How MI Does Seminary

The Master’s Institute (MI) offers 2 ways to train leaders who love Jesus:

MI’s approach to Seminary includes concurrent mentoring, sound academic development, and hands-on leadership training. 

Each program aims to equip the heart, head and hands of men and women who are called to continue Jesus’ ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. Each includes sound theological training from faculty who are working in their fields as scholars and/or practitioners of the subject matter they teach, and an equally strong focus on Spiritual & Character Formation and Leadership Training.

Both our MDiv and Micro MDiv will prepare future leaders to continue Jesus’ mission of restoration, redemption and love.

If you would like to know more about either of these programs, please call for information.

Spiritual & Character Formation

MI trains the heart

  • Formation flows from an intimate relationship of trust, obedience and dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ

  • Formation happens in Christian community

  • Formation is empowered by the loving presence of the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

Biblical Teaching
MI instructs the head

  • Faculty are gifted and passionate adjunct professors who are recognized experts in their field

  • Students learn to know, experience, live and communicate the truth of Scripture with zeal and humility

  • We teach from the Reformation perspective: Word alone, Grace alone, Faith alone

Leadership Training
MI equips the hands

  • Internship training during 3 consecutive years of seminary

  • Students are equipped and trained so they can equip others

  • Hands on experience under the guidance of qualified and experienced ministers

The Micro MDiv Is:

…an 18-month leadership program focused on increasing the competency, character, and capacity of local Christian leaders to optimize their calling in God’s kingdom.

…completed in a cohort of 5 or more students from your congregation or local community

…designed in partnership with your ministry’s senior leaders to strengthen the needs of your local community of leaders

Holistic Training – Forming the heart, head, and hands – custom designed to fit your leadership’s Growth needs:

  • Core Theology and Church History

  • Biblical Exegesis and Hermeneutics

  • Pastoral Formation

  • Leadership Coaching and Internship

  • Spiritual Formation Groups and Mentoring

The Key Elements of The Micro MDiv:

The Micro MDiv combines eighteen masters-level courses with weekly spiritual and character formation, bi-weekly exercises in biblical studies, and a formal leadership development process into a vital, accessible, Jesus-focused development program.

You Can Host a Micro MDiv in Your Church/Community:

The Micro MDiv is a congregationally driven leadership development program. Local church leadership identifies growing leaders who are already engaged in ministry and invites them into a season of training and formation for greater kingdom impact. MI provides graduate level courses; the church is an actively engaged host. Some congregations commission participants for ministry in their congregational context after completion of the Micro MDiv certification.

Questions Frequently Asked: 

What is the time commitment?

       Academic Seminars-completed on your own time

  • Each class starts on the 1st and ends on the last day of each calendar month.

  • Each seminar consists of 8 hours of classroom video teaching, required reading before class, outline and post-class assignment

       Weekly Meetings-with your Micro MDiv cohort, usually at your host site

  • Students and facilitator meet once per week for 1 – 1 ½ hours.

  • Each week will give a primary focus on Spiritual Formation or Academic content

Are the MDiv credits transferable?

  • Students may apply to The Master’s Institute MDiv program and submit their work from the Micro MDiv for consideration towards completion of an MDiv degree through The Master’s Institute. The consideration will take into account the quality of the work, development of the student, and call into ministry.

  • It is the responsibility of the student to make sure their requirements are completed for graduation

What are the tuition requirements?

  • Tuition $ 5,850/person total

  • First installment of $1,470 due on the 1st of the month in which the program begins. $730 bi-monthly until tuition is paid in full

  • Tuition includes academic courses, Spiritual Formation, Leadership Training, and Scripture Practicum.

  • Student Fee: $150

  • Cost of Books = approx. $200-$250

Computer Requirements

  • Students must have regular access to a computer high-speed internet, word processing software, Google Classroom, YouTube, and email.

With its #nodebt approach to training, and the possibility to transfer credits from the Micro MDiv into a formal MDiv, The Master’s Institute is offering a unique developmental opportunity for individuals called into a variety of ministry contexts.

Please contact caroline@miseminary.com for more information about this remarkable opportunity.

Spiritual & Character Formation

The Mission
To see students growing in Spiritual & Character Formation; which is experiencing the life of Christ being formed within them. This forming is manifest by increasingly mature Christian character and wholeness. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

Spiritual Formation
Spiritual formation in the life of a Christian is experiencing the life of Christ being formed within a person so that there is an increasing manifestation of Christ-likeness and inner wholeness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Character Formation
Character grows out of this spiritual forming and is demonstrated by increasing in godly thoughts, words and deeds as the Holy Spirit recreates us in Christ’s image. (Colossians 3:17)

Holy Spirit led transformation
At MI, we cooperate in this Holy Spirit-led transformation by creating a nurturing atmosphere with a personal mentor for each student and a unique small group experience. Our prayer is that each student will grow in Christian maturity through their mentoring and small group relationships, personal time and examination with the Lord, exploring and practicing spiritual disciplines, Scripture reading, and reading of selected books.

In order to encourage each student’s Holy Spirit led transformation to form mature Christian character we include:

One-on-One Mentoring
in which each student and mentor meet weekly. Mentors are mature, Christian, servant-leaders who provide prayer covering and modeling as they relate with their student in a life-on-life kind of way. Each student’s mentor will model mature and whole Christian discipleship while praying for, encouraging and exhorting their student, listening and directing them in the power of the Holy Spirit, supporting them and holding them accountable to the life of a growing disciple of Jesus Christ.

Personal Spiritual Growth Designs (PSGD’s)
which are personalized plans that each student creates out of their desire for maturity and wholeness as a Christian Leader. As students recognize areas of needed spiritual growth and wholeness, they create a unique and intentional plan to concentrate on this recognized area for growth and/or healing. Our hope is to build this practice into our students’ lives as they continue to mature in their faith, leadership, and Christ-likeness.

Small Group Community
where students create an intentional community for spiritual growth and support as maturing followers of Jesus Christ. In small groups, the students discuss assigned readings that relate to their spiritual and character formation, share personal experiences, support one another and hold each other accountable toward Christian maturity. Reflections are written on each spiritual formation reading assignment. These groups meet within the regularly scheduled class day.

Silent Prayer Retreats
which are designed as time away with the Lord to seek, listen, worship and be refreshed in His intimate, loving presence.

Leadership Training

MI students are involved in Leadership Training which provides an opportunity for hands-on ministry and discipleship during a fifteen hour a week internship at a local church that runs concurrent with the academic work for all three years.

The Purpose
The purpose of Leadership Training is to equip the students while they are being discipled by their internship supervisors in the area of leadership and ministry skills.

Objective
The objective is to explore a variety of skills, observation and interaction with seasoned leaders, improve and refine ministry skills, personal and active discipleship, and spiritual direction. It is hoped that Leadership Training will help in the development of leadership skills, not just ministry skills. This requires the ability to cast and communicate a vision, lead leaders, resolve conflict, and give oversight.

Internships are designed to…
Internships are designed to reinforce principles learned in the classroom, provide hands-on ministry experience, present a setting for reflection on the work of the ministry, offer our students the opportunity to interact closely with today’s Christian leaders and enhance discipleship training.

A certain measure of “work” is provided by the student; however, our program is not intended to provide ministerial help to a congregation. Both setting and supervisor should view this program as a ministry to the students and a gift to the larger body of Christ.

  • Seminary students are involved in leadership training concurrent with the academic work for all three years.

  • Students meet with their Leadership Coach weekly to process and learn from their experience.

  • Full-time and part-time seminary students do 15 hours per week of internship service at a local church or para-ministry. Students begin in early September and finish in mid-May.

  • MI helps the student locate a church or para-church ministry for leadership training purposes. MI looks at the giftings of the student and the mission of the church to assist in placement.

Auditing a Class at MI

It is our goal at MI to create a formational environment that enables us to continue to grow as lovers of God who have been called to served and lead in our 21st-century context. We choose our courses and instructors with this goal in mind. If you are interested in auditing a class at MI, please read on.

Who Audits an MI Course?

Pastor and Ministry Leaders: we welcome you to audit a course at MI as part of your continuing pastoral formation at a reduced rate.

Church staff, lay leaders, and Christians eager to continue growing at the graduate level, we welcome you to register to audit a course at MI. Those who are not in vocational ministry will need to obtain a written auditor-pastor-recommendation from your pastor or ministry leader. The recommendation from pastors or ministry leaders may be sent directly to info@miseminary.com.

MI alumni, mentors, coaches, and volunteers, we welcome you to audit a set number of courses at no cost. Contact us for more information.

Please note:

  • Not all courses are available for audit, and all audit requests are subject to approval.

  • Pre-recorded courses are not available to auditors.

Details for registration are on the registration form below.

Where: Online or in-person at The Master’s Institute, 4000 Linden St., White Bear Lake, MN 55110.

When: Most seminars are held Thursday and Friday, from 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM CT.

Cost: The standard fee to audit an MI course is $60/credit. Payment is due with the registration request at least ten days prior to the seminar start date.

  • You may pay by mail or online.

    • Please mail your check to: The Master’s Institute, 4000 Linden St, White Bear Lake, MN 55110

    • To pay online go to the GIVE page and select your preferred method to make a one-time donation to cover the fee for the seminar.

Prior to the seminar:

  • Please fill out the Visitor-Auditing Registration Form below

  • Refunds will not be given after the start of the seminar.

  • An auditor may attend a maximum of two seminars per school year (Sept. to May).

  • As an auditor, while it will be beneficial to complete pre-course reading, it is not required. The course syllabus will be sent to you when we receive your registration form and, when required, your Ministry Referral.

Visitor-Auditing Registration Form