Utah is a state that was literally built on religion – more specifically, the Mormon religion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (often referred to simply as the LDS Church). The Mormon religion took a quick foothold in Utah when, in 1847, Brigham Young, the president of the Church, arrived at the Great Salt Lake Valley and established the Zion for the Mormons, the first church for the faith’s some 35,000 members. Today, the LDS Church estimates that there are more than two million Mormons living in the state. Mormon ideals are woven into the fabric of Utah, and the religious influence of the LDS church runs deep. In fact, nine out of every ten legislators in Utah are LDS church members.
But you’ll still also find a strong Protestant presence in the state, while Catholic numbers here are significantly smaller.
According to the Pew Research Center, of the 73% of adults in Utah who identify as Christians, 55% are Mormons, while just 14% are Protestant and 5% are Catholic.
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Whether you’re interested in becoming part of the LDS Church, serving in another Christian denomination, or joining the ranks of the state’s non-denominational Christians, you’re sure to feel right at home in Utah, where religion is a way of life for many and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes with outstanding opportunities for a truly rewarding life of service.
But before you can begin serving others and spreading the Good News, you’ll need to make sure you come prepared with the right education and experience that will make you an outstanding minister, missionary, or other church leader.
Here are the steps you’ll want to take to learn how to become a pastor in Utah and answer your personal calling to the Lord:
Steps to Become a Pastor in Utah
Step 1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Christian Ministry, Pastoral Studies or Other Similar Major in Utah
A bachelor’s degree in an area like Christian leadership, Christian studies, pastoral ministries, Christian ministries, biblical studies, or religious studies is an outstanding start to a career in the church. These comprehensive four-year degrees offer a solid foundation in biblical history and theological concepts while also teaching students how to preach Scripture to different audiences and apply Scripture to their lives and ministries.
Christian undergraduate degrees also provide students with study in topics like history, communications, psychology, and business, all of which prepare them to serve as competent church leaders and ministers. And for students with aspirations of becoming top-level church leaders and pastors, these degrees prepare them for future graduate work through the Master of Divinity (MDiv) or similar programs.
A Christian bachelor’s degree will also prepare you to better appreciate the unique needs of your community. In Utah, this may mean serving a role in the LDS Church’s expansive welfare program. It’s estimated that the LDS Church provides assistance to about 90% of adults living in poverty in Utah.
Step 2. Look for Ministry Jobs and Gain Experience Serving the People and Churches of Utah
With a Christian bachelor’s degree on your resume, you’ll be qualified to serve others and preach the Gospel as a missionary, deacon, Bible studies teacher, youth pastor, and more. There are countless opportunities to get involved and do good in Utah while also building on your career.
For example, you can be among the LDS Church’s 53,000 full-time missionaries serving missions throughout the world. Today, the Church has about 400 missions where its members serve.
You may also find your calling serving in ministry or church outreach programs like the Catholic Community Services of Utah, which operates a Salt Lake City homeless shelter, food banks, and dining halls and has programs related to low-income mothers, refugee foster care and resettlement, and immigration assistance. In just one month, the Catholic Community Services of Utah provides assistance to more than 6,000 homeless and distributes more than 194,000 pounds of food.
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The Salt Lake Temple, the LDS Church’s flagship temple, is Utah’s largest and most recognizable church. There are also four other operating LDS temples throughout Utah, including two in Provo, one in American Fork, and one in Payson. The Church has plans to break ground on a new temple in April 2022 in Lindon.
But Mormon temples are far from the only large churches in Utah. Ministry and church jobs abound through large Christian churches such as:
- Calvary Chapel Salt Lake City
- Calvary Mountain View Church, American Fork
- Central Christian Church, Salt Lake City
- Christ United Methodist Church, Salt Lake City
- Gospel Fellowship, South Jordan
- Iglesia Rios de Agua Via, Ogden
- New Creation Church, Sandy
- South Mountain Community Church, Draper
- Southland Bible Church, Washington
- The Genesis Project, Ogden
- Washington Heights Baptist Church, Ogden
Step 3. Earn a Master of Divinity (MDiv) or Similar Graduate Degree in Utah and Establish Your Role in Christian Leadership
If you have career plans that include becoming an ordained pastor or church leader, you’ve probably considered earning a Christian graduate degree, which is most often designed as a Master of Divinity (MDiv). Similar degree programs include the Master of Theology and an MA in Ministry.
Through an MDiv or similar degree, you’ll learn about Scripture and theology and dive deep into topics like biblical languages, Christian ethics, philosophy, and cultural diversity within Christianity. You’ll also take courses focused on the practical skills that you’ll need to learn how to become a pastor and assume ministry and other leadership roles in the church.
Many ministry degrees are designed as hybrid or fully online programs that allow students to complete their graduate studies from a distance. Online ministry degree programs like the Master of Divinity online allow students to continue to meet their personal and professional obligations while earning their degree, thanks to flexible, online course delivery.
Salary Expectations for Pastor Jobs in Utah
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, clergy members in the U.S. (Utah stats were unavailable) earned an average salary of $56,560 as of May 2020, while those at the top end of the pay scale (top 10%) earned salaries that exceeded $89,510.
Directors of religious activities and education earned an average salary of $52,660 during this time, while those serving in these senior-level positions in larger church organizations earned salaries that more closely reflected the top 10%, which was $93,990.
Step 4. Consider Forming a Christian Ministry of Your Own in Utah
Ready to focus your passion for preaching and your love of the Lord on an adventure of a lifetime and branch out on your own? A career in the church, for some, culminates in the planting of a church of their own. If church planting is part of your personal calling, there’s no limit to the lives you can change as you preach the Gospel and tell people the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Planting your own church must also be met with a good deal of practicality, so you’ll need to ensure you’re meeting all federal and state requirements along the way. In Utah, this includes starting and registering your church as a Domestic Non-Profit Corporation through the Department of Commerce.
Before you can register your nonprofit, you’ll need to make sure you have a registered agent (the person all correspondence regarding the nonprofit will be sent) and a list of the names and addresses for your church’s board of directors, both of which will be part of your Articles of Incorporation. You’ll also want to ensure the church name you plan to use is available by performing a name availability search.
Once you’ve registered as a nonprofit in Utah, you’ll need to register your church at the federal level as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the Internal Revenue Service. You’ll need to do this 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.
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.
