Help Your Congregation Grow by Earning Our Master of Arts in Religion – Discipleship and Church Ministry Degree
Leading God’s people is a tremendous responsibility, but God hasn’t called you to do it alone. Our Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.) – Discipleship and Church Ministry degree is designed to build your leadership skills and help you cultivate a healthy church through family and small group discipleship. Our master’s of religion program is taught by faculty members who have real-world ministry experience and are well-respected theologians, authors, and speakers.
At Liberty, we care about you, and we are here to mentor and guide you as you follow God’s calling on your life. You can advance your spiritual foundation, become more effective in your discipleship ministries, and meet others with similar passions when enrolled in our discipleship and church ministry degree program.
Accreditation
Your seminary degree is approved by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and has met rigorous accreditation standards. You can feel confident that your degree is both academically excellent and well-respected among churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.
Award-Winning Campus
At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education that equips students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence helped us rank among Niche.com’s Top 3 college campuses in America. Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.
Why Choose Liberty’s Master’s Degree in Religion?
Pursuing your master’s degree in discipleship and church ministry with us residentially allows you to learn from experienced pastors and theologians. Our professors’ offices are always open to you, and they invite you to talk with them one on one with questions you may have or where God is leading you in your ministry.
At Liberty, you can build a community that’s as unique as you are. As you earn your master’s degree in religion, you will have the opportunity to meet other graduate students studying a variety of subjects, allowing you to witness first-hand how God’s truth is being revealed through fields as different as biology and cinematography.
While here, you will have the opportunity to network with organizations like the International Missions Board (IMB), Summit Church, and Samaritan’s Purse. We also partner with a multitude of local churches and ministries so you can gain hands-on ministry experience while you complete your degree. Additionally, our new Monday-only program gives you the option to take the majority of the classes you need on Mondays, so you can remain involved in full-time ministry throughout the rest of the week.
What Will You Learn in Our M.A.R. in Discipleship and Church Ministry Degree Program?
In our master’s degree in discipleship and church ministry, you will study the Old and New Testaments in depth, providing you with a firm foundational knowledge for the rest of your educational journey. You will take classes designed to give you the skills you need for successful ministry within the church. These courses include contemporary evangelism, hermeneutics, sermon preparation, and systematic theology.
If you choose to pursue our discipleship and church ministry specialization, you will study the logistics of church leadership and the foundations of a healthy church. Family discipleship and small groups are an important part of a healthy, growing church, and you can learn how to organize, lead, and encourage others to reap the benefits of both. Throughout our master’s in religion degree, your professors will share from their own research and ministry experience to provide you with practical, biblical insights you can use in your own church.
View the Degree Completion Plan, and check out our featured courses below for more information!
DSMN 610 – Family Discipleship
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- The importance of spiritual leadership within the family
- The responsibilities of parents in teaching children the Gospel, basic doctrine, systematic theology, spiritual disciplines, and practical Christian living
- Different techniques for family discipleship, such as family devotions, drill and catechism, Scripture memory, storytelling, and teaching moments
DSMN 630 – Small Group Ministries
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How to serve and equip the church for effective small group ministry
- How to organize a small groups ministry
- How to better lead in a small group
DSMN 660 – Leading a Healthy, Growing, and Multiplying Church
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How to disciple within a corporate-church setting
- The process of church multiplication
- Signs of a healthy church
- The differences between a young and more mature church
LEAD 505 – Church Administration
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Administrative principles and practices for the local church
- How to manage finances, building projects, public relations, and staff selection
- Tested leadership and management strategies
Degree Information
Careers
Admission Requirements
Highlights of our M.A.R. in Discipleship and Church Ministry Degree
- In addition to their hands-on ministry experience, our faculty are theologians who are well-respected authors, speakers, and researchers.
- We are committed to defending the authority of scripture and conservative evangelical theology.
- Our master’s degree in discipleship and church ministry provides hands-on experience within the local church as well as opportunities to serve with churches and organizations like International Mission Board, Hume Lake, Samaritan’s Purse, and Second Baptist Houston.
- Our Scriptorium houses the Rawlings Foundation rare books collection valued at over $1 million, a 111 ft.-long Torah scroll that dates to the 16th century, and a functioning replica of the Gutenberg Printing Press.
- Monday-only classes allow residential graduate students to complete large portions of their M.A. in Religion attending classes one day a week.
- We offer multiple scholarship opportunities to our residential students, including the Keesee Scholarship.
Our Master’s of Religion in Discipleship and Church Ministry Degree Information
- Residential
- 60 total credit hours
- Transfer in up to 50% of your required credits
- This program falls under the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity
- Download the Degree Completion Plan
- Review our course catalog
Potential Career Opportunities for Graduates of Our Master’s in Religion Degree Program
- Associate pastor
- Church education administrator
- Church planter
- Counselor
- Lay leader
- Worship pastor
- Youth pastor
Admission Requirements for Graduate Degrees
Every application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants must submit the following documents and meet the minimum requirements for admission:
- Admission application
- Official bachelor’s degree transcripts with a 2.0 GPA or higher
- Self-certification form (for students in the final term of their bachelor’s degree)
- John W. Rawlings School of Divinity questionnaire
- Pastoral recommender contact information
- Current Liberty undergraduate students seeking preliminary acceptance into a graduate program must complete a degree completion application through their ASIST account
