Nazarene Course of Study (Non-Degree Program)

An exploration of the call to Christian ministry in light of the holy God who calls. This course provides the ability to articulate the sacred nature of the call to ministry and to nurture that calling through intentional practices of the classical Christian disciplines.

This course equips students with the ability to exegete Christian Scripture for the sake of faithful proclamation and preaching. Attention will be given to the development of the canon, historical models of biblical interpretation, their application to contemporary cultural contexts, and a distinctly Wesleyan understanding of the function of Scripture in Christian life, theology, and ministry.

An exploration of the timeline of the Old Testament, its literary structure, and its theology. Special attention will be given to developing the ability to communicate the major turning points, figures, and the history of Israel.

An exploration of the timeline of the New Testament, its literary structure, and its theology. Special attention will be given to the spread of the gospel as recorded in the New Testament and the forms of preaching and evangelism expressed therein.

Exhibit a working knowledge in conversation with parishioners and ministry peers (Nazarene and other Christian traditions) of the history of the Church of the Nazarene, our roots, the formative events and persons, etc. of our Wesleyan heritage and denomination (with global awareness) along with a capacity to relay past history to the possibilities of the present.

A theological exploration of the God who is holy and the call to be a holy people. This course will include a survey of OT and NT history and texts concerning a theology of holiness, the historical development of the theology of holiness, and a Wesleyan understanding of the doctrine of Christian perfection.

This course explores the development of the Christian confession, worship, and practice across history. Looking to the major points of development, it will take account of the ecumenical councils, major turning points in ecclesiastical history, and the relationship of church history to major world events.

A biblical, historical, and theological exploration of women in the life of the church and Christian ministry. Special attention will be given to celebrating the ministry of women in the Church of the Nazarene.

A biblical, theological, and philosophical exploration of Christian ethics and role of the Christian minister as a moral theologian. Drawing on the resources of the Wesleyan-holiness tradition, special attention is given to skills and insights for making complex moral decisions in Christian ministry. 

Taking into account the increasingly pluralistic nature of contemporary society, this course explores the ways Christian discipleship can thrive. Special attention will be given to the developmental realities of different age groups in developing an effective ministry of discipleship.

Leadership theory and theology will serve as the foundation of the fundamentals of leadership. Personal leadership styles and character development will be assessed. Leading teams, groups, other leaders, and organizations will be a progressive focus while also learning to use tools to cast vision, develop strategy and mission, and develop greater stewardship. Culture and change will also be considered in the context of a missional community. Upon completion, students will have knowledge of leadership with tools to guide organizations to transformational change and organizational health.

Exploration of theological sources and method, the doctrine of God, doctrine of the Trinity, Christology, pneumatology, and ecclesiology, and the Nazarene Articles of Faith around those doctrines. The course concludes with learning about the vital connection between theology and ministry

Exploration of Doctrine of Creation, theological anthropology, hamartiology, soteriology, eschatology, and the Nazarene Articles of Faith around those doctrines.

This course explores the local church in the context of its community. Students will gain the ability to discern sociological dynamics, power dynamics, and exegete congregations and communities for the sake of mission, and explore movements related to church planting and revitalization.

In this course, students will develop a holistic theological vision of compassionate ministry and evangelism that is biblically sound and culturally sensitive. Students will learn to make use of models of community exegesis for the sake of hospitable engagement.

This course explores the dynamic relationship among the elements of Christian worship, providing students the ability to plan, evaluate, and execute the liturgical elements of a Christian worship service.

This course equips students with the ability to work exegetically in a biblical text, plan, and deliver sermons making use of various homiletical models. Students will also gain the capacity to evaluate various models of preaching for the sake of faithful ministry.

Beginning with a Wesleyan theology of mission and evangelism, this course provides the student the ability to draw together hospitable engagement and inter-cultural understanding as the basis for evangelism and church planting.

An exploration of the developmental factors affecting Christian formation and pastoral care across the lifetime of persons. Emphasis will be placed on how pastoral care can be offered at the various stages of life. Short-term counseling and trauma awareness will also be explored.

This course will examine models of leadership and administration for the sake of faithful Christian ministry. It will include training in leadership and administrative skills and provide the ability to employ current models of organizational leadership and administration.

The Ordination Capstone Course will guide and assist the student in the development of a ministry handbook that will be a resource to them throughout their future ministry. Through the compilation of assignments and resources, supervised experiences and the completed demonstration of necessary competencies for vocational ministry, they will have developed a portfolio of theological, spiritual and personal reflection, as well as practical experience in the local context that will be a future resource for ministry.