Explore Your Future in Ministry
Faith doesn’t just shape lives — it sustains them, guides them, and calls individuals into service. And at South College, that calling is being strengthened, sharpened, and transformed through one of the institution’s most impactful programs: the Doctor of Ministry (DMin).
Faith, Purpose, and the Call to Lead: Inside South College’s Doctor of Ministry Program with Dr. Jimmy Harper and Student Dr. Ryan Perkins
In an inspiring episode of Live From South College, host Kathleen Stockham sits down with two voices at the heart of this work: Dr. Jimmy Harper, Program Director for the Doctor of Ministry, and Dr. Ryan Perkins, a current student whose life and ministry have been marked by challenge, resilience, and unshakable faith.
What emerges is a conversation about purpose, leadership, mentorship, and what it truly means to serve others — whether from the pulpit, in the classroom, on the street, or in the quiet moments of personal reflection.
A Program Built for Leaders, Pastors, and Servant-Scholars
From the very start of the discussion, it’s clear: South College’s Doctor of Ministry is not a traditional degree for the discipline — it’s a deeply personal, intensely practical, and community-driven program designed for men and women who already lead and serve.
Dr. Harper describes it simply but powerfully:
“The Doctor of Ministry program is designed to help equip students to become better ministers of the gospel. It focuses on transformation — in your leadership, your ministry context, and in your own spiritual walk.”
The program offers:
A fully online, flexible structure
Ideal for pastors, chaplains, missionaries, nonprofit leaders, and community ministers who must balance study with real-world service.
A cohort model
Students progress together, forming community and accountability.
Hands-on, applied learning
Each student completes a ministry-based research project tied directly to the work already being done.
Faculty who Serve
Most instructors teach and actively minister, bringing real-world experience to the classroom.
The program attracts students from diverse backgrounds — pastors, police chaplains, teaching ministers, and those leading community nonprofit organizations.
Meet Dr. Jimmy Harper: A Life Spent in Ministry and Mentorship
Before coming to South College, Dr. Harper served in ministry for more than 30 years — as a pastor, chaplain, professor, and mentor to hundreds of emerging leaders.
His passion? Equipping people to lead with confidence, compassion, and authenticity.
“This program is about formation, not information,” he emphasizes. “We’re helping leaders understand who they are in Christ and how they can better serve others in their care.”
Students consistently describe him as approachable, encouraging, and deeply invested in their growth. His own journey through ministry — including seasons of joy, hardship, and discovery — shapes his teaching in ways that students immediately feel.
He sees the DMin as a sacred partnership between faculty and students, a kind of spiritual apprenticeship for modern times.
A Student Story of Strength and Faith: Dr. Ryan Perkins
While Dr. Harper brings decades of service to the program, Dr. Ryan Perkins brings something equally powerful — a life in testimony of resilience.
A paramedic.
A firefighter.
A police chaplain.
A ministry leader.
A survivor of profound personal loss.
Ryan’s life has been marked by moments that most people pray they will never experience. Yet each challenge strengthened his call to serve and pushed him toward deeper ministry work.
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” he shares. “And ministry became the place where I could do that spiritually, emotionally, and practically.”
His heart for first responders runs deep — shaped by years spent working in emergency services and walking alongside people in their darkest hours.
As he progressed in ministry, Dr. Perkins felt the need for more structure, deeper insight, and advanced training. That led him to pursue the Doctor of Ministry.
And in South College, he found a program that matched his passion.
“This degree is helping me put words, frameworks, and strategy around what God has already placed on my heart.”
Ministry in the Real World: Where Scholarship Meets Service
One of the DMin’s signature strengths is its emphasis on practical theology — applying scholarship directly to everyday ministry challenges.
Students explore:
- Leadership development
- Preaching and teaching
- Counseling and pastoral care
- Community engagement
- Transformational ministry
- Ministry evaluation and research
Unlike theoretical programs, the DMin insists that learning be lived out — immediately and with purpose.
Both Dr. Harper and Dr. Perkins emphasize that this approach is crucial, especially for leaders who minister in high-stress environments.
For Dr. Perkins, who serves first responders, the lessons extend far beyond textbooks.
“It’s helping me better support the emotional and spiritual needs of the people I serve. It’s shaping how I show up.”
A Program Rooted in Support, Encouragement, and Relationship
A recurring theme throughout the conversation is how personal the DMin program feels.
Students are not numbers — they’re shepherds-in-training who carry real responsibilities and real burdens.
Dr. Harper makes sure they never carry them alone.
From prayer support to one-on-one check-ins, he cultivates an environment built on:
- Trust
- Vulnerability
- Mutual respect
- Spiritual growth
Dr. Perkins echoes this:
“Dr. Harper is one of the most supportive mentors I’ve ever had. This program feels like a family.”
What Kind of Student Thrives in the DMin?
The program is ideal for:
- Pastors and associate pastors
- Police, fire, and military chaplains
- Missionaries
- Nonprofit leaders
- Ministry coordinators
- Campus or youth ministers
- Church planters
- Faith-based counselors
- Community outreach leaders
Dr. Harper puts it best:
“You don’t need to know everything. You just need to be called — and willing to grow.”
South College provides the academic preparation.
God provides the direction.
The student provides the heart.
Finding Purpose Through Pain and Calling Into Mission
One of the most profound parts of the episode is Dr. Perkin’s testimony — how he turned heartbreak and loss into a driving force for compassionate ministry.
His words are filled with sincerity and depth:
“I’ve seen the worst of humanity and the best of humanity — sometimes in the same day. The DMin is helping me make sense of it through the lens of faith.”
He hopes to use his degree to expand his work with first responders, build counseling ministries, and create safe spaces for those experiencing trauma.
For him, ministry is not a title — it’s a lifeline.
A Closing Word: Ministry as a Journey, Not a Destination
As the episode concludes, Mrs. Stockham highlights a truth that resonates with anyone connected to ministry:
Faith-based leadership is not static.
It evolves.
It deepens.
It strengthens through community and calling.
The South College Doctor of Ministry program is built around this reality — offering leaders a pathway to grow in wisdom, courage, humility, and impact.
Dr. Harper’s final message captures the heartbeat of the program:
“Our goal is transformation — in the minister, the ministry setting, and ultimately in the lives they touch.”
For Dr. Perkins, that transformation is already underway.
For future students, the door is open.
And for every community touched by these leaders, the work has only just begun.