Courses & Descriptions  •   Additional Info

The MMin is a three-year (a five-year option is also available), part-time program for emerging church leaders. The pace is designed for those who are working full-time jobs, some with families, and who are serving in local churches. The degree is comprised of three, year-long modules.

The first module is the Year of Bible (YOB). We will take the students through the entirety of the Scriptures and, along with their hermeneutics course where they will develop their exegetical skill set, we will introduce them to the story line that holds the Bible together. We will also be teaching Church History and Narrative Theology along the same premise.

The second module is the Year of Ministry (YOM). We will take an entire year to impart the necessary relational and ministry skills so young leaders will be prepared to deal with real life issues confronting the modern context. The culmination of this year will be a world mission trip where they will learn to put together short-term mission teams to equip their future congregations and ministries.

The third year is the Year of Specialization (YOS). In this year the students will travel to SSU to take a module on ancient/future faith in post-modern culture. They will also be taking two specialty classes at the conclusion of their program to better equip them for their specific ministries. To further equip them in the practice of ministry students will participate in a formal, six-month internship in their local church. If the student has already had significant local church experience, they will have the opportunity to fulfill this practical requirement through the development of unique leadership projects. Some students may elect to do a thesis or take a Bible lands trip in this year as an alternative to their specialty electives.

Class Model

Based on the theological education by extension model common in world mission settings, instead of asking the students to leave their life context, we will be putting our professors on the road to bring Trinity Learning Community's classes within geographic proximity of the students to enable them to stay in their ministries while going to school.

The program will be comprised of a weekly class taught by Trinity Learning Community's professors that will meet at various times in their different locations. Each quarter the students will also attend two to three weekend intensives held at our central site in Corona taught by visiting professors. In each of the first two years the students will participate in a three and a half day intensive taught by an SSU professor who will travel to Corona.

SSU Modules

Because our MMin degree will be conferred by St. Stephen's University, students will need to have at least three exposures to the SSU faculty. To facilitate this, an SSU professor will come to TLC in the winter quarter in each of the first two years to teach concentrated classes for five straight days, Monday through Friday, during the day. Each student is expected to plan ahead for these classes and take time off of work if necessary.

During October in their third year, TLC students will attend a two-week module at SSU in New Brunswick. It will be a beautiful time of year to be in Canada and gives us a great opportunity to experience their wonderful community. Students may return that same year to take a second module at SSU if they so choose.

Optional Bible Land Trip

One of the elective options available for third-year students will be a trip to Israel - or Greece and Turkey if Israel is politically unstable - with students from SSU in the winter or spring quarter. The cost for this trip is not included in the tuition, and will not be charged unless the student chooses this option.

Mission Trips

We desire to integrate our learning with practical application. We also want the students to yoke in ministry situations with the professors so they can see that we really are in the trenches with them. No high and lofty academic faculty here! We are practitioners as well as theologians.

At the end of the first year, students will have the opportunity to go with one or more of the faculty on a specially designed weekend ministry trip to either share the good news in some outreach setting or as a ministry team in a conference setting. At the end of the trip the student will turn in a five-page SFSWOT (Successes, Failures, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) evaluation of the event.

At the end of the second year, students will be raising support to go on a cross-cultural mission trip to a selected location. The missions course will be presented during the mornings while afternoons and evenings will be spent out in the field. Students will be responsible to prepare a week-end outreach with the help of the missionaries on location. At the end of the missions trip the student will turn in a five-page SFSWOT.

Leadership Projects

In the fall and winter quarters of the YOM, each student will prepare a fifteen-hour leadership project based on prayer and dialogue with their pastor. Projects should meet a specific need and be a one-time event. One of the projects should focus on evangelistic outreach such as a servant evangelism project or sharing food and Jesus with the poor. The other should help fellow followers of Jesus mature in their Christian lives. These projects replicate the pastoral process whereby a leader gets a vision to meet a need and is able to plan an event, recruit a team, and fulfill that vision. At the end of the project the student will turn in a five-page SFSWOT.

Supervised Internships

In the winter and spring of the third year, students will be required to fulfill a supervised, six-credit internship at their local church for the purpose of integrating all that they have learned in the context of parish ministry. The intern will present a proposal to the Dean of Graduate Studies that will enable him or her to "take a lap" around the church, familiarizing himself/herself with the various functions of a church. The intern will be overseen by an assigned supervisor on staff or leadership within the local fellowship.

The student should expect to put in at least ten hours per week, a workload that might involve part-time remuneration; each situation will be different, depending on the size of the church. Because students will already have had experience leading a small group during the second Year of Ministry, their third-year internship should involve other activities. We recommend the intern log some time in children's ministry because this is typically the hardest ministry to staff in a church and we want our students to be able to “feel” with those who labor in love discipling the children and youth.

Each student will also have a faculty supervisor with whom problems in the field can be shared and who can help troubleshoot if necessary. At the end of their internship, students will receive a final evaluation from their parish supervisors and meet with their faculty supervisor for a final debriefing.

Third Year Thesis Option

Those students gifted in academic work and aspiring to the professional academy of theologians may opt to write a thesis under the auspices of the faculty at SSU. The thesis may be written in lieu of taking specialty courses during this year. A thesis proposal will need to be approved by SSU faculty at the time of the students' ten day module at SSU in October of that year.

Specialization Courses

In year three, students who do not pursue the thesis option or go on the Bible Lands trip will take two elective courses in their area of specialization (Biblical exegesis, worship, youth ministry, or world missions).

Year of the Bible	Year of Ministry	Year of Specialization
Pentateuch	Ministering Like Jesus 1	Ancient/Future Faith
Hermeneutics	Basic Pastoral Positions
Historical Books	Ministering Like Jesus 2
Writings	Relational Skills 1
Greek 1	Greek 4
Prophets	Relational Skills 2	Internship or Project
Synoptic Gospels	Preaching	Specialty Elective
Johannine Literature	Spiritual Formation	Optional Thesis
	Small Groups	Optional Bible Lands Trip
Greek 2	Greek 5
Book of Acts	Pastoral Planning	Internship or Project
Letters of Paul	Evangelism	Specialty Elective
General Letters	Pastoral Leadership	Optional Thesis
		Optional Bible Lands Trip
Greek 3	Greek 6
Narrative Theology I	Church Planting
Church History	Mission Trip Preparation
Narrative Theology II	Mission Trip

Pentateuch

The Pentateuch intensive introduces the first five books of the Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy and lays the foundation for understanding the rest of the Bible. Special attention will be paid to God's revelation of his Kingship.

Hermeneutics

Hermeneutics (Greek for "interpretation") is a thirteen week course that covers the principles for studying the Bible with the goal of hearing what the original author wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The student is first introduced to a narrative approach to interpreting the Bible. Upon that foundation the basic principles of exegesis will be learned by examining the letters of Paul. These skills will then be applied to the other genres of Scripture. Special attention will be paid to contextualizing biblical exegesis in the contemporary world.

Historical Books

The Historical Books intensive surveys the history of Israel as portrayed in Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. The student will also be introduced to the reform perspective of the author of 1 & 2 Chronicles, included in the Writings in the Hebrew canon, but included as a part of the historical books in the English canon.

Writings

The Writings intensive introduces the wisdom literature of Israel in the context of Ancient Near East culture. This course covers the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes.

Prophets

The Prophets intensive is a rapid overview of the prophetical literature s in their historical sequence within Israel's history. It will introduce the pre-exilic books of Jonah, Micah, Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah. Next will be covered the exilic books of Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Obadiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habbakkuk. Finally, the end of Old Testament history will be covered in the books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

The Synoptic Gospels

The Synoptic Gospels is a ten week course that begins by covering Second Temple history and literature, the theories of how the Gospels came to be written, and introductions to Matthew, Mark, and Luke within their historical settings. On this foundation the story of the historical Jesus as seen in the Synoptic accounts will be reconstructed. The similarities and differences of the various authors will also be pointed out so the student can learn to interpret the life of Jesus within each unique perspective. Upon completion the student will be able to see how the story of Jesus functions within the overall biblical narrative.

Johannine Literature

The Johnannine Literature three and a half day intensive covers the material in the New Testament traditionally associated with the apostle John. It includes the Gospel of John, the three epistles of John, and the Revelation. Special attention will be paid to historical developments within the early church chronicled in this literature as a case study relevant to contemporary pastoral ministry.

Book of Acts

The Book of Acts intensive will be taught as the sequel to the gospel of Luke and the student will be shown how Luke's themes are developed within the context of Luke's story of the early church. Special attention will be paid both to how Luke portrays the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation and the cross-cultural advancement of the Kingdom of God through church planting.

Paul and His Letters

Paul and His Letters is a ten week course that will introduce Paul's writings in their probable historical sequence. Beginning with Galatians as the first of his letters the student will then proceed to 1 & Thessalonians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, Romans, 1 & Timothy, Titus and Philemon. Special attention will be paid to Paul's understanding of the biblical narrative.

General Letters

The General Letters intensive will serve as an introduction to those books that close the study of the New Testament (with the exception of Revelation, which will be covered under Johannine Literature). Covered in this intensive will be Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, and Jude.

Narrative Theology 1

The Narrative Theology 1 intensive will cover the Old Testament development of the classic doctrines of the Christian faith. In doing so, we will be in alignment with our story line approach to doing theology.

Church History

Church History is a ten week course that will chronicle the advance of the Church from the second century to the modern age. We will give special attention to four themes, the historical development of doctrine, the trajectories of both the evangelical and charismatic streams, and the advance of the world mission of the Church. The class will end with a close look at the incredible explosion of the Holy Spirit in the twentieth century with an emphasis on the developments in the church in the last quarter century.

Narrative Theology 2

The Narrative Theology 2 intensive will continue our narrative approach to biblical theology by examining the classical doctrines of the Christian faith as the New Testament story develops.

Learning to Minister Like Jesus 1

The Healing 1 intensive begins with a general introduction to Jesus' singular message, the dawning of the Kingdom rule of God into the present age. The student will be introduced to what it means to live in the "already and not yet" through the power of the Holy Spirit through God's gracious outpouring of spiritual gifts. With a fresh understanding of the power tools of the Kingdom the student will be introduced to the healing ministry of Jesus and learn practical values and models for ministry to the sick. Each session will conclude with a "clinic" time where the students will get hands on experience with spiritual gifts and prayer for the sick.

Basic Pastoral Positions

Basic Pastoral Positions is a ten week course that will give the student an introduction to how to develop the kind of theological and ethical positions necessary for sustaining a truly biblical ministry. In the context of case studies of real pastoral situations the students will see the need for and begin to develop positions on such topics as worship, the Kingdom of God, spiritual gifts, baptism, the Lord's Supper, the problem of evil, knowing the will of God, baptism in the Spirit, marriage (premarital, wedding, adultery, divorce, remarriage), funerals, women in ministry, tithing/giving, and various kinds of sexual brokenness.

Learning to Minister Like Jesus 2

The Healing 2 intensive will build off the foundation of Healing 1 and will introduce the theology and practice of emotional healing and deliverance from demons. As with Healing 1 there will be ample time to put theory into practice through ministry clinics.

Relational Skills 1

The Relational Skills 1 intensive introduces the relational skills necessary for sustaining healthy ministry. Each student will learn to apply the values of empathy, warmth, and respect through the art of active listening. On this foundation healthy conflict resolution models will be explored and different personality types will be introduced.

Relational Skills 2

The Relational Skills 2 intensive will introduce the student to the subjects of codependency, boundaries, addiction, especially the various forms of religious addiction, family systems theory, projection issues, and healing for the sinned against.

Preaching

Preaching is designed to instruct the student how to preach or teach from a text in the Bible in such a manner as to be faithful to the intent of the author (called "expository" preaching and teaching). The course will begin with interpretation skills and then will progress to learning to outline a talk, begin and end the talk, illustrate it, and make application so it is relevant to the hearers. Tying texts into their narrative context through creative use of the biblical story will be emphasized to introduce the Bigger Story of God as an apologetic to the post-modern generation.

Each student will preach a series of sermons before the class, first beginning with short homilies and then progressing to longer sermons. The talks will be discussed by both professor and the class for the sake of learning. At least one of the sermons will be recorded so the student can learn to hone their oratory skills by critiquing themselves. The subject of segueing into a time of ministry will also be introduced.

Spiritual Formation

Spiritual Formation introduces the classic disciplines of the faith such as worship, prayer, Bible study, fasting, meditation, solitude, giving, and simplicity. Rather than accessing this material categorically the student will be looking at primary source material as case studies of some of the great, guiding lights throughout church history.

Discipleship through Small Groups

Discipleship through Small Groups is a course designed to teach the student all aspects of leading small groups as a primary tool for making disciples. Each one will learn how to start, lead, trouble-shoot, and multiply small groups of various kinds. Role playing will help the participants hone their group leading skills. Along the way intentional methods for making authentic apprentices of Jesus will be introduced for use through groups.

Evangelism

Evangelism will introduce the entire subject of salvation through discipleship. The student will be introduced to how evangelism works in the context of a local church. There is also a focus on God's heart for the poor. Practical tools will be given so students will be better equipped to share their faith with others and care for the broken of the world. Special attention will be given to evangelism within post-modern culture.

Pastoral Planning

In Pastoral Planning the student will be introduced to the dance between prayer, vision, and planning. The student will learn how to develop and implement step-by-step a vision given to the leader by God.

Pastoral Leadership

Pastoral Leadership will impart the skills necessary to build a team to achieve the will of God discerned in the Pastoral Planning course. Here is introduced the art of effective leadership, for if people are not able to follow us, the vision will be for naught. It will also focus on learning to develop others into leaders and building healthy teams and church systems.

Church Planting

Church Planting will lead a student through the processes by which churches are planted and developed. The professors will be those who have, themselves, successfully planted a church/churches. The Natural Church Growth theories of Christian Schwartz will be introduced as viable diagnostic tools to be used in reading church health.

Mission Preparation

In Mission Preparation students will be introduced to the kinds of preparation needed to ready a team for going on a short-term, cross cultural mission trip.

Mission Trip

At the end of the Year of Ministry students will be required to go on a short term Mission Trip together, trusting God for the funds to experience the provision of God to help future parishioners who will be walking through the same process. A course on missionary anthropology will be taken on the field in the mornings before going out to minister in various ways to the people.

Syllabi

At the beginning of each class students will be given a syllabus that will include a course description, required textbooks (see below for how to purchase), course objectives, course requirements, grading percentages, attendance expectations, student policies, bibliography, and course schedule.

Books

Students will receive bibliographic information for all books needed in each course by email prior to the commencement of the quarter. Students are responsible to purchase the books on their own. We recommend they order the books through online bookstores such as amazon.com or half.com.

Research Papers

Students are required to write two major papers in the YOB, one for Hermeneutics at the end of the fall quarter and one for the Gospels at the end of the winter quarter. Smaller papers may also be required depending on what a specific teacher wants. At the end of the third quarter, students will be asked to pull together all their learning from the storyline of the Bible to produce their own telling of the story as a final project concluding the YOB.

In the Basic Pastoral Positions class during the YOM, students will be asked to develop a major position paper on either baptism or the Lord's Supper. Students will be given basic library instruction and pointed to a bibliography from which they can research their subjects. Upon completion of the projects, students will be encouraged to share their papers with others.

Research papers in the YOS will be determined by the specific teachers.

Testing

When tests are given they will involve course content most relevant to pastoral ministry. We are not interested in students regurgitating facts that they will quickly forget but we want the students to understand the basic concepts well enough that they will be able to restate those concepts in their own words.

Furthermore, we do not want students to feel surprised or tricked on exams, so our instructors will inform them of the material on which they will be tested. We expect students to work hard at the Master level, but do not want anyone to feel frustrated by “curve ball” questions on a test.

Extensions

Students may apply for extensions on papers and leadership projects on a situational basis.

Appointments

Appointments can be made with our staff to answer any questions about the MMin.

Learning Disabilities

Before you begin classes, please make sure that the Dean of Students is aware of any identified learning disabilities that will require special accommodations.

Time Expectations

Although actual requirements will vary, a general standard is two hours of study outside of class for every in-class hour.

Late Assignments

A syllabus will be given out at the beginning of each course that will include all major assignments, exams, and their respective dates. Professors may or may not speak of these again, but you will be responsible for your work being presented on time. Penalties may be assessed for each day that an assignment is late.

Service Requirements

Students are also expected to serve 2-5 hours a week in some capacity at their local church, and will need to provide a written and signed statement describing their service every quarter. Second year students' service should include leading a small group of some kind. Third year students will enter into a formalized, supervised, part-time internship under the direction of their pastor or designated leader.

Attendance

You may miss a total of 2 weekly classes per quarter, but you must attend every intensive. You will need to plan your three-year schedule accordingly. If you must miss more than 2 classes in a quarter, please talk with the Academic Dean. All missed exams must be made up prior to the next class.

At this point there are no plans to tape the weekly classes so content missed because of absence will have to be made up via contact with fellow students.

Grading

TLC Schools of Ministry uses the traditional system, A-F. Students will need to maintain a 2.0 grade point average in order to graduate.

Graduation

All students who fulfill the requirements for graduation will receive a Bachelor of Christian Studies degree from St. Stephen's University in conjunction with Trinity Learning Community.

No student with a cumulative average on tests, papers, and leadership projects of less than 2.0 will be allowed to graduate. They will be allowed to take courses over until their average rises above 2.0 and then they will receive their diploma.

Graduation will take place in June of the third year once the degree requirements are fulfilled. Ceremonies will be held at the Inland Vineyard in Corona, California.