How to Become a Minister

People want to dedicate their lives to serving others often choose to do so through the ministry. They do this either by becoming very active in the church or by going a step further to actually become a minister. It’s a process that requires a strong sense of commitment and dedication.

Things You'll Need

• Bachelor’s degree
• College transcript
• Recommendation letters
• Sponsorship from your denomination
• Seminary degree

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Instructions

• 1

  Get advice from your pastor. He or she can tell you how to get started and what the requirements are for your denomination. You pastor can also introduce you to the regional leaders in your denomination so that they can assess whether or not you would be a good candidate for the seminary. You’ll need a sponsorship from your denomination in order to be accepted into the seminary.

• 2

  Get a Master of Divinity degree. Most denominations require you to get this degree from a program that is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools. The program takes about 3 years to complete. Courses include Bible interpretation and preaching, counseling, theology, the history of the church and non-profit management.

• 3

  Get an internship. Theology students are required to have practical experience. This can be done by interning at a local church or charity, or serving as a hospital chaplain.