North Dakota is a deeply religious state where both the Protestant and Catholic faiths have a strong presence, where the Evangelical Lutheran and the United Methodist Churches enjoy legions of followers, and where the number of churches is nearly as impressive as the state’s picturesque badlands. In fact, North Dakota holds the distinction of having the most churches per capita in the United States!
According to the Pew Research Center, about 77% of all adults in North Dakota identify as Christians. Of those, 51% are Protestant and 26% are Catholic.
Your faith in the Lord and personal calling to serve others has led you to consider a career in ministry. Fargo, Minot, Bismarck, Grand Forks and beyond – regardless of where your path in pastorship leads you, you’ll feel right at home in North Dakota.
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But before you can begin preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, you’ll need to make sure you have the foundation that will ensure your journey will be as fulfilling and successful as you’ve imagined.
Here are the steps you’ll want to take to fulfill your calling and learn how to become a pastor in North Dakota:
Steps to Become a Pastor in North Dakota
Step 1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Christian Ministry, Pastoral Studies or Other Similar Major in North Dakota
Christian leadership, Christian studies, religious studies, pastoral studies, Christian ministries… Christian bachelor’s degrees come in a variety of names, but they all provide aspiring ministers and church leaders with the foundation needed to assume important roles in the church.
These four-year courses of study provide students with an overview of the Old and New Testaments, biblical history, biblical languages, and the practical aspects of ministry. Broad courses in the liberal arts in areas like communications, psychology, and business round out these Christian bachelor’s degrees and produce graduates who are able to serve as competent and trusted religious workers.
They also serve as an excellent precursor to graduate programs like the Master of Divinity (MDiv) and the Master of Theology.
Step 2. Look for Ministry Jobs and Gain Experience Serving the People and Churches of North Dakota
With a Christian bachelor’s degree on your resume, you’ll be qualified to land exciting and important jobs within the church, in outreach and ministry programs, and in missionary work. Just some of the jobs pursued by graduates of Christian bachelor’s degrees include youth pastor, deacon, administrator, missionary, and Bible studies teacher. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of church and ministry jobs in North Dakota awaiting you.
For example, the North Dakota Ministry Network in Bismarck works to prepare pastors, plant churches, and build women’s ministries, student ministries, men’s ministries, and Bible camps.
Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) of Northeast North Dakota in Grand Forks partners with local churches throughout northeast North Dakota to evangelize children through church programs. CEF is operated throughout the world and has nearly 3,000 missionaries working overseas. In the United States, CEF employs more than 700 full-time workers.
Explore Ministry Jobs with One of North Dakota's Many Churches
One of the first places you’ll turn to for church jobs and ministry jobs in North Dakota is in the state’s many churches. Larger churches in the state are often home to plentiful opportunities in outreach programs that serve the less fortunate, domestic and overseas missionary trips, and church programs like Bible camps and youth ministries.
Some of the larger churches in North Dakota where you’re sure to find plentiful job opportunities include:
- Bethel Church, Fargo
- Calvary Baptist Church, Valley City
- Dakota Baptist Church, Minot
- Fargo Baptist Church
- First Assembly of God, Fargo
- Hope Lutheran Church, Fargo
- Latter Rain Ministries, Fargo
- Minot Baptist Church
- Revive Christian Church, Bismarck
- Riverside Evangelical Free Church, Mayville
Step 3. Earn a Master of Divinity (MDiv) or Similar Graduate Degree in North Dakota and Establish Your Role in Christian Leadership
If a leadership position with the church is part of your career plans, you’ve likely considered taking your Christian education to the next level and earning a graduate degree. The Master of Divinity (MDiv) and similar programs like the Master of Theology and the MA in Ministry are popular pursuits for aspiring pastors and church leaders. The MDiv is also largely required to become ordained.
The MDiv and similar graduate degree programs provide students with extensive study in the Scriptures and in-depth preparation in theology and the many aspects of practical ministry to learn how to become a pastor. These programs blend Christian doctrine with applied theology to prepare pastors and other church leaders who can guide and direct churches and other religious organizations from both a practical and biblical perspective.
Many ministry graduate degrees allow students to specialize their programs in one or more areas like church planting, biblical languages, urban ministry, and Episcopal/Anglican studies. Many programs are also offered in a partially or fully online format. These online ministry degrees like the Master of Divinity online allow students to complete their courses through a convenient, distance-based format, which allows them to continue to meet their personal and professional obligations while they earn their graduate ministry degree.
Salary Expectations for Pastor Jobs in North Dakota
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), members of clergy in North Dakota earned an average salary of $55,310 as of May 2020. Those with extensive experience and/or those working in larger churches earned salaries that were closer to the profession’s top 10%, which was $79,790.
Step 4. Consider Forming a Christian Ministry of Your Own in North Dakota
Ready to begin an adventure of a lifetime and plant your own church? If your personal calling to the Lord includes preaching the Gospel and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ through a church of your own, you can become a church cultivator who grows in evangelism and discipleship.
But before you can realize your dream of establishing your own church, you’ll need to make sure you are adhering to all state and federal regulations.
In North Dakota, starting your own church requires you to establish a nonprofit corporation with the ND Secretary of State. This includes:
- Reserving a name for your church with the Secretary of State (requires the completion of a Reserve Name Application)
- Designating a registered agent – the official contact person for the church
- Completing article of incorporations and submitting them to the Secretary of State
At the federal level, you’ll need to obtain a Federal Identification Number (FEIN) from the IRS, which you’ll use to open bank accounts, receive donations, and apply for a tax-exempt status (requires registering the church at the federal level as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit).
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 North Dakota
Trinity Bible College and Graduate School
BA in Biblical Studies (campus, online)
BA in Children’s Ministry (campus)
BA in Pastoral Ministry (campus)
BA in Worship Ministry (campus)
BA in Youth Ministry (campus)
MA in Chaplaincy (campus)
MA in Global Theology (campus)
MA in Intercultural Studies (campus)
MA in Missional Leadership (campus)
MA in Rural Ministries (campus)
