Many seminaries have discovered the power of the cohort—a group of students building long term relationships, challenging one another, and taking responsibility for one another. Of course, the greatest example of the cohort is found in the disciples of Jesus. Their shared experiences and common training forged them into ministry partners.

Os Guinness has said, “the deepest knowledge can never be put into words—or spelled out in sermons, books, lectures, and seminars. It must be learned from the Master, under his authority, in experience. When we read in the Gospels that Jesus chose twelve to ‘be with him,’ their being with him was not some extra privilege they enjoyed. It was the heart and soul of their discipleship and learning.”

Building on this model, at Tennent you will study with a cohort of around a dozen other students, following a specific course of study in four concentrated areas. Students begin together, progress together, and finish together. The aim is interdisciplinary learning, as the person you are processing the Protestant Reformation with is the same person with whom you are studying homiletics. And yet, because students will primarily be in their own ministry contexts over the course of the year, there will be plenty of fresh perspectives introduced to the discussion.

Students don’t have to navigate choosing courses that will lead to graduation. Cohorts enjoy a carefully planned course of study that integrates learning from multiple disciplines into a cohesive whole. This way, energy can be spent learning, not worrying about completing the degree requirements.

By utilizing this model (as many D.Min. programs have discovered), students can enjoy rich camaraderie, even without relocating to campus. Professor-student mentorship is made possible by a generous faculty-student ratio. Incarnational discipleship is not merely a byproduct of the cohort model, but intentionally woven into the pedagogy.

Moreover, the friendships will last a lifetime. Who doesn't remember the relationships that were developed during a week long missions trip, or summer camp? Intense experiences are a pressure cooker for relationships. Students will bond with their cohort as they learn together, share meals, and pray together. Class discussions will carry well into the evening hours over a meal. These relationships, forged in the intensity of a retreat environment, will carry into the rest of the year, enriching long distance communication and discussion.