As a Christian, you know pursuing your calling in ministry is important! Whether you are called to be a pastor, camp director, or any other kind of ministry servant, it’s helpful to know what degrees, certificates, and other tracks make the most sense for your potential career. Below, we’ve looked at the some common ministry careers and broken them down into suggested program paths—including both traditional ministry degrees and online ministry degrees (many of which are Cairn programs!)—that prepare you the best with efficient use of your time and money.
Jump to a Career:
→ Indicates going from one degree to another.
+ Indicates a dual-level program. (Not sure what a dual-level program entails? Read this.)
Pastor
Pastoral care is a monumental task. Getting the right credentials is important from an academic standpoint, true, but the right education also has the opportunity to make a lasting impact for spiritual mentorship and maturity. The right ministry degrees are what set you up for an education that prepares you not only with head knowledge, but also with a solid, biblical foundation as well as a network of Christian peers and professors who care for your spiritual well-being far beyond your years at any institution.
Consider these practical track examples if you are considering becoming a pastor:
Pastoral Ministries (BS) → Master of Divinity (MDiv) → Master of Theology (ThM)
Bible Ministries (BS)→ MDiv → Executive Leadership in Ministry (MA)
Biblical Studies (BS or AA)→ Master of Arts in Religion (MAR)→ ThM
Pastoral Ministries (BS) → MAR
Youth Pastor
Youth pastors have an exciting and important role in the lives of the next generation. Being equipped with the best knowledge, resources, and skills can help you lead students well. Youth pastors can come from a variety of backgrounds, but consider some of these tracks to help give you an idea of what might work best for you. Note that Cairn University offers a wide variety of dual-level programs that allow you to take a bachelor’s and a master’s together:
Youth and Family Ministry (BS) → Executive Leadership in Ministry (MA)
Dual Level-Youth and Family Ministry (BS) + MDiv
Dual-Level Youth and Family Ministry (BS) + Worship and Music (MA)
Dual-Level Youth and Family Ministry (BS) + Master of Religion (MAR)
Dual-Level Christian Studies (BS) + MAR
Camp Director
Like youth pastors, you may be dedicated to the care and spiritual maturity of the upcoming generation. But that doesn’t mean you have to follow the same exact track! Lots of institutions offer ways to get a degree tailored to your passion. Consider the following tracks if a more outdoors ministry is your calling:
Camping Ministries (BS)→ Ministry Certificate
Camping Ministries (BS) → Biblical and Theological Survey Certificate
Camping Ministries (BS) → Executive Ministry Leadership (MA)
International Ministry Work
If you have a heart to spread the gospel in other ways, you may also be considering international work. Whether you want to be a well-prepared missionary, an overseas ministry program director, or anything similar, the right ministry degrees should equip and support you. Consider the following tracks, many of which include online ministry degree options:
Intercultural Studies (BS) → Master of Arts in Religion (MAR)
Intercultural Studies (BS) → MDiv
Christian Studies (BS)→ MDiv→ Ministry Certificate
Christian Studies (BS)→ Executive Ministry Leadership (MA)
Christian Counselor
Discipling, shepherding, and advising others is a weighty responsibility. If God has equipped you with a passion for reconciliation, there are plenty of degree options available to you. Even outside Cairn’s traditional divinity degrees, we offer various dual-level tracks that enables students to follow a path to licensed OR unlicensed counseling degrees. All of our programs across all of our schools, like the Counseling Department, integrate Christ and His Word, so you don’t have to compromise a Christian education if counseling is your calling:
Bible Ministries (BA) → Counseling (MA)
Dual-Level Youth and Family Ministry (BS) + Counseling (MA)
Dual-Level Psychology (BA) + Counseling (MS)
Worship Leader
Ministry and leadership isn’t always preaching behind the pulpit. Intentional, passionate worship as an invitation to even more worship is crucial to churches. Knowing how to lead well while also having technical expertise in practical areas such as sound systems or how worship music comes together are components of an ideal worship leader. Consider these diverse path options if this is how you are called to serve:
Worship and Music (BA) → Worship and Music (MA)
Biblical Studies (AA) → Worship and Music (MA)
Music (BS) → Executive Leadership in Ministry (MA)
Youth and Family Ministry (BS) → Worship and Music (MA)
Church Administration
Those who know how to supervise the day-to-day operations are vital to any organization, including churches and ministries. Consider programs tracks with a blend of business and theological foundation that allow you to apply practical wisdom and live out a biblical worldview. (If you aren’t sure of what kind of skills entail church administration, read this!)
Youth and Family Ministry (BS) → Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Youth and Family Ministry (BS) → Nonprofit Management (MS)
Bible Ministries (BS)→ Executive Ministry Leadership (MA)
Other Church Ministry Degree Options
Remember, these aren’t your only options for a ministry career, nor are these program paths your only options for how to earn your degree(s). It’s not the same journey for everyone. We invite you, wherever you are in the education decision process—undergraduate, graduate, degree completion, or anything in between—to walk a different path at Cairn University.
