Master of Arts in Family Ministry

The purpose of the Master of Arts in Family Ministry is to enrich the church’s ministry to families by developing skilled and knowledgeable family ministry leaders. Graduates are prepared to provide organizational leadership, program development, community building, conflict management, and basic ministerial counseling.


Students may also enroll in a dual-degree program wherein they earn both the MA in Family Ministry and MA in Clinical Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy. This dual program prepares ministers to pursue counseling licensure.

The primary goals of the MAFM are:

  • To equip students to promote individual and family wellness in the church through an understanding of psychology, marriage and family studies, and Christian theology
  • To provide an understanding of systems theory as a foundation to relational and leadership principles for effective church ministry in various cultural contexts
  • To foster spiritual formation through the integration of faith and learning

Beginning in Fall 2011 Hardin-Simmons University and Logsdon Seminary launched a licensure option in connection with the Master of Arts in Family Ministry (MAFM). For seminary students seeking careers in counseling or marriage and family therapy, this program option allows for simultaneous completion of both the Master of Arts in Family Ministry and the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling & Marriage and Family Therapy (CCMF) – formerly known as Family Psychology.

The new MAFM/CCMF dual degree program will provide ATS-accredited preparation for Christian ministry from Logsdon Seminary and fully-accredited training in psychology and marriage and family therapy from Hardin-Simmons University’s Department of Psychology. Students in this dual program will complete 89-hours of total coursework, satisfying the academic requirements of licensure as a professional counselor and/or marriage and family therapist.