masters in biblical & practical theology
MASTER’S PROGRAM
- Proclamation and Demonstration: We hope to equip this generation of servants and leaders in both proclamation and demonstration of the full gospel. There will be an emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. The desire is to see each study ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit and articulate both the truth and hunger for more of God.
- Spirit and Truth: The degree is meant to balance a Spirit and Truth pursuit with the Practical Ministry and Theology combined. The transformational aspect of Biblical Truth will be balanced to not just produce head knowledge but active servants working in power.
For admission into the master’s program, one must have a bachelor’s degree in any field (or prove equivalency).
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master’s coursework
Our Master of Arts in Biblical and Practical Theology has a two-fold purpose: (1) to provide a strong grasp of the factual contents of the Bible, interpreted in a sound, scholarly, and spiritual manner and (2) to prepare students for a professional calling in part or full-time ministry.
core requirements
(48 units)
The core program consists of 16 classes, each 12 weeks long. Live classes are one evening a week, ideally suited for working professionals. Many of the classes can also be taken by Distance. Full-time students (2 courses per quarter) can complete the program in two years. Part-time students may complete the program in three to four years. We accept some units of transfer of Master’s level coursework from other institutions. All core classes must be fulfilled (some courses may not transfer from other institutions as equivalent).
entrance requirements
You must have an accredited Bachelor’s degree from a US institution in any subject field (a BA from Northern California Bible College from any year will suffice). If you believe you have an equivalency, please contact admissions@globalcu.edu and we will be able to assist you in determining your eligibility.
Special Admissions Students. Special admission to a Master’s degree is done on a case-by-case basis for those students without a BA degree. An applicant must demonstrate significant life and ministry experience (at least 3 years of full-time ministry or 5 extensive part-time years), and readiness for graduate studies, including 12 years of full-time employment past high school. Applicants’ educational background and readiness must be demonstrated in the application (a statement explaining their professional and educational journey, a current resume, and a writing sample showing writing, research, and grammar skills.) All previous educational transcripts are still required.
About the MA degree
Real-life applications have students form a comprehensive biblical theology and worldview, to communicate the gospel effectively.
The Masters program consists of 16 courses (48 quarter units). All courses will be taught at a Master’s level. The Master’s level courses in Biblical Theology are designed to go beyond the Bachelor’s level courses.
Biblical Theology Courses: Spiritual Foundations, Pneumatology (Life in the Spirit), Christology & Soteriology, Systematic Theology, Hermeneutics & Biblical Survey, Biblical Theology & OT, Revival History
Practical Theology Courses: Freedom Ministry, Prophetic Ministry, Healing Ministry, Power Evangelism Ministry, Spiritual Gifts, Foundations of Biblical Leadership, and Leadership Development.
Electives: There are two elective courses one in Biblical theology and one in practical theology. These may include a project or internship or another form of directed study.
It is our hope to provide at least two live Master’s courses per quarter: Biblical Theology and Practical Theology. This would be 6 units per quarter and growth in both head/heart knowledge and ministry application.
Master’s courses
Biblical Theology
BT 501/Spiritual Formation
This course will center on the spiritual foundations of the NT believer. There will be a heavy emphasis on the believer’s identity as a child of God. The Father’s love is one of the most foundational aspects of the Christian understanding to build a solid spiritual identity. This course will cover the Father’s love, the Son’s sacrifice, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The teachings of impartation, baptisms, and living the Spirit-filled life will be covered. A strong emphasis will be on the new identity and victorious life. It will include a study of spiritual disciplines and practices of the Early Church Fathers.
BT 502/Pneumatology
Pneumatology is the study of the Holy Spirit as revealed in both the OT and NT. The life of the believer is heavily impacted by the indwelling power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Different aspects of the outpouring and outworkings of the Holy Spirit for today in empowerment, giftings, and baptisms will be presented, along with an ecumenical study of the various streams of churches and their beliefs in regards to the gifts and baptism of the Holy Spirit. The course will be presented from a renewal and charismatics perspective.
BT 503/Christology & Soteriology
Christ and His work on the cross are a central theme to the entire Scripture. Atonement, justification, and salvation will be explored in-depth in regard to the Christian life and belief system. The claims of Christ to be the only way and his provision for sinful humanity to enter the Kingdom will be a central theme. The historicity of the Christ account of his death and resurrection will be given a strong apologetic. Salvation by faith and grace in the Pauline writings and the tension with James of a faith that is shown by works will be explored.
BT 504/Systematic Theology
Systematic Theology addresses cultural and societal questions about the Bible, God, and spiritual matters. Topics of creation, sin, angels, anthropology, ecclesiology, and eschatology are covered. Christians should be prepared with the message of the gospel to be able to defend the truthfulness of the faith. The goal is to win over those who are lost and have found the Christian faith confusing, illogical, or irrelevant in the past. This class will prepare students to explain their faith. An emphasis on Christology and Soteriology will be included.
BT 505/ Revival History
This course will cover church history with an emphasis on Holy Spirit revivals. The Kingdom in action through church history and the legacy of the fathers and mothers of the faith will be explored. The discussion will focus on the move of the Spirit and continuing into the present day with a heavy emphasis on the last century. Key locations, events, people, and missions will be discovered. God has been moving in his Church through revivals and we should not miss learning from it.
BT 506/Hermeneutics & NT Survey
Hermeneutics is the discipline of studying the biblical text. This course will focus on preparing students to teach and preach with sound biblical hermeneutics. This course requires academic study of the Bible and a listening heart to the Holy Spirit to bring it to life. While one main goal of Hermeneutics is to discover the original author’s intent for his ancient audience; there is a connection of the OT and NT text to the modern reader and hearer. A survey of the NT context will be included. Common hermeneutical errors and difficult passages will be examined.
BT 507/Biblical Theology & OT Survey
Biblical Theology will look at major themes and topics that span both the OT and NT. An emphasis will be on how we view certain themes and covenants of the Bible. The purpose is to show the unity of the Bible and the ongoing flow of the revelatory and redemptive process, structured around God’s major covenants, that reaches its climax in Jesus Christ. We engage in a gospel-centered and Christocentric understanding of Scripture. Historical theology of the church age may be included. An emphasis of this course will be on the context and storyline of the OT.
BT 520/Biblical Theology Capstone
This can be a research project in a Biblical Theology topic with direct oversight from an instructor. Students will be expected to write about the topic or experience and how it better prepares them to minister in their sphere. This research can pertain to active ministry such as healing, prophecy, deliverance, or evangelism. Prerequisites: C or better on the final research projects in Hermeneutics and Biblical Theology classes, or professor approval.
Practical Theology
PT 501/Freedom Ministry
The Christian faith is one of freedom because of what Christ has done at the cross on our behalf. This course will discuss spiritual warfare, overcoming spiritual opposition, and each believer’s authority. Christ’s desire is for all to be free from oppression, torment, demonization, and to be whole in mind, body, and emotions. An emphasis will be on modes of freedom and how to minister to those who are gaining new freedom.
PT 502/Prophetic Ministry
God is speaking today, and this course will emphasize building our listening skills. This includes studying the biblical ways God has spoken through audible means, vision, dreams, trances, miracles, signs, nature, and small whispers. Special attention is given to prophetic ministry, covering both the differing roles of the Old and New Testament prophets and the prophetic gifting. Special topics like discernment, words of knowledge, dreams, and interpretation may be included. This course will focus on the biblical foundation of prophetic ministry and “how to prophesy” in a way that is encouraging, comforting, and exhorting.
PT 503/ Healing Ministry
God throughout Scripture is a God who heals, Jehovah Rapha. Christ in many cases, healed all that came to Him. There have been many healing movements and healing ministers that have followed after Christ. The Holy Spirit is still working through a gift of healing today. The Christian faith is by virtue a faith that heals broken hearts and broken souls and bodies. The world notices when the power of God to heal becomes evident.
PT 504/ Evangelism Ministry
This course will begin with a study of God’s heart towards the lost and His desire that all believers preach the Kingdom gospel. Jesus’ payment on the cross allowed any person to decide to submit to His Lordship. There will be discussions on our part in the great commission, and rehearsing our personal testimony and proclamation of the gospel message. Time will be spent looking at different spheres of influence where evangelism plays an important role in expanding the Kingdom. A special emphasis will be on “power evangelism” with the role of healing gifts, words of knowledge, miracles, and prophecy as demonstrations of the gospel.
PT 505/ Spiritual Ministry
This course will start with the foundational aspect of the heart of the minister and the role of love. The goal is to have students learn about the Biblical foundations for spiritual gifts and grow in their ability to identify when the Holy Spirit is at work through spiritual gifts in themselves and others. An emphasis will be on the various spiritual gifts given to the church members, and the particular 5-fold spiritual leadership roles.
LD 501/Foundations of Biblical Leadership
This course focuses on developing the heart of a leader, as well as their skillset. Understanding the love of the Father and His perspective about people is key. Healthy leadership styles such as humility, teachability, mutual submission, honor, faith, and giving up control are covered. Practical lifestyle topics of leadership, like spiritual, emotional, intellectual, health, and physical balance, will be included. A special emphasis will be on the biblical role of women and men leaders.
LD 502/Leadership Development
PT 520/Ministry Practicum
This will be an elective with instructor oversight of a ministry internship or mission trip. Students will be expected to write about the topic or experience and how it better prepares them to minister in their sphere. This could be a week-long mission trip (21+ hours) or a conference (21+ hours. The student will provide a written summary of the experience and testimonies. This should be in one of the ministry fields of healing, prophecy, deliverance, or evangelism.
Graduate Program objectives
Spirit & Truth
Ministry & Theology
The Master’s graduate program at Global Christian University equips this generation of servants and leaders in both proclamation and demonstration of the full gospel. The program is meant to balance a Spirit and Truth pursuit with the Practical Ministry and Theology combined. The college is not affiliated with a specific denomination and will provide a Spirit-filled environment of learning. The program will focus on the continuation of spiritual gifts in the life of everyday believers with an ecumenical understanding of the Holy Spirit baptism. The Truth is transformative, students will further their maturity in the lifestyle of Christ-like discipleship. Jesus has made us righteous through His work on the cross but there is still a need to work out our salvation within the framework of grace. Students of this program will be able to:
- Relay a strong understanding of the factual contents of the Bible in a scholarly and spiritual manner.
- Synthesize and evaluate key theological concepts within the orthodox Christian faith in an effort to know God and His ways more thoroughly.
- Identify the biblical modes of Holy Spirit ministry and be able to communicate such ministry to others.
- Acquire knowledge of biblically based renewed thinking and holy character.
- Develop hermeneutically consistent presentations and apologetics of biblical truth.
- Regularly participate in practical ministry to the immature, sick, afflicted, and suffering, whether in a professional ministry calling (part or full-time) or in a lay leadership/marketplace setting, and lead and train others to do the same.
- Possess research and writing skills to study the Bible for themselves and communicate in written and oral forms to others.
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Christ-centered spiritual education
Dedicated professors and pastors
Accredited education with no debt
