Overview
The Spiritual Formation Track focuses on experiencing personal spiritual growth, understanding the dynamics of spirituality, and facilitating the spiritual formation of others. This track is ideal for anyone involved in formational ministry (e.g., spiritual direction, pastoring, Christian education, youth ministry, etc.). It applies insights from theology, psychology, sociology, education and spirituality to a variety of formational ministries. This track satisfies the academic course requirements for becoming a Certified Spiritual Director (CSD).
Next track begins:
May 2026
Application Deadlines
December 15, 2025 (International Students)
December 15, 2025 (Canadian & US Students Without an MDiv)
January 15, 2026 (Canadian & US Students With an MDiv)
Residency Dates
June 14-26, 2026
January 24-29, 2027
Program Format
The Doctor of Ministry Spiritual Formation Track is a cohort model, with some sequenced courses. Students will complete 12 courses within 3 years, with distance learning and residency phases each year.
- The distance learning phase includes reading, writing, research, reflection, application, and collaboration primarily supported by teachers, personal growth coaches, and research portfolio advisors.
- The residency phase – two weeks in June and one week in January – includes worship and prayer, lectures, plenary discussions, group activities, small group meetings, and individual work.
Course titles, descriptions and sequence may be modified when warranted after due process by the DMin Program Committee and Academic Planning Committee.
Courses
Year A
- DMSF 0902 Spiritual Formation: A Historical and Practical Approach
- DMSF 0901 Listening to God: Discernment for Spiritual Formation
- DMSF 0941 Spiritual Autobiography: The Ways of the Spirit in a Life
- DMSF 0911 Space for God: Personalizing Sacred Practices
Year B
- DMSF 0905 Engaging Scriptures: Spiritual Formation for Information and Transformation
- DMSF 0903 Desiring God: Sacred Paths and Spiritual Mentors
- DMSF 0930 Journey Through Suffering & Dying
- DMSF 0942 Developing a Model of Spiritual Formation: Ministry Project
Year C
- DMSF 0904 Formational Prayer: The Journey to Wholeness
- DMSF 0943 Ministry-Based Field Research
- DMSF 0912 Formed Together: Spiritual Formation in the Company of Others
- DMSF 0947 Integration: Research Portfolio and Hearing
Spiritual Formation Faculty & Instructors
Sarah Patterson
Track Leader
spatterson@tyndale.ca
As the track leader of Tyndale’s DMin in Spiritual Formation, Sarah brings her own ongoing transformation into Christ’s likeness. This journey includes being born in London, England, raised in Nova Scotia, marrying a pastor, living in Kenya for 10 years, dealing with infertility and loss of identity, and struggling with bad habits. Her training as a spiritual director, and the subsequent 12 years of giving spiritual direction, as well as giving spiritual direction supervision for three years, has brought her to a deeper understanding of God’s boundless and compassionate love for all. Sarah completed a Leadership DMin at Tyndale in 2014 and has taught in the Communicating the Gospel DMin track. She’s been married to Rob for a very long time. He’s a pastor in the ONMB denomination, where she is also ordained. They live in St. Catharines, just a few hundred metres from the shores of Lake Ontario.
Mark Chapman
Dr. Chapman is Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and Professor of Research Methods. Dr. Chapman also serves as Lead Researcher for the Tyndale Intercultural Ministry Centre. He has wide experience in social science research and teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His most recent research is focused on flourishing congregations and multivocational ministry. He has also conducted research on religion and immigration including projects related to Canadians who are starting new churches, the relationship between faith communities and the settlement sector, and an exploration of the role of churches in immigrant settlement and integration. Other research projects have included studies of megachurches in Canada, an exploration of Canadian church attitudes to the visual arts, and networks among churches.
Marilyn Draper
Dr. Marilyn Draper is the Associate Professor of Practical Theology and has theological expertise along with years of frontline experience as a church planter, pastor and campus ministry worker. Along with several published works, she is an experienced lecturer, preacher and speaker.
Roger Helland
Dr. Roger Helland is an instructor in the Spiritual Formation track of Tyndale's DMin program and currently serves as the Prayer Ambassador of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and as a core team member of Ignite Prayer Canada. He has served as a pastor, district minister, and adjunct professor at several theological schools, and is the author of seven books including Pursuing God’s Presence, The Devout Life, and Missional Spirituality. He is devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word, holiness and piety, the Spirit and the Scriptures. His zeal is for spiritual leadership and renewal in the church and revival in Canada. Roger lives with his wife Gail near Calgary, Alberta.
J.L. Miller
Dr. J.L. Miller is the Chair of Religion and Associate Professor of Christian Ministry at Houghton University. Over the past 25 years, working with youth and young adults in the local church and on a college campus, JL has developed a deep passion for helping people of all ages discover and live into a thriving relationship with Christ. His primary research interests focus on healthy practices of spiritual formation through engagement with Scripture.
Ingrid Reichard
Dr. Ingrid Reichard is an instructor in the Tyndale DMin program, Spiritual Formation track. Ingrid has held pastoral positions in MB Churches in Canada, including a lead pastor role and national-level theological roles in her denomination. Ingrid has extensive preaching, church leadership, lecturing, and leadership development. She is currently serving in a rural church working with troubled and Indigenous youths. Ingrid is also a practicing spiritual director with a passion to see Christ’s people move toward the abundant life in Jesus. Ingrid lives on a farm on the Bruce Peninsula with her husband of over 35 years, where she looks after honey bees, Icelandic sheep, chickens and her three dogs.
Phil Reinders
Dr. Phil Reinders is an instructor in the Spiritual Formation track of Tyndale’s DMin program and serves as Lead Pastor of ClearView Church. He is the author of the prayerbook Seeking God’s Face, founded and leads the Habitus Community and writes a Substack newsletter called “Why not be a saint?”
David Sherbino
David Sherbino has been a faculty member at Tyndale Seminary since 1987. He has over 30 years of experience as a minister and in teaching pastoral and spiritual formation in seminars around the world. He is a popular speaker and church consultant, regularly addressing various church and ministry groups around the world.
Sharon Siler
Dr. Sharon E. Siler is the Executive Director of The Healing Place Center for Counseling and Spiritual Formation in Mechanicsville, Virginia and has provided care for persons experiencing death and non-death losses for a number of years. Her work includes individual support, small groups, retreats, and workshops.
Neal Siler
Neal Siler is the Senior Pastor of First Shiloh Baptist Church, a clinician and the founder of The Healing Place Center for Counselling and Spiritual Formation. He holds a PhD in Counselling Psychology and a DMin in Formal Counselling.
Thomas Sweeney
Dr. Tom Sweeney is a follower of Jesus, a practitioner of the ministry of spiritual formation and an Adjunct Faculty at several seminaries. He lives in southwestern Ontario, Canada and teaches in several seminaries across North America.