D.Min. Track: Ministry Skills

Overview

We know the challenges you face as a pastor. Even after receiving a solid and sound seminary education, you may still find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the unrelenting demands of actual day-to-day ministry. It does not take long to realize you need more — more knowledge, more training, more coaching. Talbot can help.

Our Doctor of Ministry program is designed to provide advanced ministerial training in a format that allows you to continue your ministry while you are in the program. We have assembled a team of seasoned scholar-practitioners who are committed to helping you to hone your abilities in three essential ministry skills — discipleship, preaching, and leadership.

In the Ministry Skills Track, you will spend a year on discipleship — moving from a coherent theology of discipleship to developing strategies for making disciples in your own ministry context. You will also spend a year on preaching — learning how to preach biblical sermons that are faithful to the text and relevant to your particular audience. And you will spend a year on leadership — not just gathering information but learning how to lead your congregation in a way that is effective, practical and biblical. If you want to be the best minister you can be, join us.

The Strategy

Discipleship (2026)

Ben Shin will lead you through three stages of understanding and living out what Jesus meant when he commanded his followers to “make disciples” (Matt. 28:19). The first stage deals with how the gospel you believe determines the kind of disciples you make. The second stage deals with the exegesis of key biblical texts to understand the kind of disciples God wants to send into the world. The third stage addresses the challenge of developing a disciple-making plan. Bill says, “If you don’t have a plan, you don’t intend to do it.” Together, you will work on a plan that is biblical and practical and fits your ministry.

Preaching (2024)

Brandon Cash will provide a complete overview of the process of preparing biblical sermons. You will hone your skills in moving from the text to the sermon, developing outlines that reflect the biblical author’s flow of thought and shaping your sermons for maximum impact. Each student will have the opportunity to prepare and deliver a didactic/epistolary sermon as well as a narrative sermon and receive feedback on both from professor Cash and the class.

Leadership (2025)

Ben Shin passionately believes that Christian leadership means leading God’s people toward God’s agenda. This requires that leadership be done according to his will as found in God’s Word. This residency will focus on what God expects of leaders, how to develop as a servant leader, and how to lead others in a godly manner. You will learn from seasoned scholars, practitioners and pastors on how to do this effectively and consistently for the glory of God.

The Faculty Mentors

Benjamin C. Shin is the Associate Professor of Bible Exposition at Talbot, and has ministered as a pastor, parachurch leader and professor for the last 20 years. He is a graduate of UCLA, Talbot School of Theology and Dallas Theological Seminary. His vision and passion includes mentoring leaders, rebuilding churches and teaching the Word of God.

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