Distance Locations | Master of Divinity | The Master's Seminary (2024)

What it Takes to Complete

98

Units

3-4

Years

How Does it Work?

Hybrid Format

Our hybrid approach enables us to maximize the educational impact of every class, and ensures that the excellence of our curriculum retains its fullest integrity.

Two-Way Livestream

This teaching style connects students with the L.A. campus and professors for live interactive courses.

Onsite Classes

In-person interaction from professors enhances teaching on topics such as pastoral ministries.

Online Lectures

Lectures are taught via pre-recorded teaching along with regular communication and feedback.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Find out what it costs to study at a distance in the Master of Divinity program.

Learn More

Distance Training Locations

Washington D.C.

Distance Locations | Master of Divinity | The Master's Seminary (1)

Immanuel Bible Church
Approximately 10 miles south of Washington D.C., Immanuel Bible Church (IBC) has a rich history of ministry in and around the nation’s capital. The IBC campus serves as home base for our D.C. distance location.

Administrator
Alex Hairgrove is the pastor of Membership & Connection at Immanuel Bible Church. He came to IBC in 2012, after having served in Iraq with the US Marine Corps. He is a graduate of Capital Bible Seminary (M. Div.) and is currently a student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Th. M., Theology).

The Master’s University and Seminary is a religious institution exempt from state regulation and oversight in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Central Valley, CA

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Grace Church of the Valley
Grace Church of the Valley exists to glorify God by exalting the Savior, equipping the saints, and extending the kingdom of God. We are a community of believers committed to the exposition of the Word of God with a desire to live those truths out in the world.

Administrator
Scott Ardavanis serves as the Senior Pastor of Grace Church of the Valley. Scott was previously on pastoral staff of Grace Community Church. He is an adjunct professor at The Master’s University and The Master’s Seminary in the area of Pastoral Ministry and Homiletics. Scott earned his degrees at The Master’s University, B.A., The Master’s Seminary, M.Div., and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, D.Min. Scott also serves on TMUS’s Board of Directors.

Northern California

Distance Locations | Master of Divinity | The Master's Seminary (3)

NorthCreek Church
In 1955, seven families from the Evangelical Free Church in Berkeley joined together to plant a church in Walnut Creek on January 8th, 1956. The church was soon able to purchase three acres of property “way out” on Ygnacio Valley Road. Some thought people wouldn’t go that far to attend church. But they did. Over the years NorthCreek Church has grown to a congregation of approximately 1200 people who meet in two services on Sundays. The church also has a K-8 school, a Biblical Counseling Center, and a number of local and global outreach ministries.

Administrator
Kent Dresdow has served as the pastor of NorthCreek Church since June 2018. He has served on pastoral staff at NorthCreek since 2004. He has also served as an elder since 2007. He is thankful to oversee a variety of ministries for adults and families, while teaching in various roles as well. Kent comes to us with a B.S. in Business Administration, an M.Div in Pastoral Ministries and a Th.M. in Old Testament Theology from The Master’s College and Seminary. He also holds a D. Min. in Preaching from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Julie were married in 1998, and they have five children.

Dallas, TX

Distance Locations | Master of Divinity | The Master's Seminary (4)

Countryside Bible Church

This educational program takes place in an environment of spiritual fellowship and lifelong relationships which emphasize the worship of God, submission to the authority of Scripture, a life of personal holiness, the priority of the local church, and reaching the world with the gospel. Classes are taught on the beautiful campus of Countryside Bible Church.

Administrator

Tom Pennington has been the pastor-teacher of Countryside Bible Church since 2003. He previously served for 16 years at Grace Community Church in various roles including, elder, senior associate pastor, and personal assistance to John MacArthur. He also served as an adjunct faculty member of The Master’s Seminary and as managing director of Grace to You. Tom is a graduate of Bob Jones University (B.A., M.A., and additional Ph.D. classes) and holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity from The Master’s University.

Spokane, WA

Distance Locations | Master of Divinity | The Master's Seminary (5)

Faith Bible Church

This educational program takes place in an environment of spiritual fellowship and lifelong relationships which emphasize the worship of God, submission to the authority of Scripture, a life of personal holiness, the priority of the local church, and reaching the world with the gospel. Classes are taught on the beautiful campus of Faith Bible Church.

Administrator

Dan Jarms serves as Teaching Pastor and team leader at Faith Bible Church in Spokane Washington. He has been married for 26 years to Linda, and has three adult children. He earned his B.A. in English at the Master’s University, B.Ed. at Eastern Washington University, M.Div. and D.Min. in Expository Preaching at The Master’s Seminary.

Anchorage, AK

Distance Locations | Master of Divinity | The Master's Seminary (6)

Anchorage Grace Church

In 1977 Anchorage Grace Church began as a small home Bible study. In just a few years, it grew into a large and flourishing church, known throughout the community for its commitment to biblical exposition and Christian education. The distance location at AGC is a partnership reinforced by many other churches in Alaska who desire to see men trained for ministry in biblical exposition.

Administrator

Jeff Crotts serves as the senior pastor of Anchorage Grace Church. He came to AGC in 2009, after serving eleven years as an associate pastor in Little Rock, AR and four years at The Master’s Univeristy. He earned a B.S. in Pastoral Ministry from Liberty University and a M.Div., and D.Min. from The Master’s Seminary. Jeff is the author of the book Illuminated Preaching, and his sermons are broadcast across south-central Alaska.

Murrietta, CA

Faith Bible Church

Faith Bible Church was started in September 2003 as a small gathering of about 40 adult believers. Unlike many churches, it began with two pastoral staff, two lay elders and virtually all of the body hungry to serve in ministry. After four weeks of meeting in a house, God graciously provided us with an empty Sunday-only facility in Temecula. Shortly thereafter, mid-week small groups from FBC began to meet in homes across the valley, studying the all-sufficient Word of God, fellowshipping and praying together.

Administrator

Since 1979, Chris Mueller has been serving in pastoral ministry. At Grace Community Church, he served in various roles including the junior high pastor, the college pastor, and as pastoral assistant to John MacArthur. In Spokane, Washington, Chris served as a teaching pastor for eleven years, followed by several years building, leading and overseeing a church-based ministry training center in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2006, Chris became the teaching pastor at Faith Bible Church. In each church, he has manifested a huge passion to see every Christian in the church know God intimately through studying His Word deeply.

Over the years, Chris has also served as an adjunct professor at Talbot, The Master’s and Phoenix Seminaries. That work flows out of his strong passion to train men for ministry. At the core, Chris believes that a healthy local church is the most effective training environment from which to raise up men of God. Like the tension between USC & UCLA, the two pulls of preaching and training continually tug at his heart.

A graduate of Biola College, Chris earned a Master of Divinity in Bible Exposition from Talbot Seminary in 1982. He and his wife, Jean, have two sons, Matthew, who is married to Danielle, and Daniel, who is married to Breanna. Chris and Jean also have three grandsons, Ryker, Finn and Maverick.

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Distance Locations | Master of Divinity | The Master's Seminary (2024)

FAQs

Is a Masters of Divinity worth it? ›

So, Is It Worth It? If you're serious about a career in ministry or just want to deepen your understanding of your faith, then yes, an MDiv is totally worth it.

How many credit hours is a Masters of Divinity? ›

Many people would like to complete a degree and stay out of debt. This M. Div. degree requires 30 courses (or 90 credit hours), which can be completed within 6 years for full-time students.

How long does it take to get a masters in seminary? ›

The MDiv program takes a minimum of three years to complete when enrolled full-time. However, the 3-year track is quite grueling and requires students to undergo coursework every summer. This means that there are few breaks and will be three years of nearly continuous study.

What denomination is Masters seminary? ›

The Master's Seminary is a small, non-denominational seminary located in Los Angeles, California on the campus of Grace Community Church. Our professors are pastors who desire to see students grow in Christ-likeness as they train to preach the Word of God around the world.

Do you need a Masters of divinity to be a pastor? ›

Some have graduate-level education, but most do not. The denomination's understanding of ministry, which emphasizes divine calling more than educational requirements, supports this flexibility.

How much does a Master of Divinity make? ›

$31,500 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $64,000 is the 75th percentile.

Which is higher, Master of Divinity or master of theology? ›

Masters of Theology (ThM)

These programs are highly-customized to each student's needs and research interests and are more academic in scope than the Master of Divinity degree. Most ThM programs require advanced study of a biblical language like Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic.

Does Master of Divinity require thesis? ›

Thesis. The MDiv program does not require a final thesis or project, though you can choose to complete a thesis as an elective course.

Can you teach with a MDiv? ›

Teach at the College Level

With a graduate degree in divinity or theology, you could work as a college professor in the area of religious studies. You'll need a doctorate degree to become a full professor in theology or religion, but with a master's degree you could be an associate professor at a community college.

Is MDiv a terminal degree? ›

In many theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv) is considered a terminal degree, meaning it is the highest academic degree available in the field of divinity. However, some schools may offer doctoral degrees in ministry or theology that build upon the foundation laid in the MDiv program.

Should a pastor have a seminary degree? ›

The short answer is no. In fact, many find their way into pastoral roles without ever setting foot in a seminary. This might raise eyebrows in certain circles, but let's unpack what this means and explore how one can shepherd a congregation without the formal seminary badge.

Should I go to Bible college or seminary? ›

While seminaries can provide excellent preparation for those interested in becoming pastors or ministers, Bible colleges offer more comprehensive training that includes both theological and practical knowledge necessary for many types of ministries.

Is John MacArthur a Calvinist? ›

MacArthur describes himself as a "leaky dispensationalist." MacArthur holds to the dispensationalist school of premillennialism, a pre-tribulational Rapture of the Church, and a literal Millennium.

How much is tuition at the master's seminary? ›

The Master's University and Seminary's tuition is $32,870. Compared with the national average cost of tuition of $43,477, The Master's University and Seminary is cheaper. These figures include both tuition and fees, also referred to as the sticker price.

Is the master's seminary dispensationalist? ›

Theologically, The Master's Seminary is conservative and fundamentalist, affirming biblical inerrancy, a Reformed view of soteriology, and a dispensational, premillennial position in eschatology.

What are the benefits of Master of Divinity? ›

Pursuing an MDiv degree enables them to mature in their faith, broaden their ministry capacity, supplement their knowledge base, strengthen their leadership skills, and connect with a supportive community.

Is a Master of Divinity the same as a master's degree? ›

Seminary Degrees

Within the category of formal degrees, seminaries offer master's degrees of two types, sometimes three: Master of Divinity (MDiv) programs, Master of Arts (MA) programs, and Master of Theology (ThM) programs. Beyond these, many seminaries offer post-graduate or doctoral programs.

Can I teach with a Master of Divinity? ›

Teach at the College Level

With a graduate degree in divinity or theology, you could work as a college professor in the area of religious studies. You'll need a doctorate degree to become a full professor in theology or religion, but with a master's degree you could be an associate professor at a community college.

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