This concentration equips students to start and develop churches abroad. The uniqueness of this degree allows students to complete their course of study while serving in international settings. The church planting experience primarily occurs under the direction of the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board’s 2 to 3 year appointment programs.
The student must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. One year of Biblical Greek or Biblical Hebrew is required for completion of the program.
Successful completion of the degree presupposes successful appointment by the International Mission Board to do the field portion of the degree, unless given special permission by the Dean to go with another organization.
This concentration combines a strong theoretical emphasis with practical field-based learning. After completing basic Master of Divinity courses on campus, students complete the field-based portion of the degree, while serving on a two or three-year international field assignment abroad under the supervision of a veteran missionary or church planter.
Students must meet the requirements for missionary appointment and be appointed by the IMB. The appointment must involve two years of service. The placement in most cases must include: (1) involvement with starting new congregations and/or developing a strategy for a people group, and (2) a carefully monitored supervisory relationship with a veteran church planter or missionary. Students should apply for appointment at least one year before the proposed beginning date of missionary service and should carefully plan the sequence of courses in order to coordinate with the proposed beginning date of missionary service.
During the student’s field assignment, he or she will have the option of taking two modular courses taught on a rotating basis at an international location.
The two field based modular courses are Animistic Folk Religions and Applied Anthropology for Church Planting. The Remaining 12 hours will include FPO, Language Acquisition, Missions Mentorship, and an online section of Cross-Cultural Ethics. If the Dean approves the student to go with another missions sending organization, the FPO course may be subbed with another appropriate course at the Dean’s discretion.
1 Female students take WOMST 4043 Expository Communication of Biblical Truth.
Students interested in more information regarding the program should contact the Fish School of Evangelism and Missions Dean’s Office at 817-923-1921 extension 6400. Students may also contact the Office of the Registrar.
