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New specialization looks to educate graduate students on importance of digital ministry

This fall, Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity launched the new Church Ministry in the Digital Age specialization under the Master of Arts in Religion and the Master of Divinity programs, offered residentially and online.

Comprised of courses centering on digital community, theology, formation, and strategies, the new specialization is taught primarily by its creator Dr. Steve Lowe, graduate chair for the Christian Leadership and Church Ministries Department. Lowe started developing his ideas for the specialization in 2015 and presented proposals last year. The new track is one of the first of its kind in the field, combining foundational religion courses with digital ministry courses to focus on practical applications.

“The reality is that a lot of churches have been doing online ministry in one form or another and that is not just because of COVID-19,” he said. “We thought that it was important for our students to get prepared for that, so when they leave here they can go into ministry no matter where it happens or when it happens.”

This year’s pandemic has been a pivotal reminder of the importance of digital church education.

“The timing for these courses to launch could not have been better,” Lowe said.

Students will compose a discipleship ministry strategy for Christian ministry, develop a plan for personal growth and development, and learn how to better defend the Christian faith in light of the digital age.

Three of the four courses were offered online this semester, with Lowe teaching two of them and his wife, School of Divinity Online Associate Dean Dr. Mary Lowe, also teaching a course. The couple has been a part of the School of Divinity since 2015.

“What we are hoping and planning is that if this specialization takes off, we’ll be able to expand into a complete degree program at some point,” he said.

>> The John W. Rawlings School of Divinity provides Christ-centered education and is committed to academic excellence with a focus on equipping the whole person for local and global ministry.

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