Dear Student,
Thank you for your interest in studying in the College of Ministry (COM). We believe the application process for COM is a helpful tool for discernment, clarification, and understanding of one’s call. It provides each student with the opportunity to reflect on the Lord’s leading, and invites the pastoral and academic insights of faculty and others.
While the College of Ministry takes the application process seriously, please know that this is not meant to be a competitive process. There is no limit or ceiling to the number of students who can be admitted each year. Instead, consider the application process an opportunity to pause early in your journey at Northwest for thoughtful and prayerful reflection about the direction in which God is leading.
Acceptance into the College of Ministry is not the same as a ministerial credential. For that, we defer to the Church. Instead, consider admission into COM an affirmation of your expressed calling and/or our affirmation of your continued exploration of your calling. Once accepted, you will be a member of a community of students with a long history at Northwest University (NU). Indeed, ministry training was the first goal of our school when it was founded in the 1930s. That legacy continues today.
Ministry majors should plan on making a formal application to the College of Ministry during their second semester at NU. In most cases, those transferring from other majors should make application by the next earliest application date.
Being a COM student involves participation in occasional mandatory events as well as a general expectation that students serve in a local church context 5-7 hours per week. Continued eligibility for the “Empowering the Future” tuition discount (https://www.northwestu.edu/college-ministry/empowering-future) is contingent upon these and other requirements, as well as timely application and acceptance into COM. Further details are explained in the link above.
Each portion of this application must be completed and submitted to the COM office in order to be considered for admission. Applicants must be students at Northwest University with a declared COM major at the time of application. Please call Sheila Josephson, College of Ministry Program and Administrative Coordinator at (425) 889-5253 or sheila.josephson@northwestu.edu if you have questions.
When application forms are received, a representative from the COM faculty will conduct a candidate interview. Following review by the entire COM faculty, the Dean of the College of Ministry will notify applicants regarding the status of their application.
While our desire is not to limit the callings God places on the lives of individuals, we nevertheless take seriously our roles as guides, mentors, and gatekeepers for the College of Ministry. While the significant majority of those applying will be accepted, we do reserve the right to raise questions or concerns—sometimes serious—if an application warrants it.
After review, student applications for admission to COM will fall in one of the four following categories:
- Accept: A satisfactory application that meets all requirements. Applicants will be accepted into COM.
- Accept with Recommendation: Application that meets requirements, but with a GPA below or close to falling below Satisfactory Academic Progress (2.0 GPA) and/or concerns related to: classroom engagement, maturity, direction of calling/vocation, church involvement, or other areas. Applicants will be accepted into COM, but the Dean will share recommendations for improvement and growth.
- Deferral: Application which fails to meet basic requirements by not submitting completed materials in a timely fashion, failure to articulate clear Christian faith and ministry calling, and/or concerns about Christian witness or lifestyle. Applicants in this category will be invited to work on these areas and reapply to COM either later in the semester or the following semester.
- Denial: Application of an individual with no stated Christian faith, failure to commit to walk in and advocate for biblical morality, background check indicating inability to serve in a ministry context, and/or other indication of ineligibility. Depending on the reason for the denial, the applicant may or may not be permitted to reapply to COM.
The components of the application to major are listed below with instructions for completion:
- Basic Application (Form A): Personal information and affirmation of College of Ministry mission and requirements.
- Background Check (Form B): In order to review candidates for ministry, safeguard the Church and those under our care, and remain above reproach, the College of Ministry requires a formal background check. The signed permission slip authorizing the background check is required.
- Christian Service and Leader Reference (Form C & D, two required): Please have two persons, pastors or leaders, who know you well and with whom you have learned or served complete this form. For an electronic version of this form, go to http://eagle.northwestu.edu/academics/college-of-ministry/files/2017/02/Form-E.pdf. Forms can be returned to: Sheila Josephson, Northwest University College of Ministry, PO Box 579 Kirkland, WA 98083-0579. They can also be faxed to 425-889-5750 or e-mailed: sheila.josephson@northwestu.edu . This takes time to do, so please get these out quickly.
- Faculty Reference (Form E): For this reference please use college-level instructors with whom you have had a course. Choose a faculty member who knows you and, where at all possible, has the ability to assess your ministry call, capability and plans. Please provide them with an addressed and stamped envelope. An unstamped envelope may be used for faculty members at Northwest University.
- Self-Evaluation (Form F): Instructions for the self-evaluation are on the form.
- Ministry Resume (Form G): Students will provide a resume of church involvement and ministry activities, including a professional-style headshot. A sample ministry resume is attached.
- Bible Knowledge Inventory: This multiple-choice exam covers both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It assesses a person’s grasp of basic biblical information such as key names, places, events, words, facts, and the like. It also assesses how familiar a person is with more advanced topics, namely biblical theology and the academic issues of biblical studies that university-level courses tend to cover. Applicants should sign up to take this exam on the dates provided by the College of Ministry. Please note: applicants do not need to “pass” this exam in order to be admitted into the College of Ministry, but each applicant must take it. Consider it an evaluative tool that will be beneficial both for students and faculty. Every graduate from the College of Ministry will also take a similar exam prior to graduation, thus providing a measure of how much growth has occurred since entry to the College of Ministry.
- Ministry Ability Profile: This assessment provides a general gauge for your current level of ministry skills, abilities, and competencies. It is not a test, nor does it reflect negatively on you. It is simply utilized to get a better understanding of your experience and background in ministry. The questions in this assessment are organized under the four major headings: content, competency, character, and context. These outcomes reflect the key issues that are generally considered important to those desiring to be successful in vocational ministry. Applicants should sign up to take this assessment on the dates provided by the College of Ministry. Every graduate from the College of Ministry will take this same profile again prior to graduation. This process will help to provide a measure of how much growth has occurred since entry into the College of Ministry and help the College of Ministry to continue to provide the highest level of learning and development for the students.
Please prayerfully and carefully complete all forms and return them to the COM office by the semester due date. This information will be utilized in your interview and in assisting the student in their personal, spiritual, and academic journey.
In Christ,
The College of Ministry