A new name, some forward-thinking new courses, and new degree concentrations were unveiled by York University signaling a shift in how students prepare to enter the world of ministry or vocational ministry. The Bible Department at York University will become the Department of Bible and Ministry. 

 

“This may seem like a small change, but this is an important move,” said Chair of the Bible Department, Dr. Garrett Best. “We are changing our Department's name to stress that we are here to serve churches and train students for a life of ministry.”

 

The announcement was made at the inaugural Equip Conference held at York University on March 14. This conference hosted by the Bible Department has been designed to address pressing issues facing churches in the Midwest and beyond.

 

As part of these efforts, the degree plans for the bachelor degrees in Bible and Ministry have been revamped with new courses designed to better prepare students for ministry in this complex and rapidly changing world. Courses such as Communicating the Gospel, Spiritual Formation in Ministry, Story of Global Christianity, and Teaching Scripture will now be paired with courses you might expect such as Advanced Biblical Research, Message of the Old and New Testament, and Biblical Interpretation. The combination of coursework is designed to provide relevant preparation for effective, meaningful ministry.

 

Along with the new courses come two new exciting concentrations for the Bachelors of Bible and Ministry. In addition to the existing concentrations of Ministry and Youth and Family Ministry, students will now be able to complete concentrations in Christian Counseling and Worship Ministry. The new degree concentrations are interdisciplinary programs with the Psychology Department, partnering on the Christian Counseling concentration, and the Music Department serving as the on-campus partner for the Worship Ministry concentration.

 

“We are finding that many students have a passion for worshiping God within the context of the church, and we believe our worship ministry concentration will equip students to lead our churches in worship that is both musically aesthetic but more importantly, theologically rich and faithful to the truth of the gospel.” Best also said, “Mental health has become an issue facing every family in some way. We need to prepare more Christian counselors to serve in our churches and communities.”

 

York will be enrolling our first students in these new concentrations for the fall of 2023. If you know anyone who might be interested, please contact our admissions office at admissions@york.edu.  

 

New creative classes will also be added to York’s general education offerings to engage students in other majors on campus. Classes such as Creation Care, Business as Mission, Faith and Film will be relevant to students majoring in sciences, business and the arts. 

 

“The purpose of all of this is to better serve the needs of our students in this challenging cultural moment by making sure all students can be led into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ and his church during their time at York.”