It’s college graduation time. A fresh group of young men and women are looking for their first positions in full time ministry.
Here is something to think about:
Ministry help is hard to find, but should you risk your resources on someone that has never been paid staff in a church?
Short answer: a Bible college degree is helpful—but it should never be the only reason a church hires someone.
Experience (even informal experience) and character matter just as much, often more.
Here’s a balanced way to think about it:
What a Bible College Degree Does Bring
Hiring someone with a degree can be a real asset:
- Biblical foundation – They’ve been trained in Scripture, theology, and ministry basics
- Teachability – They’re usually used to learning, structure, and feedback
- Calling clarity – Many have already wrestled with their sense of ministry calling
- Fresh energy – They often bring enthusiasm and new ideas
That’s valuable—especially in roles like youth ministry, discipleship, or teaching.
What It Doesn’t Guarantee
A degree alone doesn’t mean someone is ready for ministry leadership:
- No experience handling real people problems
- Limited exposure to church conflict, budgets, or systems
- May lack organizational and leadership skills
- Can struggle moving from theory → real-life ministry
Think about everything you deal with in a month. Is a college kid ready for all of it?
Ministry is deeply relational and often messy—classrooms can’t fully prepare someone for that.
What Churches Should Look For In Addition
If you’re considering hiring someone without experience, look for these instead:
- Proven faithfulness (have they served consistently somewhere?)
- Servant attitude (do they jump in where needed, or only want a title?)
- Emotional maturity (how do they handle criticism, stress, authority?)
- Relational skills (can they connect with people of different ages?)
- Willingness to grow (coachability matters more than credentials)
Don’t just think about the position you need to fill. Do you see someone who is willing to grow on your team?
A Strong Middle Ground: Hire + Develop
Many healthy churches do this well:
- Hire someone with a degree into a junior or assistant role
- Provide clear oversight and mentoring
- Give them responsibility gradually
- Set regular check-ins and growth goals
Sadly, I’ve seen many young pastors leave ministry only because they were given more responsibility than they were ready for. Don’t let that happen.
Think of it less like hiring a finished product—and more like developing a future leader.
They will struggle, make mistakes, and at times let you down. They will also grow to be strong assets if you invest the time and energy to help them grow.
Someone gave you your first ministry opportunity once. Find a great candidate and do the same for them.
Too often we hire staff with no plan. Young pastors walk into work with no idea of what they are supposed to do. “Go run the youth group!” They don’t know what that means.
Pro-tip: Have a clear job description. Schedule regular meetings to set goals, provide honest feedback, and mentor them. Make every effort to help them succeed.
A Bible college degree is a great starting point, but not a complete qualification.
Churches should ask:
“Do we have the leadership and structure to develop this person well?”
“Given time, will they advance the mission of your church?”
“Do you have the bandwidth to develop their leadership?”
If yes, it can be a fantastic investment.
If not, hiring someone with more hands-on experience may be the wiser move.