Your Guide to Meeting the Qualifications of a Pastor in Indiana

Salary Expectations for Church Ministry Jobs in Indiana

The annual average salary in Indiana for religious workers serving Christian churches throughout the state in non-leadership roles was $41,540.

Step 3. Earn a Master of Divinity (MDiv) or Similar Graduate Degree in Indiana and Establish Your Role in Christian Leadership

To be a qualified, purposeful, and influential church leader, you must be more than a friendly face with a kind heart. You must be willing to listen, learn, and accommodate for the variety of people groups, opinions, and lifestyles that make up the residents of Indiana.

Indiana is home to over 100,000 churches of varying denominations, personalities, and needs. To establish your role as a Christian leader, therefore, it is required that you obtain your Masters of Divinity (or a similar graduate degree) so that you may be most equipped to lead those who attend your church.

An MDiv will require 3-4 years of education, post bachelors, and will include classes such as ecclesiology, systemic theology, liturgical studies, ministry, Latin or Hebrew, and evangelism. There are a number of colleges and universities throughout Indiana that offer Christian-related graduate degrees and courses, both in person and online. The key is finding one that best fits your schedule, desired learning, and financial and personal needs. 

Earning your graduate degree will prepare you for a life of service and ministry within the church, but it can also help you build the foundation for starting your own. 

Salary Expectations for Pastor Jobs in Indiana

As of May 2020, the average salary for members of clergy in Indiana was $46,710 with the top 10 percent of religious workers in the state earning more than $91,130. Church directors in Indiana earned an average of $43,430 that year, with the top ten percent earning more than $63,740.

Step 4. Consider Forming a Christian Ministry of Your Own in Indiana

In Indiana, churches and nonprofits are defined as businesses with a purpose other than to generate profit. Your church can raise revenue – and indeed will need to in order to pay bills, staff employees, and provide for those in need, but as a not-for-profit entity, you will be granted relief from certain state and federal taxes, as well as qualified for various grants.

The incorporation process for churches in Indiana are as follows:

1. Create a name that is unique to your church. Then, recruit at least three directors, draft your Articles of Incorporation, and then file it with the Indiana Secretary of State. This article will serve as the constitution for your church and must therefore state that your church is being established for religious purposes only.
2. Name an individual who can act as the correspondent between the church and the state.
3. Draft your bylaws – which set the rules and expectations for the church - and hold an organizational meeting.
4. File form 1023 with the IRS, along with a copy of your Articles of Incorporation and details outlining your past, present and future activities and finances.
5. Once incorporated as a nonprofit in Indiana you can file for your federal tax-exempt status - 501(c)(3) – relieving you of federal income taxes and allowing deductions for those who donate to your church or organization.
6. Once you have been approved by the IRS (you will receive a letter of confirmation), you may then apply for tax exemption status for the State of Indiana. As a nonprofit, you qualify for income, sales, and property tax exemption. The state will automatically recognize your income tax exemption through the IRS confirmation letter. To apply for sales and property tax exemption, will you need to file form NP-20A to the Indiana Department of Revenue, along with a copy of your confirmation letter.
7. For property tax exemption, you will have to file at your local level by filing out and filing Form 136 with your county Assessor. This form must include your bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, and your IRS confirmation letter.

2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures and job market trends for Religious Workers, Church Directors, and Clergy based on state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2022.