FTSA Doctor of Ministry
Credential: Doctor of Ministry
Location: Online
Locations for Residencies: Londrina, Brazil
Program Director: Kevin Gushiken, PhD
Assistant Program Director: Debra Johnson-Cortesi, PhD
DMin Coordinator in Brazil: Rubens Muzio, PhD
Introduction: The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree at Faculdade Teológica Sul Americana (FTSA) is a terminal professional doctorate that provides the opportunity for a post-Master of Divinity (MDiv) education to pastors, missionaries, para-church ministry leaders, teachers, and other Christian leaders to heighten professional development. The DMin at FTSA in partnership with Lancaster Bible College provides academic coursework in leadership studies with the integration of research and application. The delivery of the program allows students to pursue intensive advanced study through online learning while remaining employed full-time in their vocational settings throughout Brazil. The degree serves people who have earned the MDiv degree (or its equivalent) and currently serve as associate or senior pastors or executives of church-related or other Christian service organizations.
The following values will frame the student experience:
• Collaborative, cohort-based learning that promotes Christian community among students and professors.
• Academic and personal mentorship that supports students' development of self-awareness, spiritual formation, and recognition of capacities.
• Global and contextualized instruction that considers the understanding and application of knowledge to diverse environments.
• Academic rigor and excellent scholarship that promotes meaningful contributions to the knowledge and practice of Christian Ministry.
• Integration of theory and practice that supports diverse vocational callings.
Program Purpose: The program’s purpose is to further develop quality ministry leaders to effectively meet the challenges of serving God in a complex world. The Doctor of Ministry requires that students expand their abilities to analyze, synthesize, theologically consider, and appropriately apply theories and practices related to Christian leadership. Additionally, the program equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to conduct ongoing applied research within Christian ministry contexts. The church worldwide needs effective leaders who are growing in knowledge and wisdom through effective research and sharing their discoveries with others.
Program Philosophy: The Doctor of Ministry program at FTSA cultivates exceptional Christian ministry leaders and develops researcher-scholars through biblically grounded, life-engaged, globally diverse education for the benefit of God’s mission in the world.
Program Core Competencies: Four core competencies are developed in the Doctor of Ministry program. These include specialized skills in contextualized leadership studies, theological/biblical reflection, global/diverse thinking, and applied research.
Advanced Ministry Leadership Concentration - The student will gain the ability to think and execute skillfully in a chosen concentration within the field of ministry leadership.
Theological/Biblical Analysis – In each of the courses, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the relationship between the course's general content and its biblical/theological foundations. By doing so, students will be able to integrate their understanding of leadership concepts to the study of Scripture and practical theology.
Global/Diverse Thinking – In every course, students will engage with diverse perspectives from global sources to critically examine the usefulness of various leadership theories and practices.
Applied Research Skills - The student will learn to use several applied research approaches for the benefit of their own ministry and the church worldwide. Applied research is a cyclical, iterative approach that allows for lifelong exploration for solving problems and developing greater understanding. As part of their studies, DMin students will gain the essential skills needed to develop and implement a Ministry Research Project in a local context. Graduates of the program are equipped to be researchers/scholars who think deeply, engage problems fully, explore creative solutions, and share what they are learning.
FTSA DMin Curricular Structure/Degree Requirements
Overview of Program Competencies
The DMin program requires a minimum of three years of study. Students will complete 34 hours of academic study as follows:
Competencies and Credits for Each
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Program Orientation
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0 credits
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Advanced Ministry Concentration Seminars
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16 credits
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Contextual Ministry Praxis Seminar
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4 credits
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Applied Research Seminar
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4 credits
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Mentored Research Design
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4 credits
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Applied Research Dissertation
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6 credits
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Program total
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34 credits
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Required Courses
FTSA Application, Admission, Retention, and Graduation
Admission to the DMin Program at FTSA
To enroll in the program, it is necessary to submit the following documents:
• Copy of Identity Card – RG/RNE
• Copy of CPF (Taxpayer Registry ID)
• Copy of Civil Certificate (Birth/Marriage)
• Bachelor’s degree in theology
• Academic transcript (must have the equivalent of GPA of 2.75 or above on a 4.0 scale)
• Ministry letter of recommendation – includes proof of at least 3 years of ministry experience
• Academic reference letter
• Research proposal – provides an example of writing abilities along with initial dissertation concepts
Application Response
Application Deadlines and Admission Evaluation
For an applicant to be considered for participation in a DMin cohort, all application requirements should be completed 90 days prior to the cohort start date. Once an application file is complete, FTSA administrators will evaluate the applicant’s profile in terms of demonstrated and potential ability to complete doctoral studies successfully. The committee makes a consensus admission decision on applicants (five decisions are possible) using the following scale:
• Full Acceptance: The applicant is fully accepted with no deficiencies or leveling requirements.
• Accepted with Deficiencies: The applicant is accepted into the program with admission’s academic deficiencies identified.
• Accepted on Review Status: The applicant is admitted pending further review. This may be because a part of the applicant ‘s application was incomplete (e.g. a score was not received in time) or because the applicant did not meet one of the admission’s requirements.
• Delay: The applicant may receive an application delay. This may be due to the program being filled, a change in the student’s life situation, or an event preventing the applicant from attending the first program session. Delayed status applicant will not have to reapply to the program but must pay the program down payment fee.
• Declined: The applicant who is declined will be notified by mail or email. Specific reasons for the decline are not provided.
Retention
Statute of Limitations and Continuation Fee
Students who have not completed their dissertation by December 31 following the established completion date of their program (four years of full-time coursework) will be charged an administrative continuation fee for each term (fall and spring) until the dissertation is completed, or until the student withdraws from the program, or until the statute of limitations (five years) is reached. In cases where the statute of limitations has been extended beyond five years, the schedule of administrative continuation fees will remain in force.
Graduation
Commencement
Doctor of Ministry graduates from FTSA are invited to participate in the commencement ceremony which is held in Lancaster, PA, USA, in May each year. They are also invited to participate in a graduation ceremony at FTSA in Brazil.
Preparing for Graduation
In addition to completing all academic requirements for graduation, all financial obligations to the college must be paid in full before a doctoral student can graduate.
Cap and Gown
If the student decides to attend graduation in the U.S., the program tuition price does not include the cost of regalia. Information on how to be measured for the cap and gown and where to purchase regalia will be sent to graduates early in the semester of graduation.
Program Director: Kevin Gushiken, PhD
Kevin currently serves as Dean of the School of Bible & Ministry and as Director of the PhD in Leadership and DMin-FTSA programs. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business/Economics and a Master of Arts in Missions and Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. He also received a Masters of Divinity and a PhD in Educational Studies with a minor in Intercultural Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL.
Kevin’s primary passion is to develop Christian leaders who biblically and critically think with the purpose of influencing the world for Christ. He also has deep interest in how leadership is formed in multiethnic settings. He has written on these topics in numerous journals and presented them at several conferences around the country. He recently published a book on the Theology of Play.
Prior to joining Lancaster Bible College, Kevin served in a variety of churches, most recently as Senior Pastor for 18 years at Harvard Avenue Evangelical Free Church, a multiethnic congregation in Chicago, IL. Kevin has been married to Penny since 1996. They have two children, Ashleigh and Ryan.
In his free time, Kevin enjoys hiking and sailing. He is a self-described “thrill seeker” who is open to trying anything once.
Assistant Program Director: Debra Johnson-Cortesi, PhD
Debra is very passionate about doctoral education and research. She longs to see each doctoral student fully equipped for good ministry. She believes that scholarship and research are, and should be, inextricably tied to practice. Also, good education should never be simply for the sake of knowing something. Knowledge that is not applied has very little value. Her hope is to see every graduate of both Ministry doctoral programs equipped to do research within the areas where they feel called by God. It is her desire that each doctoral student will be empowered to be the kind of researcher-scholar that elevates practice in powerful ways – making themselves and others into exceptional practitioners. This should first be accomplished through their coursework and dissertation and then as God leads them to continue to gain and apply more knowledge and wisdom for the benefit of the church universal.
To help ensure that all Ministry doctoral students are well equipped, Debra is focused on supporting excellent professors and dissertation readers, designing cutting-edge courses, creating helpful resources, and collaborating with the Director to elevate the quality of the DMin and PhD in Leadership programs.
In her free time, Debra has a lot of hobbies. She enjoys many types of crafts, cooking, reading, and making music.
Faculty
Debra Johnson-Cortesi, PhD
Kevin Gushiken, PhD
Rubens Muzio, PhD