Leading in Ministry
For more than 50 years, Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan has been dedicated to equipping you for leadership in ministry. Here, you’ll find a blend of strong academics, a commitment to serving both locally and globally, and a supportive Christ-centered community that encourages true discipleship.
Academic Goals
Emmanuel has a number of goals for every student:
- Develop a maturing love for God, commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and participation in the Holy Spirit’s work in the world.
- Cultivate a heart of compassion, loyalty, courage, and self-giving love in support of kingdom values.
- Integrate the Christian faith as revealed in Scripture, experienced throughout the history of the church, and explored in twenty centuries of Christian thought.
- Interpret and communicate Scripture with historical integrity and theological imagination in relation to contemporary cultures.
- Develop commitment to serve the church in its universal and local expressions with appreciation for the unique contribution of the Stone-Campbell tradition to unity and mission in keeping with the biblical witness.
- Extend dignity and worth to all persons, men and women, created in the image of God, with deepening compassion for the marginalized.
- Identify, shape, and refine one’s calling through a well-articulated theology of ministry.
- Demonstrate, as leading servants, the practices of moral discernment, together with authentic and faithful ministry in complex and diverse contexts.
Student Success Stories
Dylan Glenn
Master of Divinity
Patrick Prodger
Master of Divinity
Shelley Ashe-Haun
Hybrid MACM student
Dylan Glenn
Master of Divinity
“I am grateful for the ability to maintain my vocation as a pastor while pursuing higher education. Emmanuel provides and equips me with the tools necessary to balance ministry and education successfully.”
Patrick Prodger
Master of Divinity
“Whether studying at a coffee shop, attending church on Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, in the library, or even just walking down the halls, I am always a moment away from a profound and edifying conversation. This sense of community– in the classroom, outside of the classroom, at church, or even walking around the Emmanuel Village– is the lifeblood of this seminary. It has formed me every step of the way.”
Shelley Ashe-Haun
Hybrid MACM student
“The professors, financial aid advisors, and bookstore have been top-notch! They are attentive and so very helpful no matter what the question or concern. I do not feel like a number here, but a sister in Christ that they are walking alongside to the end goal of walking in God’s purpose!”
Program List
Master of Divinity
The MDiv is a three-year, 79-credit hour degree offered on campus and online.
This program provides a breadth of education in all the areas of theological learning with a special focus on the practice of pastoral ministry. Whether serving in international missions, a rural church, an urban counseling center, a megachurch, or as a military or hospital chaplain, campus minister, college professor, or in any other venue, your ministry will be strengthened by an MDiv.
Although the standard MDiv program is recommended for most students preparing for ministerial service, 10 special concentrations are available as well:
- Biblical Studies
- Christian Care & Counseling
- Christian Ministries
- Christian Theology
- Church History
- Historical Theology
- New Testament
- Old Testament
- Spiritual Formation
- World Mission
Master of Theological Studies
The MTS is a two-year, 49-credit hour degree.
This program is designed for students who desire a theological background before pursuing further graduate or professional study or for work in a professional field outside of traditional ministries. In-depth biblical study is the focus with some training in practical ministerial skills.
Students in this program may concentrate in 6 academic areas:
- Biblical Studies
- Christian Theology
- Church History
- Historical Theology
- New Testament
- Old Testament
Master of Arts in Christian Ministries
The MACM is a three-year, 48-credit hour degree.
Stay where you are and enhance your current ministry. This practical ministries program is a mostly online degree designed to enhance the work you are already doing in ministry, without relocation. The world of ministry is changing, and Emmanuel can prepare you to better meet the needs of the people you are serving.
Doctor of Ministry
The DMin is a 36-credit hour degree that takes three to five years to complete.
Integrate your practical experience with deeper study. This program enables ministers to integrate their practical experience in ministry with doctoral-level course work, all while accommodating their schedule. Increasing religious pluralism, the expansion of world religions, and the globalization of theological education call for more breadth and depth in the education of Christian leaders.
Certificates
Certificate in Christian Ministries (17-credit hour program)
This program provides foundational competencies and professional development for those in full-time ministry. The curriculum spans the seminary’s core learning areas and includes courses in pastoral, biblical, theological, and historical study and is excellent continuing education for church staff. Courses can be applied to the MACM or other seminary degree programs for those considering a future degree.
Certificate in Counseling Ministry (19-credit hour program)
Expand your knowledge and application of counseling. This program will introduce you to basic knowledge about both secular and Christian perspectives on counseling and how these may be applied in a church-based setting. Students who complete this program will be prepared to work in churches, mission agencies, and other settings in which informal counseling and support groups are often provided.
ACCREDITATION
Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools, 10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1110; 412-788-6505.
The following degree programs are approved by the Commission on Accrediting: Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Christian Ministries, and Doctor of Ministry.
Emmanuel is also regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award master’s and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan.
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