DMin Admission Portfolio

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The DMin Admissions Portfolio is an alternative to MDiv equivalency for those who lack the Master of Divinity degree. This is to satisfy the academic admission qualification as part of the DMin application process. The portfolio option is offered to those who have a ministry-related graduate degree, plus a BTh-type undergraduate degree, usually earned outside the North American education system. It is submitted online via the Learning Hub tool. Contact the DMin office (dmin@andrews.edu) to have your name added to the Learning Hub "course" that will contain the documents you upload for the portfolio. See below for instructions on how to elaborate your Admission Portfolio.

 

Table of Contents

Introduction and General Information

Section 1: Knowledge of Religious Heritage

Section 2: Understanding of the Cultural Context

Section 3: Growth in Spiritual Depth and Moral Integrity

Section 4: Capacity for Ministerial and Public Leadership

 

Introduction and General Information​

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1. What is a portfolio?

“A portfolio is a reflective collection of work designed to fulfill a specific purpose and presented for feedback. It’s a collection because it lets the author show what he has learned through the act of choosing and revising examples of work [called artifacts] to include in the portfolio. It’s reflective because it not only lets readers see the artifacts, but also explains the context of those artifacts, the challenges the author experienced, the decisions made, and the things learned.” (Miles Kimball, The Web Portfolio Guide: Creating Electronic Portfolios for the Web. New York: Longman, 2003, 5-6). 

 

The main goal of the portfolio is to demonstrate the competence, skills, and abilities of a student.

 

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2. What is an Admissions Portfolio (AP)?

The AP is an alternative assessment tool that establishes the “knowledge, competence, or skills” of the applicants prior to acceptance in the Doctor of Ministry program.

The AP will be used to demonstrate evidence of broad-based knowledge and experience in theology, biblical studies, and the arts of ministry showing the student’s capacity for an advanced level of competence and reflection in the practice of ministry beyond that of the master’s level.

 

3. The Admissions Portfolio format:

The AP will consist of 8-12 pages, divided into four sections:

1. Knowledge of religious heritage (2-3 pages)

2. Understanding of the cultural context (2-3 pages)

3. Growth in spiritual depth and moral integrity (2-3 pages)

4. Capacity for ministerial and public leadership (2-3 pages)

 

Each section will be comprised of two fundamental components:

1. REFLECTION ESSAY, where the students should:

• Summarize the education, training, activities, and experience which provides evidence that they have met the criteria to be demonstrated in that section of the portfolio.

• Demonstrate the connection between what has been learned and its impact on their ministerial vision and practice.

• Identify how they intend to continue their development in relation to the section criteria.

2. SUPPORTIVE ARTIFACTS

• One of the main components of the admission portfolio is the gathering of supportive artifacts. An artifact is anything that can demonstrate the student’s education and experience related to a particular competence.

• Supportive artifacts consist of documents, videos, pictures, blogs, or any other item that represents the knowledge (what has been learned) and skills (how the knowledge has been applied in practical circumstances).

• For this particular admission portfolio artifacts are pieces of evidence of the best work and/or personal growth in the four areas already mentioned above: (1) comprehensive and discriminating understanding of the religious heritage, (2) critical understanding of and engagement with the cultural context, (3) maturity in faith, emotion, moral integrity, and witness, and (4) capacity for ministerial and public leadership (following, further instructions are given for each of these four areas).

Some examples of artifacts could be:

• Videos or audio recordings of teaching, speaking or preaching engagements

• Testimony of church administrators or local church leaders

• Projects in community engagement

•  Service offered to others

• Awards received

• Certificates (ordination, continuing education, conferences)

• Evangelistic involvement

• Curriculum developed

• Papers written and/or presented

• Teaching outlines and lesson plans

• Sermon outlines

• Photos or videos of ministry engagement

• Website links, blogs written

• Meeting notes prepared

• Journals, articles written

• Training manuals developed for leaders

• Scripts, stories, songs written​

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4. Remember:

1. Use your creativity and experience.

2. You are free to choose the format and design of your artifacts.

3. The actual process of selecting and describing your artifacts is an important factor in the development of your admission portfolio.

4. Analyze critically your previous experiences and work

5. Choose your best examples to identify and demonstrate the particular competence to be evaluated.

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Section 1 Instructions: Knowledge of Religious Heritage

 

1. Goals:

Demonstrate competence, skills, and abilities establishing that they meet the following criteria at a graduate level:

1. Explain Scripture in an exegetically and theologically sound manner.

2. Have advanced knowledge of Christian history including the history of the Seventh-day Adventist church.

3. Have engaged in reflection on their acquired knowledge and skills as the basis for their ministry

 

2. The ESSAY should include:

• Overall reflection statement for “knowledge of religious heritage” (150-word minimum).

  • “For my competence in knowledge of religious heritage, I’m submitting [name/type of artifact] which demonstrates that I [what you learned, experienced, accomplished].

 

• Artifacts (with a brief description). Required:

• A list of relevant courses taken, including course numbers, titles, and bulletin descriptions (if available)

• A sample research paper (or seminar, sermon) prepared by the applicant that best pieces of evidence the goals above

  • Optional:

    • Other publications

    • Research papers

    • Sample sermons

    • Video/audio recordings of teaching, speaking or preaching

    • An evaluation from a prior professor addressing the goals of this section.

    • Bible Conference certificate

 

• Learning reflection (150-word minimum)

  • Sample: “As I developed and demonstrated knowledge of religious heritage, I have learned [something you have learned about yourself, other people, about ministry, and/or about God].

 

• Lifelong development statement (150-word minimum)

  • “As a result of the experience documented by these artifacts, I will continue to develop in the area of knowledge of religious heritage by [something you will do differently next time or continue to improve based on your past experience].

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Section 2 Instructions: Understanding of the Cultural Context

 

1. Goals:

Demonstrate competence, skills, and abilities establishing that they meet the following criteria at a graduate level:

a. Understand contemporary cultural, religious, and social realities and issues and their implications in the development of a relevant and contextualized ministry

b. Demonstrate ability to equip congregations for effective, ethnic, and cross-cultural mission and ministry.

 

2. The ESSAY should include:

a. Overall reflection statement for “understanding of the cultural context” (150-word minimum)

• i. Sample: “For my competence in understanding the cultural context, I’m submitting [name/type of artifact] which demonstrates that I [what you learned, experienced, accomplished].

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b. Artifacts (with a brief description)

i. Required:

• 1. A list of relevant courses taken, including course numbers, titles, and bulletin descriptions (if available)

• 2. Evidence of sensitive and informed inter-cultural engagement focused on the goals above described.

 

ii. Optional:

• Videos or photos of community engagement and service to others

• Project descriptions

• Curriculum developed

• Teaching outlines and lesson plans

• Articles written

• Website links, public evangelism materials, and documents produced for ministry.

• Mission Conference certificates

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c. Learning reflection (150-word minimum)

i. Sample: “As I developed and demonstrated understanding of the cultural context, I have learned [something you have learned about yourself, other people, about ministry, and/or about God].

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d. Lifelong development statement (150-word minimum)

i. Sample: “As a result of the experiences documented by these artifacts, I will continue to develop in the area of understanding of the cultural context by [something you will do differently next time or continue to improve based on your past experience].

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Section 3 Instructions: Growth in Spiritual Depth and Moral Integrity

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1. Goals:

Demonstrate competence, skills, and abilities establishing that they meet the following criteria at a graduate level:

a. Strong personal faith

b. Balanced emotional maturity

c. High moral integrity

d. Effective public witness

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2. The ESSAY should include:

a. Sample: “For my competence in growth in spiritual depth and moral integrity, I’m submitting [name/type of artifact] which demonstrates that I [what you learned, experienced, accomplished].

b. Artifacts (with a brief description)

• i. Required:

  • A list of relevant courses taken, including course numbers, titles, and bulletin descriptions (if available)

  • A completed evaluation from a ministerial director and from the local church board (where applicable).

 

• ii. Optional:

1. Personal spiritual journals

2. Blogs

3. Sermons

4. Artifacts evidencing spiritual growth, related awards, or community recognition.

 

c. Learning reflection (150-word minimum)

i. Sample: “As I developed and demonstrated growth in spiritual depth and moral integrity, I have learned [something you have learned about yourself, other people, about ministry, and/or about God].

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d. Lifelong development statement (150-word minimum)

i. Sample: “As a result of the experiences documented by these artifacts, I will continue to develop in the area of growth in spiritual depth and moral integrity by [something you will do differently next time or continue to improve based on your past experience].

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Section 4 Instructions: Capacity for Ministerial and Public Leadership

 

1. Goals:

Demonstrate competence, skills, and abilities establishing that they meet the following criteria at a graduate level:

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a. Design and lead biblically based, theologically sound, and contextualized relevant public worship experiences

b. Understand professional and ministerial ethics

c. Demonstrate expertise in pastoral care and leadership for all aspects of ministry.

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2. The ESSAY should include:

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a. Overall reflection statement for “capacity for ministerial and public leadership” (150-word minimum)

i. Sample: “For my competence in capacity for ministerial and public leadership, I’m submitting [name/type of artifact] which demonstrates that I [what you learned, experienced, accomplished].

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b. Artifacts (with a brief description)

i. Required:

1. A list of relevant courses taken, including course numbers, titles, and bulletin descriptions (if available)

2. Transcripts or videos of excellent biblically based, theologically sound, and contextualized worship services that have been personally created and led by the applicant

3. Evidence of experience in the main facets of pastoral ministry

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ii. Optional:

1. Ordination certificate

2. Sermon outlines

3. Resume

4. Training manuals prepared

5. References from church administrators and local church leaders

6. Related certificates or awards.

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c. Learning reflection (150-word minimum)

i. Sample: “As I developed and demonstrated capacity for ministerial and public leadership, I have learned [something you have learned about yourself, other people, about ministry, and/or about God].

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d. Lifelong development statement (150-word minimum)

i. Sample: “As a result of the experiences documented by these artifacts, I will continue to develop in the area of capacity for ministerial and public leadership by [something you will do differently next time or continue to improve based on your past experience].

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5/2/2024