Characteristics of a Master of Divinity Graduate
These characteristics are to be understood in conjunction with our statement of faith and our school distinctives. Our community serves in a Christ-centered, biblically-grounded orthodox evangelical understanding of Christian faith and ministry.
Identity Formation
Being and becoming who God created you to be
- having a transformational relationship with Christ and cultivating an intentional spiritual life
- increasing one's capacity to love
- knowing one's self-worth and capabilities
- demonstrating trustworthiness, honesty and integrity
- engaging in intentional self-care
- modeling one's life after the example of Jesus
- discerning one's gifts and calling
- fostering congruence between outer social behaviors and inner self-awareness
- engaging in a faith community with others
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Habits of the Mind
Capable to think critically and creatively
- being able to take and defend a position with accuracy, clarity, and gentleness
- generating new ways of viewing situations outside the boundaries of standard conventions with open-mindedness, graciousness, and a restrained impulsivity
- engaging intensely in tasks even when answers or solutions are not immediately apparent
- generating, trusting, and maintaining your own standards of evaluation
- gaining an understanding of biblical content and church history
- engaging in ongoing theological reflection
- contextualizing faith and culture
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Skills of Relationship
The ability to manage social exchange
- to create healthy environments and relationships of trust and grace
- to be responsive and sensitive to human hurt, need, and global justice
- to cultivate and maintain a web of relationships
- to foster teamwork, collaboration, and demonstrate accountability
- to demonstrate flexibility in adapting to changing situations or overcoming obstacles
- to seek and appropriately respond to feedback
- to steward one's power and voice
- to have a capacity to listen and attend to others
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Skills of Service
The ability to cultivate effective ministry
- to serve as a transforming agent of change
- to communicate effectively
- to use and interpret Scripture
- to inspire others in a deeper spiritual life
- to relate social issues to faith
- to coach and engage people in ministry
- to influence and organize a group in pursuing a common vision and mission
- to engage a community in strategic thinking and initiating strategic action
- to develop and steward the needed resources
- to organize and respond to cultural trends
- to instill in others a passion for service and mission
- to understand the nature of conflict and gaining skills to resolve conflicts
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