 1992. He is a licensed psychologist and mental health counselor, who has practiced in community mental health centers, church counseling centers, and private practice. He is involved in ongoing research and has interests in marriage counseling and counseling depression and anxiety.