Best Online Bachelor’s of Christian Ministry Degree Programs for 2023

Best Online Bachelor’s of Christian Ministry Degree Programs for 2023

By James Barham

Published: Jun 21, 2021
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find top-ranked online bachelor’s in Christian ministry degree programs that help to prepare students for careers in Christian ministry or the mission field.

Top 10 Online Bachelor's in Christian Ministries Degrees

Biola University

40%

Liberty University

40%

Campbell University

38%

Moody Bible Institute

34%

Abilene Christian University

34%

Oral Roberts University

34%

Regent University

32%

Dallas Baptist University

28%

Trinity International University

26%

Union University

26%

Liberty University

99%

Moody Bible Institute

98%

Dallas Baptist University

94%

Cornerstone University

91%

Trinity International University

91%

Northwest Nazarene University

88%

Campbell University

87%

Mount Vernon Nazarene University

87%

Oral Roberts University

85%

University of the Cumberlands

85%

University of the Cumberlands

20 to 1

California Baptist University

19 to 1

Regent University

19 to 1

Moody Bible Institute

19 to 1

Southwestern Assemblies of God University

18 to 1

Northwest Nazarene University

18 to 1

Liberty University

17 to 1

Oral Roberts University

16 to 1

Anderson University, South Carolina

16 to 1

Cornerstone University

15 to 1

Biola University

$44,382

Abilene Christian University

$39,350

Campbell University

$38,160

California Baptist University

$37,018

Union University

$35,510

Hope International University

$35,450

Northwest Nazarene University

$34,390

Dallas Baptist University

$33,620

Trinity International University

$33,298

Mount Vernon Nazarene University

$32,864

Abilene Christian University

$24,174

Dallas Baptist University

$19,872

Trinity International University

$17,280

Cairn University

$16,596

Point University

$16,200

Regent University

$15,590

Hope International University

$14,256

Cornerstone University

$14,160

Campbell University

$14,041

California Baptist University

$13,590

Mount Vernon Nazarene University

15%

Point University

16%

Northwest Nazarene University

19%

Hope International University

20%

The Master's University

20%

Colorado Christian University

21%

Cairn University

22%

Campbellsville University

22%

Southwestern Assemblies of God University

22%

Trevecca Nazarene University

22%

Hope International University

40%

Regent University

41%

Point University

47%

Anderson University, South Carolina

50%

Union University

53%

Biola University

61%

Belhaven University

64%

California Baptist University

64%

The Master's University

67%

Abilene Christian University

70%

Belhaven University

8 to 1

Trinity International University

8 to 1

Union University

10 to 1

The Master's University

11 to 1

Cairn University

11 to 1

Abilene Christian University

13 to 1

Trevecca Nazarene University

13 to 1

Hope International University

13 to 1

Point University

13 to 1

Campbellsville University

14 to 1

University of the Cumberlands

$9,875

Moody Bible Institute

$14,335

Southwestern Assemblies of God University

$17,404

Colorado Christian University

$17,476

Regent University

$18,820

Point University

$21,850

Liberty University

$22,713

Campbellsville University

$25,000

Trevecca Nazarene University

$26,898

Cornerstone University

$27,040

University of the Cumberlands

$4,282

Southwestern Assemblies of God University

$7,650

Liberty University

$7,847

The Master's University

$8,400

Campbellsville University

$8,473

Moody Bible Institute

$8,550

Belhaven University

$10,530

Anderson University, South Carolina

$10,616

Mount Vernon Nazarene University

$10,674

Northwest Nazarene University

$10,764

Key Takeaways

While Christian ministry undergraduate education is associated with religion and faith, it leads to a variety of career tracks that place graduates in schools, churches, the community, and other sectors.
As a degree program, Christian ministry cultivates the soft skills of strong communication, service, and practical leadership in pursuit of a career.
Christian ministry majors typically work in churches, but they are also sought-after experts in general counseling, education in the academe, and leadership in organizations.

Featured Programs

Christian Ministry As An Online Undergraduate Program

Those who want to pursue a degree in Christian ministry are usually looking for career opportunities associated with spreading the word of God. This degree is also a pathway for those to plan to enter seminary school, or a stepping-stone for entry-level jobs in churches, businesses, and schools.

Students in Christian ministry programs, whether online or on-campus, join in biblical studies and leadership development. Some online programs offer a focus on how to minister to specific populations like families or youth, while others provide a broader study of ministry.

Christian Ministry Degree Careers

A Christian ministry degree prepares you for different types of careers. As a degree holder, you can find jobs in healthcare facilities, schools, community outreach centers, and churches. Below are some of the careers you can land when you hold a bachelor’s degree in Christian ministry.

Ministry Pastors: The primary work of ministry pastors is to achieve the needs of their congregation by creating and leading ministry sermons, conducting worship services, and providing counseling and spiritual guidance. As a pastor, you should have a very deep knowledge of the Bible, and you need to be passionate about your religious beliefs, values, and mission. You must also relate to different types of congregants.
Youth Ministers: These Christian ministry degree holders work to develop the spiritual growth of teenage members of the church and other religious organizations. They plan lessons, make sermons, conduct youth activities, organize group Bible studies, and lead other employees and volunteers as needed. Creativity, leadership, and passion are essential skills for this job.
Chaplains: Chaplains are mostly employed by healthcare facilities and hospitals rather than churches. They are the ones that provide religious support, counseling, and comfort to medical patients and their families. Chaplains are generally ordained in a single-faith denomination. However, they are expected to be familiar with other faith systems so they can still provide spiritual care to diverse populations.
Church Administrators: They handle a church’s daily operations, working during regular business hours in the church office. Some of their duties include allotting income and distributions based on church budgets, creating outreach materials and church bulletins, overseeing church volunteers, or plotting schedules for the use of church facilities.

Skills and Knowledge Gained in an Online Bachelor of Christian Ministry

With an online ministry degree, you are prepared to work in religious leadership and other critical support positions both outside and within the church environment. Some of the core areas covered within an online ministry degree include theology, biblical study, religious leadership, and community involvement.

The best online ministry program will also teach you efficient communication skills. You will also improve your understanding of the Gospels, and you get the chance to complete your practical ministerial experiences. You can also round out your ministry education with other liberal arts courses like in philosophy, history, and literature.

Whether you plan to work immediately after completing your Christian ministry degree or you pursue a master’s degree or advanced education, an online bachelor’s in ministry degree is enough to prepare you for more opportunities beyond what is usually available in an associate’s degree program.

Thru the program’s extensive Bible study and its impact on people across the globe, your degree in Christian ministry will help you lead Bible studies effectively and interpret its meaning in an easier way so that people from diverse groups can understand it clearly.

When you are knowledgeable of the Bible, coupled with highly developed communication skills and ministerial experience, it’s easier for you to pursue full-time jobs either as a pastor, youth minister, chaplain, and even an entrepreneur.

Frequently Asked Questions About Christian Ministry Degrees

Why get a bachelor’s in Christian ministry?

Students seeking to spread the Gospel as a missionary or serve a church as a lead or associate pastor frequently pursue a bachelor’s degree in Christian ministry.

Courses are offered online or in person, depending on the program and university. Either option encourages students to engage personally with professors and fellow students in order to create connections and bonds with people who can serve as mentors and guides for the future.

How long does it take to get a bachelor’s in Christian ministry?

A degree in Christian ministry requires 120 hours of credits and can be completed in 3.5 to 4 years of study.

What can you do after getting a bachelor’s in Christian ministry?

Before entering the ministry or mission field, Christian ministry students can expect to tackle interesting theological topics such as counseling, Biblical Studies, biblical languages, and practical skills for leading a church.

Learn more about how to major in religious studies.

Best Online Bachelor's in Christian Ministry Degree Programs

How do we determine the best online Christian ministry bachelor's degree programs?

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Ranking The Best Online Bachelor’s of Christian Ministry

A major factor impacting academic excellence in a bachelor’s of Christian ministry degree is a comprehensive coursework format, which all the schools on our list proudly offer thru their online undergraduate programs!

What sets the colleges on our list apart from the rest is their rigorous coursework that covers the nuts and bolts of service, leadership, and Biblical literature from the Christian perspective.

Equally important is the emphasis on liberal courses that lay the groundwork for an in-depth understanding of the many components of ministry as a career.

With Christian ministers, pastors, and other church professionals as online instructors, students gain insights into the multifaceted work that those professionals do. Talk about academic influence on students and future workers for faith and religion!

Delivered online, each Christian ministry program on our list, as well as the schools that offer them, have earned regional accreditation, proving their full compliance with the established academic standards.

Best Online Bachelor’s in Christian Ministry Degree Programs

Online Ministry Programs Looking for You

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.