More than ever, the Church must be known for healing, not hurting.

We live in a world where trauma is no longer the exception as it weaves through every layer of society, from families and congregations to institutions and communities. Ministry leaders today are increasingly called to serve in spaces shaped by suffering and unhealed wounds.

Recognizing this, Denver Seminary is launching a groundbreaking Trauma-Informed Ministry track within its Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program, beginning in Fall 2025. The registration for this first cohort is September 15.

“This track was born out of both conviction and need,” said Dr. Angie Ward, director of Denver Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program. “Diane Langberg, a renowned psychologist and expert in trauma care, has said, ‘Trauma is perhaps the greatest mission field of the twenty-first century.’ I couldn’t agree more. If the Church wants to be relevant—if we want to be faithful—we have to be equipped to walk with people through their pain.”

The world in which Christian ministers serve and lead is increasingly defined by trauma—personal, organizational, and systemic. In this 33-credit program, students will deepen their understanding of the nature and impact of trauma and will be equipped to offer courageous and compassionate trauma-informed care and leadership in their own ministry settings.

Students will explore the realities of trauma across diverse contexts and will study with experienced faculty and practitioners. Specialized courses include Understanding Trauma and Attachment, How People Grow, Leading Systems/Leading Change, The Practice of Trauma-Informed Ministry, and Soul Care in a Broken World.

Ward emphasized that the program is designed to be both theologically grounded and deeply practical.

“This program is practical. It’s personal. And it’s vital,” she said. “This track will help those in ministry lead with greater empathy and clarity in a world that’s crying out for healing. The Church cannot afford to look away.”

About the Doctor of Ministry Program
Denver Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program helps students reflect deeply on the nature and purpose of ministry while gaining tools to serve others with conviction, cultural awareness, and grace. The program fosters growth in faith and leadership, offering students the chance to learn from leading ministry practitioners and a community of like-minded peers. Learn more at DenverSeminary.edu/DMin.

For more information, contact Andrea Weyand, Senior Director of Communications.

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Denver Seminary is a non-denominational graduate school of theology located in Littleton, Colo. The Seminary’s mission is to prepare men and women to engage the needs of the world with the redemptive power of the gospel and the life-changing truth of Scripture. Established in 1950, Denver Seminary offers on-campus, fully online, and hybrid degree programs, and has an extension campus in Washington DC and a Korean Global Program. In addition, the Seminary offers programming for lay ministry through its Hispanic Programs and Black Church Programs.