Over 15 years ago Dr. David Wells, of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, contributed an article to No God But God: Breaking with the Idols of Our Age (Moody, 1992) entitled "The D-Min-Ization of the Ministry." His essay burst like a bomb-shell on the playground of the Seminaries. He argued that the creation of the "Doctor of Ministry" (D.Min.) degree in the 1970's was driven by 1) the need to create an income stream for financially-strapped seminaries and  2) the need for enhanced social prestige for increasingly marginalized Christian ministers. D.Min. programs, though popular, have been plagued by the lack of standardization and quality control. Consequently, people like me confidently claimed that we would never pursue a D.Min. degree. Never would we allow ourselves to participate in what might be an inferior academic program that exists mainly to produce income for seminaries and prestige for ministers who want to place the title of "Dr." before their names but don't want to do the work of a Ph.D.

Then I got D-Min-Ized.

Sometime in the fall of 2003 I learned that Dr. Hughes Old had been named Dean of the newly created "Institute for Reformed Worship" at Erskine Theological Seminary in Due West, South Carolina. Dr. Old is the world's leading authority on the reform of worship in the sixteenth century and has few peers in the broader subject of the history of the worship of the whole Christian church. His books are of incalculable importance for those who care about biblical worship, and have been hugely important in my own understanding of public worship.

Once I learned of Dr. Old's close proximity, I immediately determined to take whatever classes he would teach (13 different courses were listed in the initial literature). The first two classes, on "The Lord's Supper in Reformed Faith & Worship" and "The Reformation of Worship in the Sixteenth Century," were extremely valuable. Classes on "Leading in Prayer," "Expository Preaching," "Christian Use of Art," "Theology of Worship in Contemporary Discussion," and studies of worship in various historical eras (e.g. Ancient Church, eighteenth & nineteenth centuries, etc.) followed. Each of my eight courses with Dr. Old typically required four synopses of historical documents of four pages in length plus a term paper of 12-15 pages in length. Add the other two non-Dr. Old courses, and the total amount of writing was vast. But the writing, and the reading upon which the writing was based, was what made the course. In some ways I feel as though I knew nothing about worship until I began study with Dr. Old at Erskine.  

My dissertation was entitled "A Study of Making the Case for Historic Reformed Worship," and runs to 305 pages. I hope to turn it into a book that may be of some service to the church.

So I've been D-Min-Ized. Why did I allow it to happen? Because it was so worthwhile. It was a fantastic course of study. If any new classes are offered that I've not yet taken I plan to take them as well.

Dr. Wells is right. The D.Min. is a professional degree, like the J.D. Just as lawyers don't use the title "Dr." neither, normally, will I. Nor will I wear the Doctor's stripes on my preaching robe. I will take the title and wear the stripes in an academic setting, and I have an academic gown for that purpose. Otherwise, for me, in the pulpit, it would be pretentious. This may not be the case for others who earn the D.Min., but it would be for me. I should remain Terry, Mr. Johnson, Pastor, Brother Terry, Rev. Johnson, etc.

Let me say thank you to the congregation. You gave me the time to pursue post-graduate study and (in case you didn't know) paid the tuition. You made my studies possible. I can hardly imagine a church being more generous than you have been to me, both in regular compensation and in special perks like this.

Though I've been D-Min-Ized, I promise not to act like a D-Min, if you'll promise not to call me one.