How to Become a Pastor in Delaware with a Master of Divinity

People experience the presence of the Lord in many different ways. It may be in admiring the autumn colors along a trail at the Newark Reservoir, or the smell of spring blossoms as you walk through the Goodstay Gardens on UD’s campus in Wilmington.

Some see the face of Jesus in a thankful expression from people who are glad to have a warm place to stay on a cold winter’s night at the Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing or the Mother Mary Hope House in Middletown.

Regardless of how people experience the warmth of God, the important thing is they’ve found His light. This is celebrated every week under the leadership of pastors. Pastors are also responsible for channeling the exciting inspiration that comes from knowing Jesus into an evangelical effort to spread the good news to those who haven’t experienced it.

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Step 1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Christian Ministry, Pastoral Studies or Other Similar Major in Delaware

Earning a bachelor’s degree in a field like pastoral studies or Christian ministry is the first step in distinguishing yourself from the average churchgoer. It gives you an important foundation of knowledge in areas like:

You can use this foundation to frame important ministerial issues in a Christian context. When you volunteer at a shelter that serves some of Delaware’s 1,165 homeless you can use analogies about physical hunger to explain spiritual emptiness.

442 people died from drug overdoses in Delaware between September 2020 and September 2021, according to the CDC. When you minister to those suffering from drug abuse you can frame addiction in the context of how Satan tempted Job, painting a picture of the historical setting when he lived.

A bachelor’s degree is also a standard prerequisite for entrance into a Master of Divinity program, an important academic credential for ministers who are called to take on senior leadership roles in their church.

Step 2. Look for Ministry Jobs and Gain Experience Serving the People and Churches of Delaware

Education is important, and so are your interpersonal empathetic skills.

Serving your community as a pastor means understanding the community’s wants and needs. That’s why it’s so important for you to get your foot in the door for entry and mid-level jobs at your local church, a task that your relevant bachelor’s degree will help to facilitate.

Churches offer a range of opportunities for those who seek them. Christ Church Christina Hundred in Wilmington serves meals to the needy, provides shelter for homeless families, and goes on mission trips to the Dominican Republic, among other activities.

Harvest Christian Church in Seaford sponsors mission activities in the local community and at locales around the world. It also offers Bible studies, Sunday and Wednesday services, and high-impact conferences on a range of Christian topics.

Explore Ministry Jobs with One of Delaware's Many Churches

Equipped with a bachelor’s degree, you’ll be well prepared to advance into jobs like these within your local church:

Some of the largest Christian organizations in the state include:

Abundant Life Christian Church in Laurel
Bethany Beach Christian Church in Bethany Beach
Bread of Life Christian Church in Felton
Christian Church of Seaford
Delaware House of Prayer in Wilmington
Greater Life Christian Church in Dover

Harvest Christian Church in Seaford
Living Waters Christian Church in Dover
Manna Christian Fellowship Church in Wilmington
New Covenant Christian Fellowship Church in New Castle
Outreach Christian Church in Wilmington

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

If you want to be a pastor it’s important to maximize service at your local church along two axes: education and experience. You can always gain more experience, so eventually education is going to be your limiting factor.

Enter the Master of Divinity. This is a common credential recognized across many denominations of Christianity.

Master of Divinity programs are designed to be flexible. They’re offered on-campus if you want the classroom feel of a graduate education. They’re offered online so you can continue maximizing your on-the-ground experience as you work at your local church. They’re offered as stand-alone programs, and as programs with specializations in areas like:

Regardless of the format or specializations of your MDiv program, this is an exciting culminating benchmark on your path to becoming a pastor. A Master of Divinity fulfills the education requirement for becoming a minister in many Christian denominations.

Earning this academic credential signifies that you’ve moved on to the senior leadership level and are ready to take on the accompanying level of responsibility. You’ve graduated through the ranks of your local church with experience and education, and are now ready for roles like:

This is an exciting time on your path to becoming a pastoral leader. At this point you're likely qualified to pursue ordination at your local congregation. It's time to fulfill your calling and answer the challenge the Lord has put to you.

Salary Expectations for Pastor Jobs in Delaware

As of 2020, Pastors and other Christian leaders in Delaware earned the third-highest average annual salary of all states in the nation at $64,440. Those with the most education and experience, representing the top ten percent, earned $97,290 that year.

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

It's already a daunting challenge to become a senior pastor in a leadership role at your church, responsible for the well-being of countless parishioners.

But for some the calling doesn’t stop there; for some God calls you to become a church planter.

If this is the case for you, going above and beyond is in your nature. You want to evangelize and spread the word of the Lord asap, but you've got to hold yourself back until you get the following essential business issues out of the way.

If you're founding your own church you need to ensure you're squared away according to the state and federal tax laws for being a non-profit religious organization. Don't overlook this, or else you risk putting your entire ministry in jeopardy. Jesus of all people wasn't a tax hustler. Quite the contrary; in fact he submitted to the law of the occupying Romans.

Delaware is a popular state for incorporating businesses. This works to your advantage when it comes to incorporating your church as a non-profit organization. The state of Delaware deems federally recognized non-profit organizations as automatically exempt under state law for most tax.

That means you'll first want to register your church with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. To do this you'll need to:

While you may not be required to pay additional taxes beyond your federal obligations, you’ll still need to register your church with the Delaware Division of Corporations (DDC). To stay legal in Delaware as a tax-exempt corporation you’ll need to file a report with the DDC each year (annual report) that’s a minimum of $175.

Once you get this paperwork out of the way you’ll be ready to plant your own church, engage in the ministry you’ve been called to, and improve the souls and lives of those you welcome into your congregation as a new minister who’s starting out fresh on your life’s calling!

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 February 2022.