EdD in Christian Leadership: Spiritual Formation Degree Empower the Spiritual Journey of Your Community
Help Foster Spiritual Growth Among Believers with Liberty’s Doctorate in Spiritual Formation Online
Liberty University’s 100% online Doctor of Education (EdD) in Christian Leadership – Spiritual Formation is a professional degree designed for Christian educators and school administrators, church ministerial staff, and parachurch organization leaders. In this program, you can learn how to address various educational and ministerial challenges using empirical research. You’ll also explore how biblical principles relate to education and leadership philosophy, theory, and practice.
With the spiritual formation specialization, you can further hone your skill set to match your unique career goals. Our spiritual formation courses online will teach you how to foster individual and corporate spiritual growth in your church and community. By studying spiritual formation from a biblical and historical perspective, you can grow in your faith and equip others to do the same.
If you’re ready to pursue a terminal degree that can help you lead with skill and integrity, partner with us. We can help prepare you to make a difference, wherever God is calling you.
Your officially conferred degree name will be Doctor of Education (EdD) in Christian Leadership – Spiritual Formation.
Accreditation
Liberty Theological Seminary, as part of Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Your seminary degree is approved by ATS and has met rigorous accreditation standards, so you can feel confident that your degree is both academically excellent and well-respected among churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.
Backed by a brick-and-mortar campus ranked as Niche.com’s #2 Best College Campus in America for 2026
What Sets Us Apart?
- Private Nonprofit University
- 600+ Online Degrees
- No Standardized Testing for Admission
- Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
- Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree
Why Choose Liberty’s EdD in Christian Leadership – Spiritual Formation Program Online?
At Liberty, we seek to Train Champions for Christ. Our goal is to help you gain the knowledge, values, and skills for impacting the world. That’s why we’ve created a doctorate in spiritual formation online that blends accessibility, affordability, and high-quality academics. With the training you receive in our cutting-edge distance learning environment, you can prepare to lead more effectively in churches, ministries, parachurch organizations, and education settings.
With our 100% online EdD in Christian Leadership – Spiritual Formation program, you can complete your assignments from the comfort of home and easily access your course materials whenever you need them. Most importantly, you can stay invested in your family, job, and community while working toward your educational goals.
As a leading academic institution of theological study, Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity is uniquely equipped to provide the training you need to explore new career opportunities. And, unlike many online Bible colleges and seminaries, Liberty is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Our programs have met rigorous academic standards and accreditation requirements — so you can pursue your degree with confidence.
Get the Tools You Need for Ministry Success – Included with Your Program
As a student at Liberty University, you get access to the Logos Bible app at no extra cost. If you’re in a Rawlings School of Divinity program, you receive a Logos Max subscription – unlocking a robust library of biblical and theological resources while you study.
The majority of our Liberty Theological Seminary master’s programs even integrate Logos into your courses, teaching you how to use it effectively and giving you additional resources and training to help you dig deeper into Scripture and prepare for ministry.
What Will You Study in Our Online Doctorate in Christian Leadership – Spiritual Formation Degree?
This degree is broken down into 3 main parts: core Christian leadership courses, the spiritual formation specialization, and praxis courses. Throughout the program, you can learn how to apply relevant research, philosophy, and theory to solve real-world problems in education and ministry. This combination of theory and praxis helps set the EdD in Christian Leadership apart as a unique program of study that can help you pursue a variety of roles.
Our core Christian leadership courses provide an in-depth look at the biblical and theological foundations of leadership and education, theological anthropology, leadership and management theory, and organizational theory and development. You’ll also complete a rigorous praxis project – which can help you contribute to the base of knowledge in your field and further equip you to solve real-world problems in education and ministry. All of our courses incorporate a biblical worldview and emphasize the importance of ethics and integrity in leadership.
Within the spiritual formation specialization, you’ll explore spiritual growth through the lens of discipline, theology, and practice. Additionally, you can examine Christian formation as both an individual and community process and become equipped to lead others toward ongoing maturity in Christ. You can also learn how to identify the major components of spiritual formation as revealed in the Old and New Testaments, the history of the church, and the writings of major theologians.
Potential Career Opportunities
Featured Courses
Degree Information
Degree Completion Plan
Not sure what to choose?
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.
To continue our mission of providing affordable education, electronic textbooks are provided for many divinity courses* all for one convenient fee.
*Electronic textbooks are not provided for PACO courses or courses that fall under departments outside the School of Divinity.
| EdS and EdD Full Time | $610/Credit |
|---|---|
| EdS and EdD Part Time | $675/Credit |
| Military EdS and EdD | $375/Credit |
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for the EdD in Christian Leadership Online
Admission Requirements
Preliminary Acceptance
Transcript Policies
Admissions Office Contact Information
Ready to Apply?
Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $375 per credit hour for EdS and EdD courses
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this program have any additional accreditation?
Inner Navigation
- Overview
- What Sets Us Apart?
- Why Choose Liberty?
- What Will You Study?
- Tuition & Aid
- Admission Information
- Military
- FAQs
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