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Master of Divinity (Evangelism and Discipleship)

Overview

The Master of Divinity with a concentration in Evangelism and Discipleship prepares you to become an effective evangelist, to disciple believers in living the Christian life, and to be ready to equip others involved in outreach or evangelistic ministries.

This program offers specialized training in how to make new disciples and mature existing followers of Christ, with a curriculum that includes evangelism and follow-up, church planting, biblical church growth and small group discipleship. Through this concentration, you will be well-equipped to lead and teach in a variety of roles, whether as a pastor, a church ministry leader, or as an educator at the undergraduate or graduate and seminary level.

  • Proclaim the Good News and Mobilize Others to Join. All believers are called to preach the gospel, but many often feel unprepared to fulfill the task. This program offers practical training and tools to help you share the gospel in various contexts and settings whether in the United States or abroad including how to respond to questions and skepticism in an increasingly secular, post-truth world.
  • Learn to Understand and Seek the Spirits Work in Discipleship. The Christian life is about transformation, not just conversion. In this program, youll learn to help new believers and followers of Christ live out their faith and to recognize the Spirits work in their spiritual growth. Disciple believers and multiply this effort as you train other believers in the work of evangelism and discipleship.
  • Grow the Local Church. Learn what it takes to grow disciples and a church, and how to cooperate with God in this work. Be equipped with the tools and knowledge necessary to launch out and pursue a calling to plant a church and lead new bodies of believers.
  • Prepare to Provide Pastoral Leadership. The Master of Divinity provides a broad-based seminary education that prepares you in every way to teach and preach the Word of God, to offer pastoral counseling, to help believers apply the truth of Gods Word in their daily lives and to evangelize.
  • Communicate Biblical Truth with Accuracy and Relevance. Much of your training involves digging into the Word of God and understanding the biblical authors intended meaning. Youll gain the necessary skills and tools to exegete the Bible by learning Scriptures original languages, Greek and Hebrew. Then, youll practice applying the knowledge youve gained in exegesis and interpretation in your preaching classes. This is what you need to communicate Gods Word to people today faithfully, clearly and relevantly.
  • Learn on the Job with Guidance from Mentors. Theres no greater learning experience than what you learn on the job. Thats why Talbots M.Div. programs require field education and internships, giving you the opportunity to continue serving at your church or other place of ministry, or a new ministry youve been wanting to explore. Many of Talbots professors also serve in their local churches some as pastors and elders so they are eager to share wisdom and insights with you on life and serving in ministry.

For more reasons to choose Talbot School of Theology for your education, see the Why Talbot? page.

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Courses

What will I study as a Master of Divinity (Evangelism and Discipleship) student?

Each of Talbot School of Theologys Master of Divinity programs include a core of biblical and theological foundation courses, the Spiritual Formation Core, a sequence of Hebrew and Greek, training in preaching and counseling, and an area of ministry specialization.

Some of your courses include:

Hermeneutics and Bible Study Methods (TTBE 517)

A study of principles or sound interpretation and application of the Bible, including analysis of presuppositions, general rules and specialized principles for the various biblical genre and phenomena and the development of an exegetical method. Notes: Required of M.Div. and M.A. students. Grade Mode: A.

Expository Preaching (TTPT 609)

The process of preparation that results in sermons that are biblically accurate, easy to follow, interesting to listen to and relevant to contemporary needs. Notes: Required of M.Div., M.A.C.M.L. (Preaching and Pastoral Ministry and Women's Ministry), and B.A. (Preaching and Pastoral Ministry) students. Grade Mode: A.

Small Group Discipleship* (TTPT 722)

An examination of the role of small groups in the local church for developing biblical community. Emphasis is placed on understanding interpersonal relationships, character development and skills for organizing and leading a small group ministry. Notes: Required of M.Div. (Evangelism and Discipleship) students. Grade Mode: A.


Admissions & Deadlines

As a Christian institution, 51蹤獲 seeks to admit applicants whose backgrounds clearly demonstrate scholarly aptitude, a commitment to the historic Christian faith, personal character and integrity, and a positive service-oriented motivation toward their field of study. 51蹤獲 does not discriminate on the basis of the applicant's race, color, sex, socio-economic status, disability, or national or ethnic origin.

Education and GPA Requirements

  • You must have a bachelors degree from an accredited institution by the time you plan to start coursework at 51蹤獲, with a minimum grade point average of 2.6 (on a 4.0 scale).
  • Note: If you do not meet the degree or GPA requirements above, you may still be considered for admission. Please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions office at graduate.admissions@biola.edu. If you are an international student, contact grad.international@biola.edu.

English Proficiency Requirements

  • If English is not your first language, you are required to display your English proficiency before admittance into a 51蹤獲 graduate program. See English Proficiency in the application steps section below.

Application Deadlines

  • Fall Semester
    • General: July 1
    • International Students
      • On Campus: June 1
      • Online/Hybrid: July 1
  • Spring Semester
    • General: November 1
    • International Students: October 1

Visit 51蹤獲

Explore our sunny Southern California campus in person or virtually. Learn more about your program of interest and the admissions process by scheduling an appointment with an admissions counselor.

Visit 51蹤獲

Meet Your Admissions Counselor

If you have more questions about the program, admissions process or 51蹤獲 in general, schedule a phone call or send an email to your admissions counselor.

Graduate Admissions Counselor

Photo of Chris So
Chris So

Email: chris.j.so@biola.edu
Text or Call: (562) 784-7064

International Graduate Admissions Counselor

The Office of International Admissions serves students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

Email: grad.international@biola.edu

Application Steps

  1. Complete and submit the

  2. Submit a non-refundable $65 application fee

  3. Submit supplemental application materials through your online application portal:

  4. Official Transcripts

    • Submit all official transcripts from previous academic institutions.
      • Request official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
      • If enrolled at the time the application is filed, be sure to request transcripts of work finished to date and final transcripts upon completion of your course of study.
      • Transcripts will be considered official only when a) mailed directly from the institution to 51蹤獲, b) sent electronically through an approved vendor or c) physically delivered in an untampered envelope sealed by the institution. Final approval for admission is contingent on receiving an official transcript.
        • Mail transcripts to:
          51蹤獲 Office of Graduate Admissions
          13800 51蹤獲 Avenue, La Mirada, CA 90639
    • Note for International Students: All international transcripts need U.S. grade equivalencies noted (i.e. GPA on a 4.0 scale). If your transcripts do not show U.S. grade equivalencies, you must have them evaluated by a credential evaluation agency like (51蹤獲 Discount), or . Be sure to choose "course by course report" and have SpanTran/WES/FIS send them directly to 51蹤獲 via online portal or post (13800 51蹤獲 Ave, La Mirada, CA 90639) in order to be considered official.

    Two Reference Letters

    • Pastoral reference
    • Character reference (someone in a leadership role in your life)
    • Note: Additional instructions can be found in the online application.

    Two Essays

    • Christian testimony
    • Vocational testimony
    • Note: The essay prompts can be found in the online application.

    English Proficiency (required for non-native English speakers)

    • Evidence of English proficiency is required for all students to support student success. Proficiency must be shown through one of the methods described below:
      • Minimum test score on a qualifying standardized test
        • TOEFL: minimum score of 90 iBT
        • IELTS: minimum score of 7.0
        • Duolingo: minimum score of 125
      • A degree (bachelors, masters or doctoral) issued by an institution where English is the medium of instruction.
        • Official written communication from the institution (Registrar, Controller of Examinations Office, or Undergraduate College)
        • Official degree statements or transcripts may be accepted given English is stated as the medium of instruction
        • Official catalog verification
        • Note: For universities from non-Anglophone countries, further language assessment may be required.
      • Completion of the English Language Scholars (ELS) with passing status on the ELS's final exit exam, which must be approved by the ELS Director in collaboration with the academic program committee. An updated TOEFL or IELTS score may be used at the end of a term to test directly into the graduate program for the following term.
      • Qualify for English Language Scholars (ELS), which allows students who do not meet the minimum TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores to still enroll in their graduate degree program. Students would be taking academic English courses concurrently with the graduate degree program courses. 
        • Students eligible for ELS will be assessed by the ELS Director to determine the total number of academic English courses to take while enrolled in their graduate program courses. The following are the scores needed to qualify for ELS: TOEFL iBT 81 / IELTS 6.5 / Duolingo 110124.
        • Note: Students must be admitted to the graduate program first to be considered for ELS.

     

    Additional Forms

    • Change of Program Form: 
    • Additional Student Forms:

     

    Things to Note

    • Track your application status at any time. You do not have to complete the application in one sitting. You can complete a portion and finish at a later time. Your information will be saved. When you apply, to guarantee confidentiality, you will be asked to create a user name and a password, and will receive a personalized identification number. Track your application status by logging in to the .
    • Official documents presented for admission or evaluation become part of the students academic file and normally cannot be returned or copied for distribution.
    • International students who will be studying on campus are required to apply for an F-1 student visa. For more information, visit biola.edu/international/admitted-students.

Tuition and Financial Aid

51蹤獲 is committed to help make your studies affordable — each school offers different scholarship, grant and loan opportunities to help finance your education.

Cost Per Credit (202526) $730
Full-time Tuition Per Term (Estimated) Based on 9 credit courseload$6,570
Part-time Tuition Per Term (Estimated) Based on 3 credit courseload$2,190
Total Program Tuition (Estimated) Based on total program credits and 202526 cost per credit$57,670

Faculty


Format

On Campus: You'll study in person at 51蹤獲's campus in Southern California.

Hybrid (On Campus and Online): This program includes a blend of course formats, including online and in person at 51蹤獲's Southern California campus.

Total Credits

Every program at 51蹤獲 features rigorous academics, biblically integrated curriculum and vocational preparation.

Cost per Credit

This is the cost per credit; total tuition costs for each term will differ for part-time and full-time students.

Standard Completion Time

This indicates the standard duration of this program. Completion time may vary depending on transferred coursework and preferred courseload.

Accreditation

51蹤獲 is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Additional accreditations may apply to specific programs.