Pastoral Ministries Application



			\| Prospective Students

Program Overview Admission Requirements and Application Submit Online Application. Online Catalog Academic Calendar Contact Us!			*Purpose and Overview* The primary goal of the *Pastoral Ministries Track* program is to equip and train men to serve in pastoral ministry--whether at home or on the mission field. Our aim is to train individuals to explain the Scriptures accurately and to walk according to them. The *Pastoral Ministries Track* program is a challenging sequence and should prepare one well for pastoral ministry. The program is not meant for everyone. Individuals in the program will need to be disciplined and self-starters. It will be incumbent on students in the program to manage their time and plan an appropriate curriculum load. Students will also need to be responsible in planning, with their church leaders, opportunities to carry out their practical ministry assignments within their own church. Working with one’s own church leadership to find these opportunities will require a great deal of initiative on the student’s part. Program Overview The *Pastoral Ministries Track* program will consist of 4 types of courses—academic, practical ministry, theological seminars, and thesis/publication writing. Academic Academic courses will make up approximately 2/3 of the program. The instructor interaction of these courses will take place primarily over the Internet through e-mail and online discussions. Homework assignments will be primarily reading and writing. Greek, Hebrew, theology, Bible, and church history will be considered academic courses that primarily follow this structure. Practical Ministry Practical ministry courses will make up approximately 1/5 of the program. These courses will include teaching, preaching, evangelism, assisting in weddings/funerals/counseling, and working with church boards. These courses were designed as on-the-job training to become a pastor. A student in these classes will be asked to complete a number of practical assignments within a semester for each course. A student will need to find someone in their church to mentor each of the above classes. This individual need not to be the same for every course. This course mentor should have practical experience and expertise related to the course. The student will need to meet with his course mentor once a week to discuss his assignment and report on progress. The course mentor should provide feedback to the student on completed assignments and suggestions for improvement. The course mentor will need to fill out an evaluation form at the end of the semester grading the student’s performance. In addition to the course mentor, the student will be required to file weekly status reports to the school’s practical ministry supervisor. These weekly status reports will be sent by e-mail and will indicate the student’s progress and plans for the coming week regarding the course. The student is responsible for notifying the supervisor of the name and contact information of his mentor. Theological Seminars As part of the program, a *Pastoral Ministries Track* student will be required to attend three annual conferences. The students will then be required to write a 500 to 1000 word paper for each conference message. (Students that are not able to attend one or more conferences may listen to 2 conferences for every 1 conference in which they could not attend.) Thesis and Publication Writing It is the goal of the school to train students to be able to accurately and clearly explain God’s word verbally and in writing. A thesis is required from students wishing to complete the *Pastoral Ministries Track. In addition, students are required to complete the course "Writing for Publications" which is aimed at preparing individuals to write for newsletters, journals, and even books. (Top) Admission Requirements* and Application The *Pastoral Ministries Track* program is designed for men who are wishing to prepare for pastoral ministry and who have been conferred a bachelor or equivalent degree. Men who are not wishing to enter the pastoral ministry should not apply for this program. Individuals without a bachelor or equivalent degree may still apply for consideration; however, admission under this situation will be limited. We believe that the Scriptures teach that teaching at the meeting of the church is to be done by men only. Therefore, the *Pastoral Ministries Track* is not available for women. However, we encourage women to enroll in classes and we anticipate the creation of other ministry tracks in the future that will be available to women. There will be a non-refundable application fee of $20 for Pastoral Ministries Track applicants. The final deadline for applications is one month before the start of the semester. Applications will be considered when they are received prior to the final deadline. An applicant should be notified of the decision of the admissions committee within one month of submitting the application. For applicants for the *Pastoral Ministries Track* program, the following information should be submitted with their completed application form: Official transcripts from all schools attended since high school and attended for more than 12 semester hours. A copy of one's GRE test scores is not required, but if submitted it will enhance one's application. The GRE exam is administered on specific dates throughout the year at many schools. It is also administered interactively at many Sylvan learning centers. Information about the GRE exam may be obtained by requesting the GRE Information Bulletin: Graduate Records Examination, Box 955, Princeton, NJ 08540 or Box 1502, Berkeley, CA 94701. Applicants who have never studied at an educational institution where English was the primary language of instruction need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Test of Written English (TWE). Please submit a copy of your scores. Information about the TOEFL and TWE may be obtained from TOEFL, P. O. Box 6154, Princeton, NJ 08541-6154. The completed Recommendation Form from three individuals. Preferably, your pastor or a spiritual mentor will complete one form. Applicants who are presently full time college students should have one form completed by a professor or instructor. Applicants who are working full time should have one form completed by one’s manager or business associate. Completed Statement of Church Support. This letter should indicate that: a) You are a regular worshipper in good standing; b) The church leadership endorses your desire to pursue training in order to pursue a ministry in the pastoral role; c) The church will commit to providing the opportunities necessary within the church for you to complete your training. Before asking your church leaders to complete this form, you will need to explain to them the overall structure of GESOT and its the practical ministry courses (please see the following Program Overview section). Admission decisions are based on academic record, promise in ministry, spiritual maturity, and character. Submit Online Application. (Top)