New Cohort Starting Fall 2025
The Doctor of Ministry concentration in Spiritual Formation for Ministry Leaders seeks to explore the theology, history, and practices of spiritual formation so that ministry leaders in various contexts can accompany people on their spiritual journey. This concentration focuses on soul care, spiritual direction, and discipleship, covering individual and collective practices from various streams of spirituality with a particular emphasis on evangelical spirituality. The program aims to equip students with the essential skills to serve individuals with the greatest spiritual needs. This concentration is ideal for ministry leaders who shepherd and lead others in a variety of contexts both inside and outside the church, including pastors, nonprofit leaders, youth leaders, cross-cultural workers, and others.
Learn From Leading Scholar Practitioners
Courses will be taught by leading scholar-practitioners in the field of spiritual formation. Professors will include Wheaton College Christian Formation and Ministry Faculty and guest faculty who are experts in the field of spiritual formation.
You can look forward to learning from practitioners including...
Dr. Tom Schwanda
Associate Professor of Christian Formation and Ministry Emeritus at Wheaton College. Tom is a Reformed Church in America minister. He is a trained spiritual director and has companioned others in their spiritual pilgrimages for over 35 years. He is passionate about assisting Protestants in recovering a contemplative spirituality.
Dr. A.J. Swoboda
Associate professor of Bible and Theology, Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, He is the author of many books, including The Gift of Thorns, After Doubt, and the award-winning Subversive Sabbath (Brazos). He hosts the “Slow Theology” podcast (w/ Dr. Nijay Gupta) and writes the widely read “Low-Level Theologian” Substack. A.J. lives and works on an urban farm with his wife and son in Eugene, Oregon.
Courses include:
Theology and History of Spiritual Formation - This course traces some of the dominant themes of Christian spiritual formation. Through biblical, theological, and historical study we will examine how various individuals and movements have experienced and sought to nurture their relationship with the Triune God.
Formation and Soul Care - This course centers on individual spiritual formation and soul care in ministry, focusing in-depth on personal spiritual growth and how to assist others in the process. Students will engage with ministry models of spiritual formation and discipleship, examine historic Christian spiritual practices, evaluate the types of leadership and relationships which cultivate personal spiritual formation, and look at practices of spiritual direction which will be understood primarily as companioning Christians and helping them adopt patterns of Christian spiritual practices. Special topics in spiritual formation related to contemporary society and varying ministry contexts and cultures will also be considered.
Strategies of Spiritual Formation in Community - The course intends to cast a comprehensive vision for corporate spiritual formation for the local church and other spiritual communities, a vision which takes seriously the soul, the mission of the church, and depth of care for people. This course will additionally look at the issues of suffering in spiritual formation and the care of troubled and difficult people in organizations and congregations.