Christian Ministries Major
Sensing a call to serve God and others in full-time Christian service? George Fox University’s bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministries enables graduates to succeed in ministry, whether in formal church settings; youth ministry; missions; education or parachurch organizations; in service-related professions like nursing, counseling or social work; or in the marketplace as a person of faith.
Possible fields of emphasis include theology and vocation, cross-cultural ministry and youth ministry. For more information on the course requirements of the degree and each concentration, see the current academic catalog.
At the center of the program is the conviction that the Christian faith is relevant to all of life. Our professors draw from the best of George Fox’s evangelical and Quaker heritage. Their research includes historical social justice issues; theological and historical studies in the Wesleyan tradition; theology in a global context; worship and homiletics; and Christianity and culture.
Choose from three concentrations:
This concentration equips students interested in serving in cross-cultural ministry contexts in the United States and overseas. Within the cross-cultural ministry course sequence, students explore foundational topics such as the biblical theology of mission, the historical development of the global church, issues and trends in contemporary mission, and contextual methods for cross-cultural ministry.
In addition to the core courses, students engage in practical cross-cultural ministry experiences through the semester abroad program and via internships in local churches, nonprofit organizations, or parachurch organizations. Graduates of the cross-cultural ministry emphasis enter into professional fields such as international relief and development, medical missions, urban ministry, international missions work, Bible translation, pastoral ministry, and teaching English as a second language (TESOL).
The theology and vocation concentration forms students into reflective practitioners, able to think deeply about the theological and practical implications of their vocational calling. Over the course of four consecutive semesters, students participate in a cohort learning community of 12 to 18 students, called theological praxis, that invites them to explore their personality, spiritual formation, theological commitments, their relationship to God, the church and the world, and real-life application of these areas to contemporary critical issues.
This unique kind of immersive learning community creates rich relationships that allow for deep exploration of intellectual and experience hands-on, embodied practical ministry together. Cohorts are open to Christian ministries majors, minors or those majoring in other disciplines who wish to explore applied theology in their vocational context. New cohorts begin in the fall.
In the Youth Ministry concentration, students are prepared for ministry with adolescents in either church or parachurch settings. Its four-course sequence gives students tools for ministry that include theological and philosophical foundations for ministry; tangible and practical skills for leading small and large groups; theologically reflective skills for engaging with adolescents and pop culture; and fundamental tools for counseling.
With the conviction that practical field experience in ministry is the best way to develop ministry skills, cultivate a sense of calling and enhance future employment opportunities, the youth ministry concentration places a high priority on field ministry in church, parachurch and youth social service settings. Finally, throughout the concentration, an emphasis is placed upon spiritual formation, and the development of personal theological faith commitments.
Request more information about the Christian ministries major at George Fox University or schedule a visit to begin your education at Oregon's Christian university, ranked as one of the top Christian colleges in the nation by Forbes.
