African American Ministry

In our rapidly changing culture, African American pastors and leaders have a unique opportunity to be a voice of hope, healing, justice, wisdom, redemption and reconciliation to the broader church at large. The African American church has incredible potential to have a powerful transformative effect in rebuilding and renewing divided communities. The new Doctor of Ministry track in African American Ministry provides the mentoring and training needed to be a catalyst of transformation and reconciliation in your community to expand your ministry and influence in the African American church and beyond. The program explores the biblical foundations, historical dimensions, socio-economic realities, cultural influences and missiological principles unique to the African American experience, enabling students to develop the skills needed to critically evaluate models of ministry and to develop intentional innovative practices to lead your church to accomplish its overall mission in this cultural context.

This track is led by Dr. Parnell M. Lovelace Jr., the founding and senior pastor of the Center of Praise Ministries of Sacramento, California, where he has served for over 32 years as the church has grown to over 2,500 in attendance. Dr. Lovelace received his D.Min. from Talbot School of Theology and his Ph.D. from Cook School of Intercultural Studies. He has served as the North American editor for the Great Commission Research Journal and has authored Set it Up: Planning a Healthy Pastoral Transition. He was inducted into the prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. International Board of Preachers and Collegium Scholars at Morehouse College.

Korean Doctor of Ministry

After years of prayer, planning, and partnership with the Korean Church, Talbot is excited to finally be able to launch a Korean language Doctor of Ministry track, set to launch in May of 2023. This track, called Strengthening the Skills of a Shepherd, will provide Korean pastors with opportunities to grow in their preaching, pastoring and leadership skills, as well as take them on a deeper journey toward spiritual formation. Talbot has always appreciated the strong support from the Korean community over the years, and we're delighted to only deepen this partnership through this track.

This track is being led by Dr. Eddie Byun, who has pastored at churches in South Korea, Australia, and the United States. He has also taught at Handong Global University and at Torch Trinity Graduate University in South Korea. He completed his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the author of IVPs Readers Choice Award Winner Justice Awakening: Praying for Your Pastor, and Praying for Your Missionary. He is also the executive producer of Save My Seoul, a documentary on sex trafficking in South Korea. It won Best Documentary at the Asia- Pacific Film Festival.