People witness the power of the Holy Spirit in different ways. It could be watching the sunset on the Gulf State Park fishing pier. Or it could be seeing a homeless person’s eyes light up when you serve them a warm meal at a downtown Huntsville shelter. As a pastor you’re tasked with using your leadership gift to find the common ground to share the light of the Lord with all who seek him.
Becoming a pastor is a journey and a calling. You’re joining the ranks of Jesus’ disciples who continue to spread the hope and good news of God’s church. This journey carries a heavy responsibility –you’re in charge of the direction of your church, the well-being of your congregation, your church’s financial viability, outreach programs, and so much more– but at the end of the day it also offers great spiritual satisfaction.
While a personal calling is at the forefront of most prospective pastors’ minds, there’s also an important practical side that cannot be overlooked. To become a pastor in Alabama you’ll need to navigate legal, procedural, and educational challenges before you can achieve a well-established ministry. This starts with building a foundation of knowledge.
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Here are the steps you’ll want to take to learn how to become a pastor in Alabama and begin your lifetime of service in the church:
Steps to Become a Pastor in Alabama
Step 1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Christian Ministry, Pastoral Studies or Other Similar Major in Alabama
Speech, psychology, sociology, statistics, business, communication: they’re all essential skills that any pastor needs, to say nothing of a strong spiritual grounding. This is where a bachelor’s degree in a field like divinity, Christian leadership, religious studies, or Bible studies comes in.
A bachelor’s degree in a Christian-themed field covers the basics when it comes to foundational academics like communication, writing, psychology, and business. It also offers flexibility through electives to focus on particular parts of theology that you find most appealing, in addition to a solid dive into the Old and New Testaments.
A Christian undergraduate degree is also a steppingstone towards getting your foot in the door to advance into leadership roles at your local church. It will equip you to do things like serve on your congregation’s Christian education committee or offer contributions as a liturgist.
And you’ll find there are plenty of callings that demand your newfound skills as a college graduate in Alabama. While the state is above-average when it comes to its per-capita attendance of large congregations, the US Interagency Council on Homeless reports that in 2020 3,351 Alabamans were unhoused. And this is on top of a drug epidemic that claimed the lives of 1,123 Alabamans in 2021 according to the CDC. Clearly there is plenty of spiritual work to do along the road ahead.
Once you’ve earned a bachelor’s degree and gained relevant experience, you’ll also be equipped to take your education to the next level with a Master’s of Divinity or similar advanced degree.
Step 2. Look for Ministry Jobs and Gain Experience Serving the People and Churches of Alabama
There are plenty of opportunities to gain experience with ministry and outreach in Alabama. This can start with coordinating activities at your local church and go on to encompass everything from outreach to other cities or even traveling to provide aid and good news to the victims of natural disasters that are never far away.
The Church of the Highlands in Birmingham suggests people can help spread the word of God through service by volunteering at a local nursing home, doing a good deed like mowing someone’s lawn, or helping to tutor a child who’s struggling in school.
Frazer United Methodist Church in Montgomery sponsors mission outreaches that focus on leadership development, crisis aid, community transformation, and evangelism. These have included everything from renovating houses locally to doing the Lord’s work at a children’s home community center in Kenya.
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With experience and education, you can gain the skills and earn the trust it takes to move up from being a volunteer to serving in Christian leadership roles such as youth pastor, deacon, or outreach coordinator. Putting in some time in these kinds of roles is a foundational step to eventually working your way up to becoming a pastor in Alabama.
Just some of the major churches in Alabama where it’s possible to find these kinds of opportunities include:
- Asbury United Methodist Church in Madison
- Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham
- Calvary Assembly in Decatur
- Christ United Methodist Church in Mobile
- Church of the Highlands in Birmingham
- Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Birmingham
- Daystar Church in Cullman
- Daystar Family Church in Northport
- Epicchurch.Tv in Decatur
- Faith Chapel Christian Center in Birmingham
- First Baptist Church in Montgomery
- First Baptist Church in Prattville
- First Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa
- First Baptist Church Opelika in Opelika
- Frazer United Methodist Church in Montgomery
- Gardendale First Baptist Church in Gardendale
- Harvest Church of God in Anniston
- Hunter Street Baptist Church in Hoover
- Kingwood Church in Alabaster
- Lindsay Lane Baptist Church in Athens
- Mayfair Church of Christ in Huntsville
- Metro Church of God in Birmingham
- More Than Conquerors Faith Church in Birmingham
- Mountaintop Community Church in Birmingham
- New Hope Baptist Church in Birmingham
- Oakwood College Church in Huntsville
- Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Dothan
- Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham
- Sixth Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham
- The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham
- The Rock Family Worship Center in Huntsville
- The Worship Center Christian Church in Birmingham
- Union Chapel MB Church in Huntsville
- Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville
- Willowbrook Baptist Church in Huntsville
- Word Alive International Outreach in Oxford
Salary Expectations for Church Ministry Jobs in Alabama
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for jobs in Christian ministry in Alabama working in roles unrelated to church leadership was $48,730 in 2020. That rose to $57,700 for those in the 75th-percentile, and up to more than $70,330 for those in the top ten percent.
Step 3. Earn a Master of Divinity (MDiv) or Similar Graduate Degree in Alabama and Establish Your Role in Christian Leadership
By this point you’ll have put in the legwork, and it’s time to compliment this with spiritual knowledge and an advanced educational scaffold. It’s time for a Master of Divinity, a degree that takes a close look at everything from ancient Hebrew and Greek to modern ethics for ministers. This is a great segue moving from real-world experiences to the mental-spiritual realm, all of which you’ll need on your journey to becoming a pastor.
You’ll find relatively few schools out there offering MDiv degrees, but many that do provide online options. An online Master of Divinity degree gives you more flexibility to remain involved in your local community while pursuing education and can accommodate busy work and volunteer schedules. On-campus programs provide more of a hands-on feel in the classroom.
MDiv degrees often include a thesis option where you can conduct research into a topic or time in Christianity that you find particularly inspiring. They also may include supervised ministry experiences that pair you with an experienced mentor as you prepare to assume roles of greater responsibility and spiritual influence.
Before you know it, you’ll be graduating. You’ve come a long way, working your way up through positions in your church that involve taking on more and more responsibility. Now, you might even be ready to plant your own church.
Salary Expectations for Pastor Jobs in Alabama
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for clergy in Alabama was $48,730 in 2020. That rose to $57,700 for those in the 75th-percentile, and up to more than $70,330 for those in the top ten percent
State-wide, directors of religious activities and education, a classification that includes mid-level leadership roles in youth and family pastoring, assistant pastoring or other ministerial roles, earned an average of $72,060 that year. This places Alabama among the top-10 states in terms of highest average salaries for religious directors.
Annual wages climb to $95,750 for directors in the 75th-percentile, better representative of what pastors can expect to earn. The top ten percent of pastors in Alabama at the height of their careers break six-figures, earning more than $112,960 a year.
Step 4. Consider Forming a Christian Ministry of Your Own in Alabama
It takes a special kind of person to found their own ministry and preach to their own congregation. In addition to having the kind of experience and advanced education under your belt this kind of responsibility requires, you also need to feel a strong calling.
And on top of all that, you need to do it legally. That starts with incorporating your church at the state-level. Alabama recognizes churches as non-profit corporations and you’ll work with the Alabama Secretary of State to do the following:
- Submit a Domestic Nonprofit Corporation Certificate of Formation to the Alabama Secretary of State ($200 filing fee). You’ll need to choose a unique name for your church.
- Designate officers for your church: these must be at least one person who is president and one other person who is secretary; other roles can be filled by additional people or by the president or secretary, and include a vice president and a treasurer.
- File your articles of incorporation with the Judge of Probate in your local county.
To register a federal 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the IRS you’ll need to:
- Apply for a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).
- Draft articles of incorporation and bylaws. Include mandatory phrasing like a purpose statement and a dissolution statement.
- Submit a Form 1023 to the IRS; this is your official application for non-profit 501(c)(3) status.
Once the formal legal requirements are out of the way you’ll be ready to follow the path God’s laid out for you and become a pastor. It’s a long road but the journey itself is part of the experience, and ultimately the more you put into it the more you’ll qualified to serve.
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.
Christian Colleges in Alabama
Faulkner University V.P. Black College of Biblical Studies
BA in Biblical Studies (online, campus)
- Biblical Text Track
- Ministry Track
- Young and Family Ministry Track
Major in Vocational Christian Ministry (campus)
Major in Vocational Youth and Family Ministry (campus)
MA in Biblical Studies (campus)
MA in Christian Ministry (campus)
MA in Family Life Ministry (campus)
Huntingdon College Department of Religion
Major in Religion (campus)
Huntsville College Department of Religion
BA (campus)
- Pastoral Ministry
- Mission and Evangelism
- Christian Ministry
Master of Ministry (campus)
- Pastoral Studies
- Biblical Leadership
Oakwood University School of Theology
BA/BS (campus)
- Ministerial Theology
- Pastoral Care and Pre-Chaplaincy
MA of Pastoral Studies (campus)
Samford University Beeson Divinity School
Master of Divinity (campus)
- MA in Theological Studies
Online Christian Universities in Alabama
Amridge University Turner School of Theology
BA in Biblical Studies (online)
BS in Ministry/Bible (online)
Master of Divinity (online)
- Ministerial Leadership
Also offered:
MA in Christian Education (online)
MA in New Testament Studies (online)
MA in Old Testament Studies (online)
MS in Christian Ministry (online)
MS in Ministerial Leadership (online)
Heritage Christian University
BA in Biblical Studies (online)
Master of Divinity (online, campus)
- Master of Ministry
- MA in Christian Scripture
