D.Min. Track: Christian Leadership
Overview
This cohort will hold one-week residencies at multiple locations throughout the three-year class schedule in order to take advantage of local leaders and learning opportunities.
Each student in the program will be paired with an accomplished, nationally-known leader-mentor with whom they periodically meet for coaching.
Cohort participants will personally experience each of four major leadership training models (how leadership is learned) used by top corporations, educational institutions, and ministries.
The lessons learned in this cohort (what is learned) are focused on real-world applications and practical strategies to improve and grow ministries.
Participants will complete a number of assessment inventories designed to identify personal styles and leadership capacities and use the results to enhance leadership effectiveness.
Next Available Track: Spring 2026
Application Deadline
November 1, 2025
Residency Dates
- TBD
The Strategy
Year One
Module 1 (Spring 2026): Foundations of Biblical Leadership (meet in Lake Arrowhead/La Mirada, CA). This first module will explore issues related to the current leadership crisis, establishing the biblical and theological foundations for leadership.
Module 2 (Fall 2026): Leadership Theories and Models (meet in New York City). This module will explore the historical development of leadership theories and the models of Christian leadership today.
Year Two
Module 3 (Spring 2027): The Christian Leader's Inner Life (meet in Idlewild, CA). This module will address issues related to the spiritual formation and character development of a Christian leader.
Module 4 (Fall 2027): Transformational Leadership in Christian Contexts (meet in San Diego, CA). This module will discuss issues related to becoming a transformational leader, leading plateaued churches, leading when not a senior pastor, and leading cross-culturally.
Year Three
Module 5 (Spring 2028): Contemporary Issues and Skills (meet in Chicago, IL). This module will explore leveraging technology for ministry, handling change and conflict, communication, strategic planning, and succession planning.
Module 6 (Fall 2028): Research and Application (meet on the Biola University campus in La Mirada, CA). This final module will focus on identifying research methods in leadership studies, evaluating leadership effectiveness, and identifying emerging trends and future challenges in Christian leadership.
The Faculty Mentor
Dr. Alan McMahan is a church growth practitioner, educator, consultant and researcher, having served for years in Asia and North America to help pastors and missionaries to grow effective, outreaching churches. His specializations include: church growth and church turnaround, cross-cultural ministry, organizational leadership, change management, strategic planning and conflict resolution in multi-ethnic and urban environments. He has served as the president of the American Society for Church Growth, editor of the Great Commission Research Journal, as well as various roles of academic leadership. He has co-authored Being the Church in a Multi-ethnic Community with Gary McIntosh, as well as numerous articles.