Masters in Ministry Online Programs

If you believe in the power of faith and enjoy actively working in a community, a Master of Ministry Online may be the ideal degree program for you. Your program may offer the chance to explore a topic you’ve always wanted to pursue or learn more about your faith.

What Abilities Might Be Ideal to Pursue a Career in Ministry?

If you’re considering pursing a Master of Ministry degree online, you may want to develop a unique intellectual skill set to help you make the most of any possible academic and career opportunities. Clergy may have some of the following intellectual characteristics: ^[i]

Problem sensitivity: Recognize when an issue arises and/or anticipate when an issue is likely to arise.
Oral expression: Communicate ideas and important information in a clear fashion when speaking to others.
Deductive reasoning: Apply broad rules to specific situations to produce solutions and answers.
Inductive reasoning: Combine specific details or pieces of information to form broad conclusions and effective solutions.
Idea fluency: Ability to brainstorm many ideas on a single topic. This does not refer to the quality of the ideas.
Time sharing: Shift between multiple activities or informational sources in a smooth fashion.
Selective attention: Concentrate on a specific task for an extended period of time despite the presence of other stimulus.
Originality: Develop unique topics, ideas and creative solutions to problems.
Written expression: Effectively communicate ideas and thoughts through writing.

Common Coursework for a Master of Ministry Online

The curriculum for this degree program may vary depending on your focus areas and the requirements of your educational institution. You may encounter courses similar to these: ^[ii,iii]

Church and Its Mission: Initially in this course, students may have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Scripture’s definition of the church and its role in the community. Within the context of this Biblical definition, students may examine and critique the modern church and target areas in need of improvement. Students may develop ideas for how to bring the modern church into line with Biblical definitions.
Biblical Shepherding: Courses of this nature may focus intensely on the topic of shepherding in the context of the bible and modern ministry. Scholars may examine biblical examples of shepherding and how the theme presents itself throughout the Bible. Additionally, students may also study modern examples of shepherding as well as their own shepherding abilities.
Education Ministry of the Church: This course may examine the theme of education within both scripture and the Biblical time period. Students may then study how education ministry works within the modern church.

Possible Concentration Options for a Master of Ministry Online

When pursing this degree program, a Master of Ministry Online, you may have the opportunity to choose a concentration depending on your educational institution. For some programs, the ministry element of the program may be a specialization or concentration for a Masters in Theology or Masters in Divinity program ^[iv,v]. However, some universities may offer a range of concentrations for a master of ministry degree online program, such as:

Community Chaplaincy: Students who choose this concentration may have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of pastoral ministry and chaplaincy within corporate environments. Additionally, students may learn the role chaplains play within the United States Armed Forces.^[vi]
Pastoral Counseling: These programs may give students the chance to integrate psychology and theology while examining the basics of pastoral counseling.^[vii]
Global Studies: Students may learn a range of subjects like Christian history, discipleship and theology to prepare for global missions and ministry.^[viii]
Evangelism and Church Ministry: Students may be educated how to plant and grow churches as well as how to make an impact through ministry activities.^[ix]

What Industries May Employ People in Ministry?

After earning a Master of Ministry Online degree you may consider pursuing a wide range of career pahs. Graduates may choose to pursue a career that aligns with their concentration or perhaps to continue their education with another degree program. Students may pursue career paths in these capacities:

Pastors act as leaders within churches and similar organizations. They perform and lead others in the performance of spiritual rituals and functions. When needed, these professionals may offer religious and moral assistance to their organization’s members.^[x]
Christian Education Directors develop, coordinate, plan and direct educational religious activities for groups of all ages or a specific group, such as seniors or women. They may recruit volunteers for their organization and have a heavy hand in developing religious educational curriculums. (The majority of these professionals hold bachelor’s degrees according to ONet, but some hold master’s degrees.) ^[xi]

If you want to incorporate faith into your career, a Master of Ministry Online may be what you’re looking for. Earning your degree may help you learn more about your faith and potentially help you enhance your career.

[i]onetonline.org/link/summary/21-2011.00 [ii]memphis.belhaven.edu/msl-ministry.htm [iii]belhaven.edu/Catalogue/adult_graduate_course_descriptions.htm [iv]regent.edu/acad/schdiv/academics/ma/ [v]regent.edu/acad/schdiv/academics/mdiv/ [vi]liberty.edu/online/masters/christian-ministry/community-chaplaincy/ [vii]liberty.edu/online/masters/christian-ministry/pastoral-counseling/ [viii]liberty.edu/online/masters/christian-ministry/global-studies/ [ix]liberty.edu/online/masters/christian-ministry/evangelism-church-planting/ [x]onetonline.org/link/summary/21-2011.00 [xi]onetonline.org/link/summary/21-2021.00