Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation

Degree Info

Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation

Go deeper and wider in your biblical, theological, and practical understanding of
faith, work, economics, and vocation.

Be prepared to serve your people with new wisdom and relevance,
helping them live as disciples of Jesus in every part of life.

Lead the church to make a difference that matters in our challenging, changing world.

Coming Soon

The Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation program is not currently enrolling. We anticipate launching a new Faith, Work, and Leadership cohort in Fall 2025. Watch this page for more information, or visit Fuller’s Doctor of Ministry page.

At a Glance

Timeline

3-year doctoral program

Audience

Leaders in church, non-profit, or other contexts

Format

Online and In-Person

*Pasadena, CA

Your Mentor(s)

Mark D. Roberts

Senior Strategist

Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...

Curriculum Overview

Basics of the Program

Our DMin in FWEV is centered on a three-year, hybrid cohort experience, followed by a project in which you take what you are learning and apply it to your distinctive ministry context. During the first three years, your cohort will meet for one week in Pasadena, California, in the early fall. The other third of class time each year will happen virtually as you interact online with your fellow students and professors. The hybrid model combines the best of in-person and digital learning in a way that maximizes engagement and affordability.

The three-year program has the following emphases:

Year One: Biblical Foundations for FWEV

Taught by Dr. Mark Roberts

The first year features a deep dive into Scripture as you wrestle with the question: What does the Bible really say about faith, work, economics, and vocation? Scripture is the primary text for this year’s course, with additional readings that supply context and interpretation. (You can see several of the most relevant biblical passages at the end of this page.)

Year Two: Theological Reflections on FWEV

Taught by Dr. Matthew Kaemingk, with assistance from Mark Roberts

The second year will develop and deepen your theology of work, economics, and vocation as you investigate a wide variety of theological positions. Explore and engage with various theological reflections on faith, work, economics, and vocation, from classic thinkers (such as Ignatius, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, and Kuyper) as well as recent theologians (such as Volf, Harrison Warren, and Gutierrez).

Year Three: Ecclesial Expressions of FWEV

Taught by Mark Roberts

The third year focuses on how Christians have and should live out a full-orbed vision of faith, work, economics, and vocation. Particular attention will be given to church mission and leadership, as well as to the challenges of the new world of work. Readings range from authors such as Newbigin, Gallup, Hunter, and Bolsinger.

You can find more detail about the content of each year on this Fuller DMin web page.

No time for a degree?

Take a De Pree Center course, and learn at your own pace through FULLER Equip.

What People are Saying

of 3

Doing my DMin in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller was one of the wisest, most rewarding, strategic choices I’ve made in my ministry career thus far. It has opened many doors for me intellectually and formationally, and has created opportunity in many different directions and avenues of continued professional growth. I wholeheartedly recommend this course for pastors and church leaders who take seriously the notion of the priesthood of ALL believers.

Wayne Park

Being in this cohort fed my faith, gave me renewed energy for my daily work in pastoral ministry, and has helped me care for my congregants in meaningful and powerful ways – especially as the world of work has changed so much in the last year. If you are interested in a program like this I highly recommend it.

Rebecca Morad

Fuller’s Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics and Vocation provided exactly the kinds of education and new contacts that I need. The expertise and wisdom of the faculty and special guests deepened and broadened my knowledge and vision for shaping future business leaders. By being with peers who run other faith and work organizations, I have had great conversations about theology and the practical aspects of leading.

Mark Washington

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re a pastor or a leader in another organization, you want to help the people entrusted to your care live fully and wisely as disciples of Jesus in today’s world. You are eager to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities they face each day in their work. You also want to grow in your understanding of how Christians can faithfully address the pressing issues of our day, such as economic justice, the relevance of the church, and matters related to race and gender.

This DMin cohort will give you the tools you need to lead faithfully, wisely, and effectively. It will equip you to help the church of Jesus Christ be salt and light in the world, especially in the world of work, where faith is often ignored. It will prepare you to lead in ways that really make a difference, with biblically-inspired wisdom and a well-developed understanding of the contemporary church and world.
First, the cohort experience maximizes engagement and mutual learning. Your professors will lecture at times, but they are committed to creating a context for deep engagement and collegial learning. Cohorts foster genuine relationships among fellow students, bringing learning outside the classroom and into the world. Lead professor Mark Roberts says, “I love the way we learn together in this cohort. Yes, Matthew and I bring the best we have to offer. But we gain so much from our students. And I love the way we become, not just a class, but a community of learning, caring, and mission.”

Second, the hybrid model means you’ll get the benefit of in-person learning and community at a reasonable cost in time and money. Moreover, Fuller Seminary has, over many years, become a leader in effective digital learning. When you’re in online mode, you won’t be watching endless lectures. Rather, you’ll be engaging with your fellow students, wrestling with ideas and their implications through Fuller’s outstanding digital platform. Plus, hybrid learning encourages you to connect your education with your “boots on the ground” leadership experiences since you’ll be learning on your home turf.
The first class of this cohort will meet for a week in the fall, September 27 – October 1, 2021. Classes in years 2 and 3 will meet at about the time.
If you are serving as a Christian leader in a church, a non-profit organization, or a variety of other contexts, you are eligible to be part of this cohort. You’ll need to have a master’s degree in theology and a decent GPA in your past work. More details about these prerequisites can be found on the Fuller Dmin page.

Beyond the basics, you are welcome in this cohort if you are eager to learn in a collaborative environment, one that takes seriously Scripture, theology, Christian practice, and the real challenges of the church and world. You are welcome if you want to go deep into issues that matter, learning and growing with your fellow students. You are welcome if you are eager, not just to gain information, but to take your learning into the church and world for the sake of God’s mission.
The DMin in FWEV is led by two professors. Dr. Mark Roberts, the lead professor, will be teaching courses in years one and three. Dr. Matthew Kaemingk will be teaching in the second year, with assistance from Mark.
You can learn much more about this cohort and Fuller’s DMin program from the following web pages:

Official Fuller web page for the FWEV cohort

Fuller’s DMin program page

If you have questions about course content or teaching, feel free to contact lead professor, Mark Roberts (markroberts@fuller.edu). He’ll be glad to answer your questions and get to know you.

If you have questions about the DMin program, prerequisites, costs, scholarships, etc., you will get lots of help from Debi Yu (debiyu@fuller.edu).

The application deadline is March 1, 2021.

Have More Questions?

Fill out our Contact Form to send us any questions, comments, or concerns you have. We’ll get back to you real quick.