Academic Programs - Dallas Theological Seminary

Course Descriptions
Department of Spiritual Formation & Leadership
Once a student completes his or her required
internship, additional internship hours also
may be credited toward a degree. Normally
only one internship may be taken at a time.
Each student must identify a mentor
who agrees to supervise the internship.
Mentors must be approved by the
Department of Spiritual Formation and
Leadership. For information on mentor requirements
and available internship opportunities
(internship job board), consult the
Spiritual Formation and Leadership department
website at www.dts.edu/sfl.
To encourage global and cross-cultural perspectives
and skills, students may participate
in a short-term, cross-cultural mission trip
as a part of any required track internship.
Participation in a preapproved, short-term
mission trip experience can count toward
up to one-third of the total hours of ministry
experience required. Partial internship credit
also is available to students who lead a Spiritual
Formation group or teach in the Center
for Biblical Studies. Consult the department
for more information.
Servant Leadership courses follow the same
academic regulations as other academic
courses. Consult the Department of Spiritual
Formation and Leadership or visit the
Seminary’s website for more information on
specific internship requirements.
REQUIRED COURSES
Spiritual Formation
The following four courses must be taken
in sequence and are required of all Th.M.,
M.A./CE, M.A./CM, and M.A./MC students.
(M.A./BEL students are required to take only
one semester of Spiritual Formation—SF245.)
At the beginning of the fall semester at either
the Dallas campus or Houston extension,
each new student is placed in a Spiritual Formation
group that meets together for four
consecutive semesters and is led by a qualified
facilitator. Groups are designated as follows:
Men only: single and married * male students;
Women only: single and married * female
students
Married * couples only: married students
whose spouses wish to join them in the
Spiritual Formation process.
*
Spouses of registered students are STRONGLY encouraged
to join their spouses in a married couple’s group.
If a student’s spouse wishes not to take part in the
Spiritual Formation group, the registered student must
sign up for a singles group.
Retreats, outreach events, work projects, and
campus activities are woven throughout the
two-year experience.
SF101
SF102
SF103
SF104
Spiritual Formation I (Identity)
This course challenges students to
grasp more fully the reality of identity in
Christ both personally and corporately.
Life Inventory is the primary resource
used in discovering and establishing
identity. An adequate understanding of
one’s identity in relation to God, self,
the body of Christ, and the world is
presented as a precursor to developing
authentic community. Attendance at two
initial class sessions and a Saturday class
session is required during this semester
in advance of regular group meeting
times (dates will be identified in the
class syllabus) Transcripted nonacademic
credit, fall only.
Spiritual Formation II
(Community)
This course challenges students to
pursue new depths of trust out of
common commitment to discovering
God’s authorship in their lives. Life
Story is the primary resource used
in guiding each group toward the
development of authentic community.
Transcripted nonacademic credit,
spring only.
Spiritual Formation III (Integrity)
This course challenges students to
examine the personal and corporate
implications of sin and grace in their
lives. Life Change is the primary resource
used in developing integrity in
the lives of group members.Transcripted
nonacademic credit, fall only.
Spiritual Formation IV (Service)
This course challenges students to
implement their divine design in
harmony with the mission of Christ
and the uniqueness of others. Life
Vision is the primary resource used
in establishing each group member’s
vision for future ministry. The course
helps focus the remainder of the students’
academic experiences by providing
an opportunity to anticipate carefully
how they might serve the Lord
for a lifetime. Transcripted nonacademic
credit, spring only.
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DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 2006–2007 CATALOG