The Southwestern M.Div. degree concentration in North American church planting provides a solid foundation of classical studies and specific training in church planting. The degree equips students to start and develop effective churches in the many contexts of North America. This degree allows students to complete their course of study while serving off-campus as a church starter. The church planting experience occurs under the auspices of a partnership between the North American Mission Board and Baptist state conventions cooperating with the Southern Baptist Convention. Often, the planter deploys under the Nehemiah Project for Church Planting, a two-year, mentored field experience with specific support components designed to ensure maximum learning and success in planting a new church.
Students must fulfill the requirements for admission into the Southwestern M.Div. degree program and obtain approval from the designated faculty advisor to be officially admitted into the North American Church Planting concentration.
This concentration combines a strong theoretical emphasis with practical, field-based learning. After completing the basic master of divinity core on campus, students complete the field-based portion of the degree, including mentorship courses, while serving a two-year or three-year field assignment in North America under the supervision of a veteran missionary or church planter.
In consultation with the program advisor, students may complete some hours of study (including mentorships) during the two or three-year field assignment.
Students in most cases must meet the requirements for missionary appointment and be appointed by NAMB, or be approved by the faculty advisor for an equivalent supervised ministry experience. The appointment must involve a minimum of two years of service. The placement in most cases must include: (1) direct involvement with starting a new congregation, developing a strategy for a people group, or promoting a church planting movement of multiple congregations, and (2) a carefully monitored supervisory relationship with a veteran church planter or missionary. Students should apply for appointment at least two years before the proposed beginning date of church planting service and should carefully plan the sequence of courses in order to coordinate with the proposed beginning date of their church planting assignment.
This option allows graduating students from the College at Southwestern or other approved institutions to “Jump Start” into the M.Div. North American Church Planting program at the beginning of their two year appointment with the North American Mission Board. These students will complete the field-based portion of the degree before the campus based portion. At the end of the two years on the field, students will transition to the SWBTS campus to finalize their M.Div. requirements. Click here for more information on the "Jump Start 2+2/3". Please contact the Dean's Office of the Fish School of Evangelism and Missions regarding pre-requisites for the "Jump Start 2+2/3".
Some students may opt for a version of this program that is not dependent on appointment with the North American Mission Board. The M.Div. with North American Church Planting concentration may be completed on campus (without the two years of field mentorship) by following the Non 2+2 Track listed below.
Course Title |
Course Number |
Hours |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Biblical Studies |
|||
Biblical Hermeneutics |
BIBST 3203 |
3 |
|
Basic Old Testament I |
OLDTS 3313 |
3 |
|
Basic Old Testament II |
OLDTS 3323 |
3 |
|
Basic New Testament I |
NEWTS 3313 |
3 |
|
Basic New Testament II |
NEWTS 3323 |
3 |
|
Elementary Greek I (prerequisite)1 |
GREEK 3313 |
(3) |
|
Elementary Greek II (prerequisite)1 |
GREEK 3323 |
(3) |
|
New Testament Greek I |
GREEK 4313 |
3 |
|
New Testament Greek II |
GREEK 4323 |
3 |
|
Elementary Hebrew I |
HEBRW 4313 |
3 |
|
Elementary Hebrew II |
HEBRW 4323 |
3 |
|
Hebrew Exegetical Method |
HEBRW 5003 |
3 |
|
Theological Studies |
|||
Church History I |
CHAHT 3103 |
3 |
|
Church History II |
CHAHT 3113 |
3 |
|
Baptist Heritage |
BPTST 3203 |
3 |
|
Systematic Theology I |
SYSTH 3003 |
3 |
|
Systematic Theology II |
SYSTH 3013 |
3 |
|
Ethics and Philosophical Studies |
|||
Basic Christian Ethics or |
ETHIC 4313 or |
3 |
|
The Bible & Moral Issues or |
ETHIC 4323 or |
||
Development of Christian Character and Decision Making |
ETHIC 4333 |
||
The Christian Home |
ETHIC 4303 |
3 |
|
Philosophy of Religion or |
PHILO 4313 or |
3 |
|
Christian Apologetics |
PHILO 4373 |
||
Evangelism and Missions Studies |
|||
Contemporary Evangelism |
EVANG 3303 |
3 |
|
Personal Evangelism Practicum2 |
EVANG 3000 |
0 |
|
Introduction to Missiology |
MISSN 3363 |
3 |
|
Missions Practicum2 |
MISSN 3100 |
0 |
|
Preaching and Pastoral Studies |
|||
Foundations for Christian Ministry I3 |
PASMN 3313 |
3 |
|
| Christian Ministry Practicum2 | PASMN 3000 | 0 | |
|
Introduction to Expository Preaching4 |
PRCHG 3313 |
3 |
|
| Advanced Expository Preaching5,9 | PRCHG 3323 | 3 | |
| Preaching Practicum2 | PRCHG 3000 | 0 | |
Additional Requirements |
|||
Spiritual Formation I |
SPFEV 3101 |
1 |
|
Spiritual Formation II |
SPFEV 3111 |
1 |
|
|
The Ministry of Education |
EDMIN 3003 |
3 |
|
Church Planting Concentration |
|||
| NAMB 2+2 Track |
Non 2+2 Track |
||
| Orientation for Distance Learning6 | MISSN 3000 | 0 | n/a |
| Introduction to Church Planting7 | MISSN 4393 | 3 | 3 |
| Models for Church Planting7 | MISSN 5353 | 3 | 3 |
| Globalization and Missions Strategies 8 or | MISSN 3373 or | 3 | 3 |
| Missionary Anthropology8 | MISSN 4373 | 3 | |
| Missions or Evangelism Elective | MISSN / EVANG | n/a | 3 |
| (Missions Elective)9 | MISSN Elective | (3) | (3) |
| Great Commission Mentorship I | APLEV 5602 | 2 | 2 |
| Great Commission Mentorship II | APLEV 5612 | 2 | n/a |
| Great Commission Mentorship III | APLEV 5622 | 2 | n/a |
| Great Commission Mentorship IV | APLEV 5632 | 2 | n/a |
| Total | 91 | 91 | |
1Greek 3313 and 3323 (3 hours each) or Greek 3356 (6 hours) are prerequisite for the degree. Greek 3356 (6 hours) may be taken in lieu of the two 3 hour courses. Students who have completed equivalent courses should contact the New Testament Department to determine the necessity of completing the courses.
2Students will be enrolled in these practicums automatically when registering for the parent course above them in the degree plan.
3Female students should substitute WOMST 4003 Women's Ministries in the Local Church.
4Female students take WOMST 4043 Expository Communication of Biblical Truth.
5Female students take a free elective in lieu of Advanced Expository Preaching.
6Students normally take MISSN 3000 during the semester immediately preceding the beginning of the missionary assignment. The course is a non-credit prerequisite for MISSN 5602
7The NAMB requires MISSN 4393 and MISSN 5353 for students serving in the Nehemiah Project church planting program.
8Non 2+2 students are required to take both MISSN 3373 and MISSN 4373.
9Students preparing for a ministry which includes preaching must complete PRCHG 3323. Those who believe their ministry will not include preaching should submit a course substitution form to the Master's Programs Office at Fleming 211-C to request to bypass this course and substitute an elective course.
The following links provide suggestions for how a student may plan to take the courses required for the M.Div. North American Church Planting with the NAMB 2+2 Track or with the Non 2+2 Track.
Students interested in more complete information regarding the program should contact the Center for Baptist Church Planting at 817-923-1921 extension 6679.