Ministry is a pre-professional program at William Jewell College. By combining your study in the religion department with a complementary area of study at Jewell, you will prepare for the significant learning experiences of seminary and for the field of service to which you are called. The religion major normally requires a minimum of eight four-hour courses. This requirement leaves enough hours to pursue another area of study to provide a solid liberal arts base for seminary study.
Your training will improve your fundamental understanding of the tools and methods of biblical interpretation, your understanding of biblical history and the Christian heritage and your awareness of the theological and biblical resources that shape Christian ethics. Additional work in the historical, philosophical and literary developments of Western civilization, an awareness of non-Christian and non-Western religious traditions and a basic competence in New Testament Greek syntax, grammar and reading skills will also prepare you for your further studies. This training, combined with some basic "hands-on" experience in ministry (through the Church-Related Vocations program) will give you a broad base on which your life in ministry can begin.
To prepare for the ministry and for seminary studies, your pre-ministry training will develop your:
- Written and Oral Communication skills
- Critical Thinking
- Appreciation for the great Christian traditions while remaining attentive to one’s own and others’ experiences
- Awareness of growing sense of moral responsibility, both personal and social
- Awareness of the world and its complexities, especially as they relate to the Christian mission.
