This program trains Christian leaders for intercultural ministry in diverse and changing global realities in the marketplace, among unreached peoples, urban dwellers and people on the move.
- At ATS, we believe that Christ sends the whole church to the whole world – a world that is increasingly more urban and more culturally complex. To that end, ATS has two major foci to its missions program: Cross-cultural and Urban. To address local and global cross-cultural needs, ATS will prepare evangelists, church planters, mission administrators, missionaries and missionary candidates to be more effective communicators of the gospel in cross-cultural contexts, particularly in Asian and 10.40 window countries and urban centers.
- Students are equipped with the following:
- Solid biblical-theological training to clearly understand the message
- Strong training in cultural dynamics, enabling them to cross cultural barriers, and
- Robust training in mission strategy in order to put what they have learned into practice
- Students can look forward to:
- Actual immersion experiences in cross-cultural settings overseas and in the Philippines
- Creative methods of bringing the Gospel to people of other cultures
- Learning the most effective mission strategies in history and in current mission practice
- Graduate Diploma in Intercultural and Urban Studies (G. Dip. IUS)
- The Graduate Diploma in Intercultural Studies and Urban Studies is designated to improve the qualifications and skills of pastors, evangelists, church planters, church workers, mission administrators, traditional and tentmaking missionaries including OFW’s and missionary candidates who desire training at the graduate level, but who, for various reasons, choose not to complete the M.A. or M.Div. degree at this time in their lives. It aims to develop Christian practitioners who are able to initiate and sustain evangelism, discipleship, and church planting efforts in culturally sensitive, holistic, and transformational ways. It emphasizes the practical dimensions of ministry with many of the courses requiring out-of-classroom exposure and research trips. It contains most of the missions focus courses included in the M.A. and M.Div. programs. Students are also required to participate in a care group for one semester.
- Master of Arts in Intercultural Ministries (M.A. IM)
- The purpose of the Master of Arts in Intercultural Ministries is threefold. First of all, it is designed to prepare pastors, evangelists, church planters, church workers, missions administrators, traditional and tentmaking missionaries including OFW’s and missionary candidates to be more effective communicators of the gospel in both mutli-cultural and cross-cultural contexts, particularly in Asian and 10/40 window countries and urban centers. The students will develop a spirituality that integrates Biblical/theological perspectives into a framework for doing missions. They will become theologically informed and grow personally, professionally, and spiritually. Using a series of seven Bible and Theological courses, the M.A. core curriculum will ground the students in the Scriptures. Second, the program is designed (primarily through the Plan A, thesis track) to give qualified missions students extended time to analyze a current or future mission strategy, or a particular mission problem, that will result in enhanced current or future missions strategy. Third, it is designed (through Plan B, non-thesis track) to give MA IM students options for further Biblical studies and missions coursework.
- The Master of Arts in Intercultural Ministries gives students the opportunity to earn a degree while at the same time getting them to the field of service within an expedient time frame. This program builds upon the Graduate Diploma in Intercultural and Urban Studies. In addition to classroom studies, Master of Arts in Intercultural Ministries students are required to complete one summer of internship program and participate in care groups for two semesters.
- Master of Divinity in Intercultural and Urban Studies (M.Div. IUS)
- The Master of Divinity in Intercultural and Urban Studies is designed to meet the needs of those students who are called to a career as pastors, evangelists, church planters, church workers, mission administrators and traditional and tentmaking missionaries, particularly in Asian and 10/40 window countries and urban centers. As an M.Div. program, it includes the Biblical and theological grounding needed for professional ministry. Key objectives of this major include holistic formation (academic, spiritual, and professional) and praxis (the integration of theory and practice). In addition to classroom studies, M.Div. IUS students are required to complete the internship program and participate in care groups for three semesters.
Intercultural and Urban Studies Program Course