Answer the call, change the world

Christian Ministry, MACM


You want to change the world through the power of the Gospel. Get the theological grounding and personal formation you need to serve in youth and family ministry, justice ministry, chaplaincy, faith-based nonprofit work and more.

The 49-credit hour degree in Christian Ministry shapes you for faithful service to the church and the world. Our faculty teach, form, and nurture students so that graduates:

  • Understand scripture, theology and church history
  • Interpret and communicate the Gospel to honor both the Christian faith and the contemporary multicultural world
  • Serve as an effective minister and disciple in a variety of settings
  • Understand and develop comprehensive skills in an area of specialized ministry

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Take the next step toward completing your Master of Arts in Christian Ministry.

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At Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS), we believe that being Lutheran means being in a relationship with other denominations.

That’s why some of our students are Methodists, some are Baptists, and there are students from other denominations as well. Your questions and insights have a place here regardless of your denomination.

Some students enter seminary with extensive academic background in religious studies and theology. Others have experience in ministry, which may be relevant to certain courses. If you believe you are one of these students, please contact the registrar at registrar@miyao2009.com, who will consider your circumstances in consultation with the dean or other appropriate faculty and staff.

Program Highlights


  • Accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the United States and Canada
  • Full-tuition scholarships available
  • No GRE required
  • Quick admission decision
  • Beautiful campus located in Hickory, North Carolina
  • Only ELCA seminary located in the southeastern United States
Joshua Wullenweber

LTSS is beautifully diverse and made up of students of every age, race, gender and orientation. I was so thankful to find a great community of faith and learning so close to where I grew up.

Joshua Wullenweber MDiv’20

Program Requirements

Offered in Columbia through December 2024; offered in Hickory beginning Spring 2025

The Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (MACM) degree is a two-year program (49 credit hours) consisting of a theological core curriculum and three separate tracks for specialized ministry: Congregational Ministry, ELCA Deacon and Methodist Studies. The open-ended congregational ministry track allows students from any denomination to pursue academic interests that best support their individual ministries. The ELCA deacon track prepares students to serve as deacons in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Methodist studies track can be used to fulfill the Disciplinary Basic Graduate Theological Studies (BGTS) courses and certain other conference membership and ordination requirements in the United Methodist Church. 

Program Admission Requirements

Visit Graduate Admission for the most current Program Admission Requirements.

News & Events

LTSS professor talking to students in a classroom.

The seminary was recognized by the Association of Theological Schools for its commitment to be an inclusive community, for its faculty and staff who demonstrated genuine passion about their faith and care for students, as well as its relationship with Lenoir-Rhyne.

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Pastor Kermit Moss

Moss is nearing completion of his doctoral degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, and he will teach courses on practical theology, Black church studies and hip hop culture.

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