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Minor
An 18-credit minor that pairs the whole biblical canon with Biblical Leadership — Bible-and-theology preparation for vocational ministry.
Whole Canon Covered
Old Testament, Gospels, Acts to Revelation
Theology + Leadership
BIB 304 + CMI 495 Biblical Leadership
Ministry-Oriented
Built for pastoral and ministry pathways
ACU’s Christian Ministries Minor is built for students preparing for vocational ministry — pastors, youth pastors, missionaries, parachurch staff, Christian-school chaplains, ministry directors, and the many other roles where leading ministry well requires both Scripture and skill.
The minor walks through the whole biblical canon in four survey courses — BIB 104 Genesis to Song of Solomon, BIB 108 Prophets, BIB 207 Gospels, and BIB 208 Acts to Revelation — then pairs that biblical foundation with BIB 304 Theology and the capstone CMI 495 Biblical Leadership. You leave with working command of Scripture and a working framework for leading ministry from it.
This is the ministry-leadership-focused option in ACU’s family of Bible-and-theology minors. It shares its biblical core with the Biblical Studies Intensive Minor, but the capstone course (CMI 495 Biblical Leadership rather than BIB 400 Apologetics) signals the direction: this minor is for students heading into ministry leadership, not primarily into academic theology or apologetics work.
Read the Old Testament Well
Work through the Pentateuch, the historical and wisdom books, and the major and minor prophets in their context.
Read the New Testament Well
Study the Gospels analytically and follow the early church from Acts through Revelation.
Articulate Core Doctrine
Explain the doctrines of Scripture, God, Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church, and last things.
Lead Ministry Biblically
Apply biblical principles of leadership to the real work of pastoring, teaching, mentoring, and building ministry teams.
Connect Scripture to Ministry Practice
Translate sound biblical interpretation into the rhythms of weekly preaching, teaching, discipleship, and pastoral care.
Bridge Bible Knowledge and Leadership Skill
Hold biblical depth and leadership competence together — the combination ministry settings consistently lack.
A Biblical Worldview takes Scripture as the foundation for ministry — meaning what gets taught, how leaders lead, and what success looks like all flow from the same biblical conviction.
Scripture as Foundation for Ministry
Ministry detached from Scripture eventually wanders. The minor's four-course canon survey is designed to put real biblical literacy in the hands of future ministry leaders — not just favorite passages, but a working map of the whole Bible.
Equips you to lead ministry from Scripture rather than around it.
Leadership as Servanthood
The model of leadership the New Testament holds out is servanthood — putting other people's good above your own. CMI 495 Biblical Leadership treats that not as an aspirational slogan but as the actual shape of pastoral, mission, and ministry leadership.
Grounds your leadership in the kind of authority that builds ministry rather than burns it out.
Theology in Service of the Church
BIB 304 Theology gives ministry leaders the doctrinal grounding their work requires — not as academic exercise, but as the conceptual framework the church teaches, prays, and lives by.
Prepares you to teach doctrine pastorally rather than just academically.
The Christian Ministries Minor is built specifically for vocational ministry — pastoral, parachurch, mission, and Christian-school settings where Bible knowledge and leadership skill are both required.
Pastor or Associate Pastor
Step into senior, associate, or specialty pastoral roles with formal Bible and leadership training behind you.
Youth or Children's Pastor
Lead youth and children's ministries with the biblical depth and developmental sense those roles require.
Missions and Parachurch Staff
Serve in domestic or international mission organizations, parachurch ministries, or Christian nonprofits.
Christian School Bible Teacher or Chaplain
Teach Bible and lead spiritual formation in Christian middle and high schools.
Worship and Discipleship Leadership
Lead worship, small-group, or discipleship ministry with grounded biblical and leadership preparation.
Bridge to Seminary or Graduate Ministry Programs
Use the minor as preparation for a Master of Divinity, MA in Christian Leadership, or other graduate ministry program.
The Christian Ministries Minor pairs whole-canon Bible coverage with a leadership capstone — a combination few undergraduate Bible minors offer.
Whole-Canon Bible Coverage
Four survey courses take you across the entire Bible — Old Testament and New — in sequence.
Theological Foundation
BIB 304 anchors the minor in a working knowledge of the doctrines that shape Christian faith.
Biblical Leadership Capstone
CMI 495 Biblical Leadership turns the biblical foundation into a working framework for leading ministry — the differentiator from ACU's other Bible minors.
Same Faculty as the BA and Cert
Every course is taught by ACU's Bible & Theology professors — no separate minor-only track.
Stacks Into a Bachelor's
All 18 credits apply directly to ACU's Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies if you continue.
Pairs With Music, Communication, Education, and More
Especially common combination for students in Music Ministry, Communication, Education, and Family Studies headed toward vocational ministry.
Adding the Christian Ministries Minor takes a few clear steps. BIB 100 (or BIB 101) is the only formal prerequisite, and it’s part of most ACU degree plans already.
Talk With Your Academic Advisor
Map the 18 credits into your degree plan and identify which semester to slot each Bible survey course into.
Plan Around the BIB 207 Prerequisite
BIB 207 Gospels requires BIB 100 or BIB 101 first — most degree plans already include BIB 100, but confirm yours does.
View BIB 100Sequence the Survey Courses
Take BIB 104 and BIB 108 for the Old Testament; pair with BIB 207 and BIB 208 for the New Testament.
Finish With Theology and Leadership
Cap the minor with BIB 304 Theology and CMI 495 Biblical Leadership, ideally in your junior or senior year when you have ministry experience to bring to the discussion.
The Christian Ministries Minor pairs the whole biblical canon with Biblical Leadership in 18 credits — the combination ministry settings consistently need. Apply or reach out today.
