The New York program offers a Master of Arts in Urban Missions.

Urban Mission - for Ministry in New York

In conjunction with City Seminary of New York, Westminster is offering a specialized Master of Arts in Urban Ministry designed to prepare the student for Christian ministry primarily in the New York area. The program will have 50 percent of its classes taught in New York City with the remaining 50 percent taken at Westminster's Philadelphia (Glenside, PA) campus, generally in intensive summer modules. Following the regular Urban Mission Emphasis, this program of study has been developed seeking to integrate traditional features of Westminster's academic curriculum with involvement in, and reflection on, urban community, church life, and the effects of globalization on United States cities and ministries.

Courses are offered in the M.A. program and require a bachelor's degree for admission. For admission details, including application and catalog, please contact admissions@wts.edu.

Program Requirements

The M.A. in Urban Mission - for Ministry in New York is composed of 43 credit hours of course work, a four-hour summative project, and three hours of Mentored Ministry through a ministry in the New York area. The summative project is intended to aid the student in implementing in ministry the insights gained in the course phase. Projects should be approximately 30-50 pages in length. An excellent project will demonstrate both experiential knowledge in the chosen field of urban ministry and an awareness of the scholarship relevant to the project topic. A current bibliography is essential to the well-written project.

Summer 2008 New York Courses (on Philadelphia Campus)

NT 133 Biblical Theology 2
  Purpose:
     • To show how responsible interpretation and application of any biblical text does not begin with the question “How do
        I apply this passage to my life?” but with “How does this passage connect to the great narrative of redemption
       which climaxes in the gospel, the story of Christ, and his people?”

Topics covered include the nature of the Bible and its coherence; continuities and discontinuities in various major themes, such as the kingdom of God, definitions of the people of God, the Spirit and the New Covenant; the centrality of the gospel in application.

PTM 441 Leadership and Mentoring in the Local Church
  Purpose:
     • To provide students with theological and missiological information that will be fleshed out in actual, local church case 
       studies
     • To review biblical criteria for leadership and evaluate this content with actual urban and non-urban leadership
     • To present mentoring skills to enhance leadership training in local church ministries

Topics covered include the missiological dynamic of leadership development, Pauline ministry in Corinth, what we are looking for in emerging leaders, selection process for emerging leaders, the Antioch process, deacons, elders, preparing leadership in a pluralistic society, and the possibility of suburban churches sending urban workers.

OT 131 Biblical Theology 1
See description of NT 133 (focus: Old Testament)

Fall 2008 New York Courses

OT 141 Old Testament for Ministry
  Purpose:
     • To expose the student to specific interpretive issues in Old Testament historical and prophetic books
     • To demonstrate how Old Testament historical and prophetic books are to be interpreted and applied in light of the
        gospel
     • To engage in close reading and apply to specific books (Joshua and Jeremiah) the principles of biblical-theological
        interpretation learned in Biblical Theology I and Biblical Theology II

Topics covered include redemptive-historical interpretation and the question of application; critique of various popular methods of application of historical and prophetic literature; the nature of biblical history-writing; the office, function, and theology of the prophet in the Old Testament; the specific theologies and redemptive-historical trajectories of the books of Joshua and Jeremiah; and the use of Old Testament historical and prophetic literature in ministry.

PT 211 Doctrine of the Church
  Purpose:
     • To strengthen the student’s commitment to and service in the local church and to God
     • To articulate a clear understanding of the Reformed doctrine of the church
     • To aid the student in building a philosophy of ministry for the twenty-first century.

Topics covered include a biblical theology of the church; the marks, attributes, and mission of the church; form of government; women’s role in the church; gifts; and church discipline.

PTM 381 Theology of Mission
  Purpose:
     • To have a thorough knowledge of the biblical teaching on the mission of the church
     • To examine historical and current issues that have shaped the mission enterprise
     • To be able to bring that knowledge to bear on one’s own ministry. Topics covered include a biblical theology of 
       missions, contextualization, and current trends in missions. PTM 51_ Urban Ministry Seminar 1 (History of the City of
       New York)

This course begins a series of seminars exploring the history of the City of New York and the way its development since the era of exploration has shaped the world in which we live today. 

PTM 51_ Urban Ministry Seminar 1 (History of the City of New York)
This course begins a series of seminars exploring the history of the City of New York and the way its development since the era of exploration has shaped the world in which we live today. 

PTM 62_ Formation for Ministry 2
The primary aim of the Ministry Formation seminar courses is to provide a setting for learning how to cultivate lifelong journey of a ministry patterned on Christ’s life. A related concern is on discerning how our individual giftedness connects with our calling to the church, the needs of the world, and God’s shalom for the city. Seminars build sequentially.

SUM PROJA  Summative Project A
To aid the student in implementing the missiological insights gained in the MA program by focusing on an area of interest to present and future ministry.

Location:

2204 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, New York, NY 10026

Directions

Costs:
Credit: New York Program: $200.00 per credit hour
Philadelphia Campus: $360 per credit hour for 2006-07

Audit:
New York Program: $100.00 per credit hour - waived for elders and deacons in church leadership plan.See Free Course Audit Policy for Church Leaders

Application and Registration

Early application for admission is strongly encouraged. Please contact the Westminster Admissions Office for registration/application forms.

Call 1-800-373-0119 9:00-4:30 Monday through Friday EST
FAX 215-887-5404
Email admissions@wts.edu

City Seminary of New York
Westminster offers Master’s level courses at an extension in New York City, New York, in cooperation with City Seminary of New York. In accomplishing its mission, City Seminary of New York provides an intercultural learning community for the study of Scripture, applied theology, pastoral work, and mission in the globalizing city. This coordinates well with the goals of Westminster in preparing leaders for the church in the urbanizing world. These courses are offered in the evenings and on Saturdays. Students interested in participating in these courses should contact the Admissions Office in Philadelphia for application materials. Courses may be applied toward the Master of Arts or Certificate in Christian Studies programs offered on the Philadelphia Campus.