Overview of Doctoral Program
The Doctoral Degree Programs are based upon the conviction that pastors and ministry leaders that are biblically trained in the function and role of Christian pastors and leaders are equipped to have a greater impact for the Kingdom of Christ our Lord and to lead churches that are a spiritual force in their communities. Biblically strong and mature leaders are more fully prepared to lead Acts 1:8 churches and to fulfill their Scriptural mandate to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12). When the term “Doctoral Program” is used under the General Doctoral Program Requirements, the term is referring to the three doctoral degrees offered by Covington Theological Seminary – Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Religious Education, and Doctor of Theology.
Ministry Preparation
The ministry preparation and equipping skill set is designed to functionally and practically challenge students in the biblical execution of Christian leadership and ministry. The program is intended to establish a scriptural view that helps the student understand two important aspects of biblical ministry. The first aspect is that Christian ministry resides with the members of the Body of Christ as a whole. The second aspect helps the student understand that the Christian pastor or leader has the primary function of an equipper (Ephesians 4:11-16). This fundamentally changes the typical approach of many modern churches that view the pastor / staff leaders as the ministry “doers” and the church members as the ministry “receivers” and “supporters.”
Ministry Objectives
Without a biblical understanding of the nature and objectives of biblical ministry, the church cannot function as intended. The “work of the ministry” as defined in Ephesians 4:12 and performed by the members of a local church is very extensive and encompasses almost everything in the care of the church except the primary responsibilities of pastoral preaching, teaching, and leading. The simple objective of the Ephesians 4:12 equipping process is to help believers translate their personal faith into practical service. A godly minister must be able to effectively provide both the leadership and the spiritual resources that strengthen believers individually and corporately to better understand and accomplish their God given privileges. Spiritual maturity is greatly enhanced through the leadership of godly servant leaders and their effective practice of biblical ministry.
The erroneous, biblically unsound, and inverted approach to Christian leadership and ministry so prevalent in today’s spiritual environment has certain foundationally fallacious problems that must be addressed in this program of study. A ministry approach that engenders a practice that places the burden for the practical ministry of the church upon a few “professionally trained” pastors and staff members will unfairly and improperly place so much pressure upon those individuals and their families that burn-out, ministerial crash, and ministry implosion can be the only result. Historically, thousands of Christian pastors and leaders are leaving their churches and ministries annually. Replacements cannot be trained quickly enough. No pastor is equipped to be everything to everyone all the time. To the contrary, no matter what spiritual gifts, ministry skills, and personal talents that a servant leader may have, the work to be accomplished in a local assembly will always outdistance and overtake their time and abilities
Covington seeks to challenge and equip pastors and leaders for enduring and fruitful ministries. This goal demands that servant leaders focus on the biblical mandates and patterns given within Scripture and that they not fall prey to traditional man-made concepts and contemporary creative spiritual enhancements that have no biblical basis. Too very often the core requirements in theological institutions place a burden on the student to find ways to be “creative” within their existing culture, and then to integrate their newly devised theory and practice within their sphere of ministry. They are required within their field of study to formulate some type of unique and novel contribution to the academic community. However, God has not called the church to be creative, but biblical and obedient. In trying to be culturally relevant, often leaders have become biblically irrelevant.
Too often the result is that academic creativity and innovations become the seedbed for theological error. Obviously, every culture has distinct problems unique to its setting. Every servant leader needs to be able to identify how to minister within their cultural limitations without forfeiting the integrity of Scripture. Identifying strategies to meet various needs is critical to accomplishing certain ministry goals, but the integrity of scriptural mandates and methodology cannot be sacrificed to do so. Therefore, we must place Christ and His Word at the center of all that is called Christian ministry. To clearly confront the foundationally erroneous approaches, the doctoral program will both identify and provide an intensive study effort in order to establish a biblical worldview and biblical ministry concept to which servant leaders can invest their lives and leadership energies.
Doctoral Program Candidates & Acceptance
General Admission Requirements
Candidates for the Doctoral Program must have a Master’s level biblical degree to initially qualify for consideration for entrance into the doctoral study program. For those not having a Master’s level biblical degree, but having a non-biblical Master’s degree, a minimum of twenty (20) credit hours of biblical prerequisite courses will be required before admittance into the doctoral study program. These academic requirements have been implemented to ensure that the student has a proper background in biblical and theological studies sufficient to enter into Covington’s doctoral level of studies. Because an applicant has a master’s degree from another institution does not grant them the right to perform studies with Covington in advanced degree programs.
Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA)
In order to qualify for consideration into the Doctoral Program, the applicant must have graduated with a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a scale of 4.00 in their master level degree.
Applicant Evaluation
Each applicant will be evaluated on an individual basis. Some applicants may be required to complete further testing or writing projects prior to acceptance into or rejection from this program of study. The purpose of this potential requirement is to evaluate the applicant’s overall communication and writing skills. The evaluation will be used to assess the applicant’s qualifications for doctoral level work in various areas to include writing skills, articulation of theological concepts, and knowledge of the English language.
The applicant will be appraised relative to substance, grammar, spelling, punctuation, writing style, grammatical flow, composition of information, and contemplative abilities commensurate with entrance into a doctoral program. Writing proficiency and competence are imperative and essential for doctoral level applicants.
Applicant Acceptance
Each applicant will be evaluated by the Covington Theological Seminary Doctoral Academic Committee. All decisions related to the application process and to the acceptance or rejection into the Doctoral Program will be made by the Doctoral Academic Committee. Covington Theological Seminary retains the right to approve or disapprove any doctoral applicant who, under the seminary’s academic and institutional guidelines, does not meet the qualifications for the Doctoral Program.
Selection Notification
Each applicant will be notified of Covington’s decision regarding their selection or non-selection for enrollment into the Doctoral Program. If an applicant is accepted into the Doctoral Program, Covington will provide additional information regarding the specifics of the Doctor Program requirements. Questions may be addressed to the Registrar Cody Horne at the following e-mail address: crthomas@covingtonseminary.org.
Doctoral Scholastic Proficiencies
Foundational Modules of Study
Research and Application of Ministry Truths Scholastic Performance Expectations
Writing and Communication Skills
The Doctoral Degree Application Project
Program Supervisor and Faculty Advisor
Grading and Graduation Assignments
Conferring of Degrees
Knowledge and Skills Commensurate with Doctoral Degree Program
In all course work the student must demonstrate the knowledge and skills commensurate with the level of studies involved in the Doctoral Program. Each student must practically exhibit and validate that they have the scholastic proficiencies required for the doctoral level of academic studies. If at any time it becomes evident that the student is incapable of performing doctoral level work, the student will be asked to complete additional preparatory studies prior to continuing the course work in order to enhance their academic skills. If the student is not able to cultivate acceptable scholastic improvements, they may be dropped from the doctoral program.
Doctoral Assignments
Candidates for this program must be able to read and write in English. All preliminary writing projects and all doctoral assignments must be submitted in English and in the format required by this program of study.
• All formal documents will follow the latest edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers or the latest edition of the Turabian Style Manual. The student will follow the formatting requirements of the appropriate manual, such as using parenthetical citations, endnotes, footnotes, Bibliography, Works Cited, etc.
• The student must have a full knowledge of what constitutes “plagiarism”. If the student quotes directly or paraphrases the work or writings of another person, then that quote or paraphrase must be formally documented. Academic work deemed as plagiaristic provides justification for potential dismissal from the Doctor of Ministry program.
• Each assignment must provide a well composed grammatical flow and composition of information reflective of doctoral level performance. The reason that the course work, academic textbooks, and student responses must be completed in English is so that validation and competency of doctoral assignments may be overseen by The Doctoral Academic Committee. The student must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a scale of 4.00 in their doctoral assignments. Any lower GPA will constitute a failing grade and the student will be required to re-enroll in the course.
• Students failing to maintain a level of academic excellence commensurate with the degree program will be dropped from the program. For students who are dropped from the program, re-application may be permitted at a time subsequent to completing further assigned studies.
• Re-enrollment in the doctoral program will be determined by the Doctoral Academic Committee and will be based upon a demonstration of individual scholastic improvements on the part of the student making re-application. If re-accepted into the doctoral program, a continued low scholarship performance will constitute grounds for a permanent removal of the student from the program.
Educational Enhancements
It is required that each student be actively engaged in a practice of ministry corresponding to the objectives of the doctoral program in order to acquire a better understanding of the characteristics, purposes, and problems associated with ministry. If the student is not actively involved in a personal ministerial setting, they should find an opportunity of ministry in which they can serve under the leadership of a qualified field mentor or pastor. Ideally, the field mentor should have a doctoral degree or expertise in the area of ministry in which the student is currently studying.
Biblical Competence and Ministry Performance
The purpose of this degree program is to provide a foundational course of study that will build a level of biblical competence and ministry performance for excellence that will impact the work of Christ and the nation for which these leaders are trained to serve.
Traditional Modules of Study
The Doctor of Ministry degree and the Doctor of Religious Education degree programs have eight (8) traditional modules of study. The modules will involve thirty-two (32) semester hours of study. The eight (8) modules will require completion of the coursework and a Thematic Writing Assignment that must include an identification, interpretation, and application of the foundational truths involving the biblical ministry focus that is taught in each module. The student will be given four (4) hours of credit per module.
Intensive Modules of Study
There are two (2) Modules of Study Intensives from which only one module is chosen for completion. The intensive module requires research, expositional studies, interpretation, and application. The two (2) intensives modules are the exposition of Romans 1-8 or the exposition of the book of Ephesians. Four (4) hours of semester credit will be given for the study intensive that is completed.
• Module 9: BI-532, Exposition of Ephesians, Independent Study
• Module 10: BI-534, Exposition of Romans 1-8, Independent Study
Application Project / Thesis
An Application Project must be completed for the Doctor of Ministry degree and for the Doctor of Religious Education degree for which four (4) semester hours of credit will be given. In lieu of a Doctor of Ministry Application Project or a Doctor of Religious Education Application Project, the student may complete an approved 25,000 word thesis in their specific field of study. A 50,000 word thesis must be completed for the Doctor of Theology degree for which eight (8) semester hours of credit will be given.
The effectiveness of the ministry or theological preparation courses of study involves the commitment of the candidate to complete the individual course studies and the accompanying ministry project or thesis of application of doctrinal and practical truths with a high degree of scholarly and ethical performance. The purpose of this track of study is for the student to progress in attaining a higher level of competence and effectiveness with each course that is completed.
The courses of study are designed to build upon each other with each course of study providing additional insights, as well as helping to develop potential and meaningful ministry skills. There is no place where the student will be able to be remiss or negligent in either their diligence or commitment to the doctoral study program. The expectation is for the student to evidence a continuing level of spiritual growth and ministry development. The doctoral program is intended to build an experience of personal disciplines that will continue throughout the life and ministry of the doctoral student.
Academic Excellence Academic excellence requires a high level of personal sacrifice to excel at an elevated scholastic level. It requires a deep-felt passion for the Word of God and the things of God, as well as a solid understanding of biblical principles. If an individual does not understand Scripture, then they will not be able to effectively communicate its truth. Those that learn the most study the most. The doctoral program of study is intentionally designed to force the student to reach for more academically than they have reached for in the past. That is the very essence of quality education – not simply a transfer of information, but a challenging of the student to individual excellence and an ultimate effort in the learning process. To compromise in striving for excellence will only lessen the opportunities of meaningful ministry. In the ministry, God is not interested in mediocrity, but in excellence at every level. Therefore, it is the intention of Covington Theological Seminary to press the student into that excellence at every juncture of their doctoral education in order that they may be a credit to both the kingdom of God and their calling.
Effective communication
Writing and communication skills are essential to personal effectiveness and leadership in ministry. Not every minister will be a great in the pulpit, but they all must build the ability to write and communicate effectively. Written communications are essential, especially in today’s global communication environment. When something is put in writing, even in a casual e-mail communication, it becomes a part of the public domain. However, many individuals are finding leadership opportunities limited by poor writing or communication skills, or by some casual or careless form of communication they produced in the past.
Covington Theological Seminary believes that to communicate effectively, even in a verbal sense, one must be able to produce that communication in a solid written format. Developing sound writing skills is foundational to building effective leadership and effective ministries. Project assignments submitted for evaluation to Covington School course advisors will weigh heavily upon the level of grading provided for each course of study.
MLA or Turabian Handbook
It is imperative that the doctoral student have a comprehensive understanding and working knowledge for the writing of formal documents. The student will be required to provide both thorough and meticulous scholarship in the documentation of their research. All work will be monitored in accordance with the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers or the Turabian Handbook. Either of these handbooks will serve as the primary source that the student is to utilize for the development of a scholarly research project.
Application Project
Each student will be required to propose and develop an Application Project for the Doctor of Ministry degree and the Doctor of Religious Education degree built upon a Scriptural base and premise. They will design, implement, evaluate, measure, and make adjustments to an on-going project of ministry in their local church or congregation. This will allow the student to gain practical knowledge from the biblical positions they have attained in the course of their studies, and then to implement that knowledge in meaningful ways within their local ministry setting.
Involvement in the process, including interaction with other believers in the ministry effort, will provide the student with both leadership opportunities and practical feedback for developing leadership and ministry skill sets for a continuing spiritual impact. Through this process, the acquisition of valuable knowledge will take place in the practical setting of ministry with real people in a current time frame. The experience and understanding gained through the project process will increase the student’s understanding of the realistic out-workings of ministry, as well as improve and enhance specific ministry skills considered necessary for their particular calling.
The student will be responsible for developing a meaningful project assignment to be evaluated and approved by their academic advisor, and then developing and implementing a biblical strategy for accomplishing that task. The project must have a pre-determined methodology for evaluating and measuring the success of its implementation. A major objective of the Application Project is to help the student develop both confidence and proficiency in executing biblical principles within their ministry setting. Because recognizing needs is the prerequisite to meeting needs, it is of critical importance that the student carefully research and analyze their project objectives. The more meaningful the project is to the local setting, the more effective will be the outcome. The student must be able to identify the ministry need applicable to their local situation, develop a meaningful biblical strategy to meet that need, implement the strategy, and then, with the help of their academic advisor, assess what was accomplished.
Evaluation of Ministry Opportunities
The development of the Application Project begins with an evaluation of ministry opportunities and needs that currently exist in the student’s cultural setting. It is the intent of the Application Project to help the student assess particular spiritual needs that exist in their personal ministry setting, and then to formulate a biblical approach to addressing those needs. The Application Project provides the student with the opportunity to incorporate knowledge acquired in the doctoral studies with actual and practical ministry needs in the field. The project is to be coordinated with the student’s area of study and academic interest in order to enhance their ministry objectives.
The Application Project is designed to move the student to an autonomous, self-directed learning process through a “hands-on” application of their developing ministry skill set. The underlying foundation for this project is that of the student both identifying a legitimate and specific ministry need and then developing a well-defined biblical strategy to meet that need. The student will also be responsible for identifying a corresponding methodology for evaluating and measuring both progress and success in the ministry initiative.
Project Outline and Introduction Proposal for the Doctoral Program
Once a field evaluation has been completed, the student will develop a formal “Application Project Outline and Introduction Proposal” that identifies how they propose to proceed in the development of the Application Project. The outline and proposal shall not exceed twenty (20) pages. As a minimum, the “Application Project Outline and Introduction Proposal” will provide the following elements:
1. Identification of the project need from both a biblical and practical perspective.
2. Explanation of what methodology will be utilized in the development of the project.
3. Evaluation of reasonable difficulties and complications that may be encountered in the development and completion of the project.
4. Identification of theological issues associated with the proposal, to include doctrinal matters, related biblical texts, previous historical references, unique attributes associated with the identified need (cultural, historical, spiritual), etc.
Proposed project objectives to be reached must be specific, reasonable, and measurable. The project will not necessarily be graded based on success, as much as lessons learned from the academic exercise. A bibliography with a minimum of twelve (12) resources researched in the development of the proposal is required. Primary research may include published books, magazine articles, theological journals, and additional research found on the Internet. The bibliography should identify that the student has developed a fundamental understanding of the biblical concerns identified in the proposal.
Each student will submit two (2) copies of the proposal - one to their faculty advisor and one to the Registrar. Once a formal evaluation has been completed by Covington, the faculty advisor will submit recommendations and approval / disapproval of the project to the student. If the project is disapproved, the student will incorporate the comments, develop an appropriate project strategy, and resubmit the “Application Project Outline and Introduction Proposal” for further evaluation and approval / disapproval.
Development of the Ministry Application Project
Once the project is approved and started, the doctoral student will submit an update to the faculty advisor for review at approximately two-thirds of the project completion. Following this approval, the doctoral candidate will submit the project for evaluation and grading. The candidate must prepare a response to the evaluation. The complete adherence to the project syllabus is essential.
Final Critique and Lessons Learned
Upon completion of the project strategy in the field, the student will provide a final critique outlining the totality of the project, to include the project need, the project strategy implementation, the objective evaluations, and the lessons learned from the project. The lessons learned should be honest and forthright in identifying areas of implementation that were successful, as well as areas that were not successful. There is as much to be gained in knowing what does not work as there is in learning what does work.
The final critique shall be a minimum of 20,000 words (exclusive of the bibliography), and shall provide complete documentation of insights gained throughout the process, both negative and positive, as well as to how the student can integrate what they have learned in future ministry objectives. The final critique shall demonstrate the student’s understanding of the fundamentals of grammar, formatting, and compositional integrity.
As a minimum, the final critique shall include the following elements:
1. A minimum of 20,000 words (exclusive of the bibliography).
2. Title page.
3. Signature page identifying that all work was completed by the student.
4. Table of Contents.
5. A single page abstract of the critique identifying all critical elements of the report.
6. A complete and thorough identification of the ministry need from both a biblical and practical perspective. The identification of the need should identify any new observations and insights gained during the development of the Application Project.
7. Identification of methodologies utilized in the development of the project, with particular attention as to whether or not the student was able to achieve the results intended. If the results were not achieved, the critique should identify why the methodologies may not have been successful, and what alternative approaches could have been implemented.
8. Critical theological reflection of lessons learned through the project process. It is critical that the student reflect on the insights and the personal growth achieved during the development, implementation, and evaluation process involved in the ministry project. The insight and lessons learned should serve as the backdrop for future ministry efforts.
9. Complete assessment of how the results of the project were evaluated and measured.
10. Comprehensive analysis of how the project goals were put into practice. The analysis should provide a chronology of events, and should focus on what the student perceived to be the primary learning events of the project’s implementation effort.
11. Final evaluation and critical analysis of the ministry project, including quantifiable and measurable results. Success will be measured relative to the lessons learned, both positive and negative. The final evaluation should include what future objectives the student intends to employ in their particular field of ministry based on what they have learned, and especially if the lessons learned can be successfully implemented by others in their immediate culture.
12. Bibliography of all resources utilized in the development of the project. It is critically important that the student not simply rehearse facts and information of the process, but rather address the cognitive reasoning, insights, and discernment that they gained through the process. The goal of education is not simply the acquisition of knowledge, but just as importantly how the student has assessed and utilized the knowledge that has been gained. The process of learning is just as important as the end product.
Submittal of the Critique
Upon completion, the student will present two draft copies of the critique, as well as two (2) electronic copies, to their faculty advisor. The critique will be evaluated by the faculty advisor and the Doctoral Academic Committee and comments identified accordingly. The comments will be provided back to the student on the original draft critique, and the student will be responsible to incorporate any comments and provide two (2) final copies to their faculty advisor.
The final copy shall be as follows:
• The final copy shall have a left margin of 1.5 inches to allow for binding.
• The top margin shall be 1.5 inches, and the right and bottom margins shall be 1 inch.
• Each page shall be numbered sequentially at the bottom center of the page, ½ inch up.
• All work is to be completed on standard size white copying paper, double spaced, and on one side only.
• All work is to be submitted in a left-handed binder of some kind that securely holds the work in place.
• A sample first page cover sheet shall be provided by the faculty advisor to the student prior to submittal of the work.
• Only utilize black ink in the printed documents. No hand-written documents will be accepted.
• Instructions for mailing of documents to the school will be provided to the student by their faculty advisor.
Doctoral Thesis
For the Doctor of Theology Degree, each student will be required to propose and develop a theological research thesis built upon a Scriptural / doctrinal / theological projected premise. The doctoral thesis can focus on the study of Christian beliefs and/or practices. The research and study involved are meant to be more theological or doctrinal than practical. All doctrine is practical in the sense that it is meant to impact or change the lives of those who study and put into practice what they learn in the Word of God.
The doctrinal thesis is intended to be an original and significant work of individual research and formulation of theological conclusions and applications. It is intended to be a work of personal excellence with scholarly content. The experience and understanding gained through the development of the thesis will increase the student’s doctrinal perspectives and theological foundations, as well as improve and enhance specific teaching skills considered necessary for their particular calling. For this reason the thesis should clearly define the purpose, findings, and conclusions of the research. The student should invest the time and the care to ensure that an enduring reference will result that will benefit both the student and others that will investigate that same research investment.
Program Oversight and Faculty Advisor Assignments
Each doctoral candidate will be provided with a Faculty Advisor to oversee their program of study and a means to contact that advisor for input and support. Questions may be submitted to their Faculty Advisor or to the Doctoral Academic Committee.
Course Credits
Each candidate must submit each course of completed study at the appropriate assigned interval. Each course of study will be evaluated and granted an acceptance before grading will be considered for the next study course. Eight (8) courses of study with the thematic research and applications for each will be considered. Each course will be four (4) hours of credit for a total of thirty-two (32) hours of study. Two (2) courses of study involving expositional study intensives and practical application of the biblical books of Romans and Ephesians are offered from which one will be chosen. Four (4) hours of credit will be given for the intensive study. Along with the assigned Doctoral Program Ministry Project, granted four (4) additional hours of study, the candidate will earn forty (40) hours of credit in this program of study. The Doctor of Religious Education and Doctor of Theology thesis project, granted eight (8) additional hours of study, the candidate will earn forty four (44) hours of credit in this study.
Programmatic Requirements
The academic and programmatic requirements, as well as the assigned intervals for completion of each course, will be provided to the student shortly after notification of their acceptance into the doctoral program and their corresponding acknowledgement that they will in fact be entering the program accordingly.
Grading Components
The grading components will be weighed heavily by the observed increase of knowledge and skills attained by the candidate. In each required paper or report that the student will develop, the grading components will generally be based on scholastic content, document readability, formatting, grammar, and overall composition. Because equal weight will be given to each element of the document, it is essential that the student carefully develop their work in alignment with the MLA or Turabian Handbook guidelines and the fundamental rules of grammar and document presentation. A Grading Summary sheet will be provided with each document that the student presents for evaluation and grading. The Grading Summary sheet will contain, as a minimum, grading for the following areas of evaluation:
1. Neatness and Following Instructions.
2. Grammar and Spelling.
3. Syntax (Sentence Structure).
4. Knowledge of Subject.
5. Comprehensiveness of Research.
6. Document Formatting in Accordance with MLA Handbook.
7. Composition of Material.
Completion of Curriculum
Each candidate must complete the forty (40) hour or sixty-four (64) hour curriculum of study and have a certification of completion submitted to the Academic Vice President and the Trustees of Covington Seminary by the Program Supervisor.
Following approval by the Program Supervisor, the Academic Vice President, and the Trustees, the Doctoral Candidates will be granted their degrees at an appropriately scheduled graduation ceremony set in their honor.