Welcome

Welcome to the Department of Missional Ministry! As a missionally-driven higher education institution, Missional University upholds that believers are called to a life characterized by service in the mission of God. It is in keeping with this conviction that led to the creation of this department in the School of Experiential Learning.

Why Missional Ministry?

The goal of the Department is to work with the School of Missional Practice (SMP) in formulating and implementing experiential learning components that can be integrated into its various course offerings in missional living, missional congregations, urban mission, emerging leadership, and organizational leadership.

To help the SMP achieve its goal to equip followers of Jesus to engage the mission of God with all of who they are in direct connection with all of what they do, SEL’s Missional Ministry Department creates structures that serve as safe environments for students to apply course materials studied and learned in their online classrooms. Varied experiential learning types are utilized towards this end.

Depending upon program requirements, each SMP student is required to successfully complete one or more of the following experiential learning courses: observership, practicum, field instruction, missional clerkships or internships, mentorship, capstone, portfolio, project, research and thesis courses.

Why Missional University?

Experiential learning in Missional Ministry at Missional University is based on the six core values of the University:

Biblically Based:

Missional Ministry is the adoption of the posture, mindset, behaviors, and practices of a missionary in order to engage others with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a lifestyle that brings glory to God and helps draw men and women’s hearts to God. Scriptures mandate such a lifestyle. Isaiah 43:7 for example, tell us that God created us for His glory. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, the Apostle Paul concurs with his exhortation “whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” In agreement, Peter penned, “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then, even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world (I Peter 2:12).

Missionally Driven:

Missional University is driven by the concept that Christian believers should become part of the missio dei -- the mission of God in this world. The same applies to the Department of Missional Ministry in the School of Experiential Learning. The department operates in a manner demonstrating missional living and is consistent with the university’s passion to faithfully serve in the mission of God.

Interculturally Focused:

As a higher education institution, Missional University celebrates the cultural diversity that exists in this world as a reflection of the creative nature of the image of God in humanity. The Department of Missional Ministry encourages individuals to express their faith in a manner that is consistent with their personal cultural background and in accordance with what is deemed appropriate in their culture.

Contextually Informed:

The Department of Missional Ministry promotes practices that are faithful to Scripture and honor cultural diversity. It operates keeping in mind the centrality of the gospel yet with the understanding that while there is only one gospel, there may be varied applications of the same in different cultural contexts.

Practically Minded:

While understanding basic theories in a given practice is important, Missional University gives equal value to the practical understanding of serving in the mission of God in a given discipline. In keeping with this, the Department of Missional Ministry commits to provide opportunities for practical hands-on learning experiences that will enable students to try out principles they have learned in their online classrooms.

Experientially Transformed:

Missional Ministry Department conscientiously integrates manifold experiential learning components in the courses students take under the School of Missional Practice (SMP). In order to successfully complete their degrees, SMP students are required to complete Observership, Practicum, Internship, and other experientially oriented courses. These learning experiences are designed to better equip students to deal with real life problems in their chosen field. They also empower students to make a smoother transition into their professional careers.