Ministry Training

“In the period between graduating high school and becoming a senior pastor, a third of pastors (34%) say they spent five years or less working in a non-ministry job, including 13% who have less than a year of secular work experience.” - The Baptist Paper

“The survey findings revealed that many pastors struggle with their level of financial knowledge. Fewer than half said they were somewhat or very well prepared for financial matters by their college, seminary or first employer in ministry, while 48% said they put off thinking about financial matters because they don’t feel knowledgeable in that area.” - The Baptist Paper

“The Baptist Network Northwest partnered with Corban University to host the fellowship’s Refine Conference. Nearly 100 ministry workers attended the two-day event.” - RBM

Pastor Ross Shannon…. “started a formal internship program, one that runs every year. Ross hopes the model will catch on, so he invited me to a discussion with him, Associate Pastor Kevin Moses, and one of the church’s interns, Caleb TeBeest.” - GARBC

“the old pipeline isn’t providing enough pastors to fill the empty pulpits. ‘We’re not seeing young men go into undergraduate Bible training. Very few are populating the ministerial classes in any college I know. So where do we find the guys?’” - GARBC

“I had gone to seminary to prepare for ministry, and I was not prepared for ministry. I was prepared academically to begin a life of teaching, which is, of course, invaluable. But in terms of the vocation of ministry beyond teaching?” - James Emery White

“Ministerial enrollment generally declined in recent decades and then declined precipitously in recent years. Numerous Bible colleges and seminaries have struggled to remain open, while others have closed” - P&D

“The Small Church Academy launched a year ago through the Bivocational & Small Church Leadership Network (BSCLN) with three cohorts. Those cohorts – small groups of up to 10 members…. Eight are currently meeting.” - BPNews

“get a secular degree and a job first….Does God call some straight from high school to a Bible college and then to a church? Sure. Is it better to obtain a secular degree and begin honing relational skills in the workforce? I believe so for most people.” - Sam Rainer