The Bible and ministry major is designed to prepare students to grasp the message of the Bible, interpret the Scriptures accurately, and serve faithfully in roles in church, society and vocational ministry, as well as preparing for graduate study.
The Bible and ministry major assumes the meeting of the requirements of the general education Bible courses ( BI 105, BI 115, and BI 211) as they are not included in the major.
Bible and ministry students must maintain a 2.5 GPA in all courses (47-55 hours) required for the major. Students with a pre-seminary emphasis desiring to enter into the AP MDiv program at TEDS must maintain a cumulative 3.25 GPA with a grade of "B" or better in each required prerequisite TEDS course. Transfer students must take a minimum of 15 hours of upper-division courses in the major at Trinity.
Program Outcomes:
1. Biblical Living. The Bible and Ministry graduate should be able to exhibit Christian maturity and professionalism (integrity, responsibility, etc.), and be able to describe these responsibilities in the context of ministry.
2. Biblical Interpretation. The Bible and Ministry graduate should be able to analyze biblical texts in their historical, grammatical, and theological context and be able to interpret the Scriptures accurately by applying linguistic, historical, theological, and philosophical methods to the study of the text.
3. Biblical Application. The Bible and Ministry graduate should be able to develop a Christian worldview that will allow him or her to apply biblical truths to contemporary settings in order to be culturally relevant.
4. Theological Integration. The Bible and Ministry graduate should be able to explain the major doctrines of Christianity and articulate his or her own theological convictions by integrating Scriptural interpretation, biblical philosophy, critical thinking, cultural and ecclesial context.
Requirements total 47-55 hours including the Bible and ministry core and one emphasis. Up to 15 hours required in the major may be used to meet general education requirements.
The Bible and ministry major assumes the meeting of the requirements of the general education Bible courses (BI 105, BI 115 and BI 211) as they are not included in the major.
Bible and Ministry Major
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Bible and Ministry Major Core | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| BI 290 | Interpreting and Teaching the Bible (May be used to fulfill a general education requirement.) | 3 |
| BRS 305 | Theology I: The God of the Gospel | 3 |
| BRS 306 | Theology II: The Gospel of God | 3 |
| Church History Core (choose one) | 3 | |
| American Church History May be used to fulfill a general education requirement. | ||
| History of Christianity May be used to fulfill a general education requirement. | ||
| CM 172 | Introduction to Ministry | 3 |
| CM 224 | Integrated Field Experience - Spiritual Formation | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Emphasis: Biblical Studies
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| Bible Core: 12 hours including at least one OT and one NT course; BI 105, BI 115, or BI 211 do not fulfill this requirement. | 12 | |
| BI 452 | Biblical Studies Seminar (capstone) | 3 |
| Biblical Language (must choose 8 hours of Greek or 6 hours of Hebrew) | 6-8 | |
| Elementary Greek | ||
| Elementary Greek | ||
| or | ||
| Elementary Hebrew I | ||
| Elementary Hebrew II | ||
| Bible and Ministry Electives (BI, BRS, CM, GR, HB) | 6-8 | |
| (excluding courses taken to meet the requirements of the Bible Core) | ||
| Total Hours | 27-31 | |
Emphasis: Ministry
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| Bible Core: 12 hours including at least one OT and one NT course; BI 105, BI 115, or BI 211 do not fulfill this requirement. | 3 | |
| Integrated Field Experience (choose one) | 3 | |
| Integrated Field Experience - Small Group Ministry | ||
| Integrated Field Experience: Discipleship | ||
| Integrated Field Experience - Ministry Methods | ||
| Ministry Core | 15 | |
| Theological and Sociological Foundations of Evangelism | ||
| Introduction to Intercultural Ministry | ||
| Principles of Ministry Programming | ||
Additional CM courses (6 hours) | ||
| CM 475 | Senior Seminar (capstone) | 3 |
| Bible and Ministry Electives (BI, BRS, CM, GR, HB): | 6 | |
| (excluding courses taken to meet the requirements of the Ministry Core) | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Emphasis: Pre-Seminary
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Church History (Other Not Chosen in Core) | 3 | |
| American Church History May be used to fulfill a general education requirement. | ||
| History of Christianity May be used to fulfill a general education requirement. | ||
| CM 201 | Survey of Christian Education | 3 |
| CM 260 | Introduction to Intercultural Ministry | 3 |
| BI 452 | Biblical Studies Seminar | 3 |
| Biblical Language (must choose 8 hours of Greek or 6 hours of Hebrew) | 6-8 | |
| Elementary Greek | ||
| Elementary Greek | ||
| or | ||
| Elementary Hebrew I | ||
| Elementary Hebrew II | ||
| Bible and Ministry Electives (BI, BRS, CM, GR, HB): | 12-14 | |
| TEDS Cross Registration: | 5 | |
| Christian Faith and Contemporary Challenges | ||
| Intro to Counseling Ministries | ||
| Issues in Counseling Ministries | ||
| Total Hours | 35-39 | |
ADVANCE 5 Year BA/MDiv Program
The ADVANCE 5-year BA/MDiv major is designed for high-academic capacity students sensing an early call to pastoral ministry. This major lays a foundation for an effective ministry of biblical understanding in the context of a local church ministry. It is designed to enable a student to do further graduate studies in a seamless BA/Master of Divinity program between Trinity College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. The program can be accomplished in five years. Interested students should consult with a faculty advisor and view the ADVANCE 5-year BA/MDiv section of this catalog.
