If God is leading you into ministry, you will find that many opportunities will be available to you, however, in a pastoral capacity, the preferred degree will, most likely, be a bachelor’s degree or a Master of Divinity degree. If you would like to advance in your ministry, however, by adding a teaching component at the university level, you will be required, in most cases, to earn your online Doctor of Ministry degree or your PhD.
With that being said, sometimes experienced pastors decide to serve their church in additional ways, so the DMin degree will be very helpful. In addition, earning your online Doctor of Ministry degree may be solely a personal decision or personal goal that will benefit you in your current job, as well as, any future potential positions you wish to obtain.
Let’s look at a few options where your DMin degree will assist you in your efforts. As a Senior Pastor you will prepare weekly sermons with an extensive knowledge of Scripture. The Senior Pastor, most often, becomes the face of the church and provides spiritual leadership tasked with helping the congregation to grow in numbers and in their walk with Jesus. A Pastor’s salary can vary greatly depending on the size of the church, however, as of October 2017, salary.com reports the average pay for a Pastor as $93,154 annually, although it can range from between $76,557 – $105,579 per year. In smaller churches, salaries can average $44,060 annually, while Pastors in mega-churches with over 5,000 members can earn upwards of $265,000 per year.
If teaching is your passion, your online Doctor of Ministry program will assist you in doing so, however, a PhD degree is often preferred. Private Christian schools offer many opportunities that public school systems do not. As parents, we all want the best for our children and that includes the exposure to Christian values and morals that religious school educators can provide through their faith-based teachings. These opportunities are available within the ages of elementary school students through high school levels. The average pay ranges from between $47,000 – $51,000 annually, however, salaries can be upwards of $75,000 per year depending on experience, educational degree and size of school.
If you would like to teach at the college level, you may choose to begin as adjunct faculty, therefore, teaching, in the beginning, just part-time until you can establish yourself in your chosen field. Part-time faculty may be paid per course or salaries can range from between $15,000 – $25,000 annually. If you decide to teach full-time, your salary may increase to upwards of $95,000 annually, with tenure at the college level, however, the average is about $62,300 per year.
If you prefer to see your work in print or displayed through the media, perhaps you would like to try your hand at being a writer or reporter who travels the world researching and reporting about interesting religious issues or, quite frequently, controversial issues. You can secure jobs with magazines, newspapers, Christian television stations or choose to be self-employed as an Internet blogger. Within the field of journalism, you may expect a salary of about $35,000 to $50,000 annually, depending on many factors. In front of the camera, your salary may increase to approximately $60,000 – $100,000 annually, depending on the size and popularity of the television network, of course.
With an online Doctor of Ministry degree, you may want to pursue a career as a Bible Translator. Although you will need to be fluent in several languages, such as, Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic, many organizations are now hiring translators to bring the Word to remote areas of the world. These jobs sometimes become lengthy commitments in harsh conditions, however, very rewarding as they are considered missionary work. Salaries range from between $50,000 – $70,000 annually.
These fascinating jobs all are ways to share God’s word with others and an excellent way to make a living, as well. If you are interested in this field, please see our Top 3 Online Schools for Doctor of Ministry degree programs.