Pastoral Concentration

You may enroll in these courses individually, however to earn a degree in this concentration, you will need to apply and have a degree completion plan created.

Once you have registered for and paid your course tuition, you will be sent a confirmation within 24 hours, and your course link within 2-3 business days.

* you do not need to be in a degree program at ACU to register for individual courses

Pastoral Ministry Courses

APTH 4675: Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God This course is a wonderful investigation of God’s call to live in spirit and in truth. You will learn the importance of the illumination of scripture and the application of revelation knowledge as a means to living the victorious Spirit-filled life. Key topics include an examination of the limitations of reasoned (human) knowledge, the role of theology and doctrine, and the place of revelation knowledge in renewing the mind.

BIBL 4481: Survey of the Book of Acts As the Book of Acts documents the birth and development of a faith based in the resurrected Christ, this course traces the spread of the gospel by and through the original Apostles. Key topics include the historical development of Christianity, challenges and obstacles to the first evangelists, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in evangelism.

COMM 3780: Communicating Christian Faith
The practices of expressing individual faith and apologetics defending the faith are explored. Key topics include the case for faith, applications of practical faith, and keeping faith in the face of hardship and pain.

EVAN 3500: Preaching the Word This course provides the practices and processes of effective preaching. Key topics include presentation and communication skills through the leading of the Holy Spirit, contemporaneous, spontaneous speaking, and connecting with others on a personal level.

MINN 3400: Organizational Dynamics of the Church
Organizational structures and strategies of contemporary churches are examined. Key topics include denominations and their influence on local bodies, independent church organization, reporting and accountability in church organizations, staffing the church, and the congregation's role in church organization.

MINN 3560: Small Church Administration
Ministry leadership in the small church environment is emphasized. Key topics include resource management, time management for the small church leader, integrating volunteers, and pastoral accountability in the small church.

MINN 3988: Financial Administration in Ministry
This course provides an overview of financial management in church and ministry organizations. Key topics include budget development and administration, cash flow management, funding and fund raising, and using information technology to manage church and ministry finances.

MINN 4112: Urban Ministry
Ministry leadership in the inner city environment is examined. Key topics include street ministry, resource management, conflict resolution, the inner city political environment, building support systems with suburban churches and organizations, and discipleship in the inner city.

MINN 4355: The Touch of Christ: Ministering to the Broken
This course emphasizes Christ's mission to touch the untouchable and to love the unlovely. Key topics focus on ministry response to substance abuse, sexual and emotional abuse, poverty, homelessness and physical deprivation, and cross-cultural and interfaith ministry.

MINN 4450: Legal Issues in Ministry
This course provides an overview of the legal environment in which a church or ministry organization operates. Key topics include human resource law, tax and regulatory compliance, liability law, contracts, and intellectual property law.

MINN 4703: Managing Church Growth
This course provides strategies, processes, and practices for managing church growth. Key topics include staffing the growing church, developing church growth strategies, ethics of church growth, and developing a biblical view of church growth.