Why Major in Christian Leadership?
Studying Christian Leadership at Belmont equips you to serve in a wide variety of contexts. Our program trains you to think deeply about leadership, offers you valuable practical experience and provides you an opportunity to explore your gifts and calling.
Nashville is home to a vast network of ministries and non-profit organizations that offer valuable opportunities for hands-on leadership trainining. The city is also a hub for several important industries—including healthcare, religious publishing and music—and numerous graduates of our program serve in these fields.
Wherever you aspire to work after graduation, our program will equip you to lead with wisdom and purpose.
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What You'll Learn
- You will think deeply about Christian leadership in a variety of settings.
- You will gain practical leadership experience.
- You will develop the skills you need to care for yourself and others.
- You will gain deep knowledge of Scripture and Christian theology.
- You will have great conversations about topics that really matter.
- You will grow intellectually, spiritually and socially.
- You will explore what it means to be wise and to live a good life.
- You will be mentored by excellent professors.
Program Details
Curious about your coursework? View requirements for this degree in the course catalog.
Every major in the School of Theology and Christian Ministry aims at whole person formation. Students are invited into a vibrant and supportive academic community and are offered numerous opportunities to grow intellectually, spiritually and socially. As they learn to see in the light of Christ and grow in knowledge and wisdom, students develop the skills and habits they need to creatively pursue lives of meaning and purpose. This process happens inside and outside the classroom as students make use of the wide range of opportunities available to them.
- Explore the world. From addressing the AIDS epidemic in Botswana to visiting important biblical sites to walking pilgrimage in Scotland or Spain, our numerous study-abroad programs immerse you in transformative experiences around the globe.
- Engage in service. From mentoring refugee families to providing art therapy for the homeless, you will find countless opportunities to serve.
- Gain practical experience. Our internship program offers hands-on opportunities to explore your vocation and receive valuable insight from mentors. Our students gain experience in ministry, media, education, legal advocacy, non-profit work, community arts and countless other settings. They are involved in everything from educating children to opposing human trafficking and food insecurity to leading worship and offering pastoral care.
- Join a club. From honor societies to faith-based groups, our student organizations help deepen your faith while broadening your horizons and creating enduring friendships.
- Conduct original research. Our students partner with professors, create original research, travel to deliver papers at academic conferences, participate in Belmont’s SPARK Symposium and engage in numerous other forms of research.
The STCM has benefitted from the generosity of many donors over the years. This allows us to award scholarships to multiple students each year, including two full-tuition scholarships: the Madden Scholarship and the Servant Leader Scholarship. If you apply to any STCM major before Dec.r 1, you will automatically be considered for scholarships.
Learn from the Best
Our Christ-centered faculty represent a wide range of Christian traditions and theological perspectives. Each is an excellent teacher and mentor to students, and many are also well-known scholars and authors.
Christina Carnes Ananias
Email: christina.ananias@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2011
Marty Bell
Email: marty.bell@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2022
Manuel Cruz
Email: manuel.cruz@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2033
Cynthia A. Curtis
Email: ca.curtis@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2004
David Dark
Email: david.dark@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2026
Steve Guthrie
Email: steve.guthrie@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2025
Darrell Gwaltney
Email: darrell.gwaltney@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2037
Sally Holt
Email: sally.holt@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2009
Young Bok Kim
Email: youngbok.kim@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2035
Kimbell Kornu
Email: kimbell.kornu@belmont.edu
Office Location: FCOM 5004
Donovan McAbee
Email: donovan.mcabee@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2024
Mark McEntire
Email: mark.mcentire@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2028
Adam Neder
Email: adam.neder@belmont.edu
Office Location: JMC 303D
Nicholas Norman-Krause
Email: nicholas.krause@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2013
Gideon Park
Email: gideon.park@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2033
Adam Perez
Email: adam.perez@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2015
Steve Reed
Email: steven.reed@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2060
Beth Ritter-Conn
Email: beth.ritterconn@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2018
Andy Watts
Email: andy.watts@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2021
Jordan Wood
Email: jordan.wood@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2005
Career Possibilities
As students are formed by their experiences in the Christian Leadership major, they grow in knowledge and wisdom, and they develop the skills employers across all industries today are seeking: clear and persuasive communication; the capacity to see issues from multiple perspectives; the ability to listen with empathy and curiosity; the emotional intelligence to work well in teams; the creativity to solve complex problems; and the patience and attention needed for deep literacy and conceptual analysis. Here are just a few of the career paths Christian Leadership majors take:
A pastor provides leadership to a church congregation, providing spiritual guidance, administrative organization, vision for the future and program planning, worship development, preaching and pastoral care. The Christian Leadership major equips students with theological knowledge and practical leadership skills to shepherd churches and communities with wisdom and integrity.
Chaplains offer emotional and spiritual support in institutions like hospitals, prisons and the military. The Christian Leadership major prepares students for many of the theological and spiritual challenges of chaplaincy through study in the classroom as well as practical experience outside the classroom.
Non-profit leaders oversee organizations focused on social impact and community service. The Christian Leadership major prepares students for the moral and practical leadership necessary for organizations to create, pursue and sustain a just mission and purposeful vision.
Social workers help individuals and families overcome challenges by connecting them with resources and support systems. The Christian Leadership major prepares students to understand the dynamics of social work as a profession requiring the skills of assessment, decision-making, and the care of others using empathy, integrity and a commitment to holistic well-being.
Educators shape minds and inspire learning across various age groups and disciplines. The Christian Leadership major prepares students for professions as teachers and professors by focusing on the intellectual and practical habits of good communication, organization and preparation that create successful and meaningful learning environments.
Coaches mentor and train individuals or teams to reach their full potential in sports, life or career. The Christian Leadership major prepares students to understand and nurture the goals of others, help them reach those goals through the virtues of patience, compassion and perseverance, as well as internships with teaching mentors and critical self-reflection guided by expert faculty.
Social entrepreneurs create innovative solutions to address social issues through business or service ventures. The Christian Leadership major prepares students to be moral leaders using creativity and skills to compassionately and relevantly seek flourishing for individuals and communities.
Health care workers care for the physical and emotional needs of patients in a variety of settings. The Christian Leadership major prepares students to care for the whole person by providing examples of, and experiences with holistic leadership theory and practice.
Counselors guide individuals through personal, emotional and psychological challenges. The Christian Leadership major prepares students to practice counseling as part the larger work of cura animarum, the care of souls, through learning how to guide persons with compassion, spiritual sensitivity and a commitment to healing and growth.
Missionaries serve locally or globally to spread the gospel and meet community needs. The Christian Leadership major prepares students with plans in mission work to lead cross-cultural initiatives with cultural awareness, sensitivity, hospitality, theological foundations and a commitment to servant leadership.
Student Testimonial
Casey Cox
“The Christian Leadership program within the STCM struck a powerful balance between academic excellence and the real-life demands of pastoral ministry. The faculty consistently called us to a high standard of learning while also pointing us to why it matters in the everyday world. We would often ask questions like, ‘So what? Who is this for? Why does this matter? What do we do with this?’—questions that shaped my ability to translate complex theological ideas into meaningful, everyday language for the people I serve in Church and in life. The program’s ecumenical community among both faculty and students also challenged me to engage differing perspectives with humility and compassion. Learning in that kind of environment has taught me how to navigate disagreement and dialogue with grace, a skill that I believe is vital for ministry today.”
Grace Catherine Beckham
“My time studying theology at Belmont was deeply refining for me. Being a part of the STCM community invited me to examine and solidify my convictions while fostering in me a theological compassion I’d never known to carry. I am a more resilient follower of Jesus because of my time at Belmont, and I praise God for that.”
FAQs
Belmont is a Christ-centered ecumenical university. Our faculty are committed Christian scholars and teachers who represent a wide range of Christian traditions and theological perspectives.
Yes. All four majors in the School of Theology and Christian Ministry include an internship. These internships are in a wide variety of contexts. Study abroad and international mission opportunities are widely available.
Contact Us
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
Sophie Chua
Admissions Coordinator
615.460.8335