Major in Christian Ministry and Formation

Go into ministry • Develop a foundation • Impact your community

Learn to promote spiritual growth.

Our world is becoming a complex, global, diverse and digital society. To proclaim the gospel and accomplish the mission of Christ in the world, we need men and women who are willing to become compassionate, biblically-grounded intercultural leaders and ministry innovators. The Christian ministry and formation major will give you the tools you need to do so. 

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Grow spiritually

Faculty will mentor and disciple students in their spiritual walk with Christ and give them the tools to aid them in growing their faith. 

Cultivate your ministry

Not only will students be given the resources to identify their calling for ministry, but they will also develop a competency for applying and teaching biblical passages and ministering to communities. 

Choose a discipline

Students can choose from a myriad of ministries to specialize in, including care and counseling, chaplaincy, pastoral church leadership and worship arts. 

Find your calling and mission at JBU.

Start your application

The Christian Ministry and Formation Major more than prepared me for full-time ministry and equipped me with the skills and experiential knowledge to reach people of all ethnicities and ages with the saving message of Jesus Christ. I am also pursuing an M.Div at Asbury seminary, and many of the classes I have taken at JBU transferred and will allow me to graduate a year early from seminary.

Tylar Lee '22

Christian Ministry & Formation

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What to expect as a Christian ministry and formation student at JBU

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Find your calling

Students will clearly identify their ministry call, calling, and unique SHAPE (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, experiences) for ministry.

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Apply your knowledge

Students will demonstrate competence in exegeting and applying biblical passages, teaching and preaching biblical messages, relating with and discipling people of various generations, leading and administrating programs and events, and providing spiritual guidance and brief counseling to families and individuals across the lifespan.

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Impact your community

Students interact with and minister to one another through various fellowship activities and serve their local faith communities and organizations.

I learned to effectively minister to people through relationships. As a children’s minister I’m in contact with children mainly, but I also have the chance to connect with their parents. Through these relationships, I can help them grow spiritually just as my professors did with me.

Katie Jackman '21

Children’s Ministry Coordinator at First Baptist Church of Oak Grove, Missouri

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Choose your emphasis

As part of the major, students can customize their degree by taking additional courses in a specialized area of ministry (elective emphasis), a minor in another discipline, or another major.

Care & counseling

Care & counseling increases knowledge of counseling theories and therapeutic counseling skills.

Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy equips students for pastoral care and support of diverse individuals and families in medical, corporate and state facilities.

Children & family

The children & family ministry emphasis prepares students for effective service to children and families through further study of family systems' developmental, educational, social and legal factors.

Christian schooling

Christian schooling provides students with foundational knowledge of learning theories, curriculum development and instruction to use in Christian education institutions.

Pastoral church leadership

Pastoral church leadership equips students for spiritual leadership and pastoral ministry within the local church.

Parachurch ministry

Parachurch ministry equips students for leadership and management of faith-based, non-profit, community ministries and organizations.

Worship arts

Worship arts prepares students to cultivate, design and lead corporate worship so that worship is theologically informed and theologically formative.

Youth ministry

Youth ministry equips students for pastoral care and discipleship of youth through the study of historical, cultural, social and experiential factors which impact adolescents.

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The future you starts here.

Equip yourself for a successful career and a life of purpose.

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