Practical degree vs. Ministry degree

[imperfectchristian]

Specifically...

Master's in Counseling from local University (financially more responsible, solid career)

Vs.

Bachelor's in Worship from SAGU (non usable in secular world, twice as expensive, what I love to do)

Keep in mind I have a family,

I have some people who tell me I should move to SAGU and go back into ministry and others who say I should stay and get a real job/career.

What say ye?

 

[hislegacy]

Same as the last four times you asked this question.

 

[Faulty]

Whatever happened to system administrator? Isn't that what you decided on last time?

 

[imperfectchristian]

Whatever happened to system administrator? Isn't that what you decided on last time?

After I decided on that major, I called the school and they said they were phasing it out. It was the only school around that offered a program I liked in IT...so it was back to the drawing board.

 

[Howard Cneal]

The first one.

A degree isn't about what you love to do, it's about making money and getting a good job. A religious degree is useless unless you insist on going into full-time ministry for a living. (And even then, you don't *need* a degree. It helps, but you don't need it...)

And what's wrong with an MA in counselling...? The world needs more counsellors.

 

[imperfectchristian]

Same as the last four times you asked this question.

Well situations keep changing and I keep getting different people telling me to do different things. Where's your long suffering and patience pastor Joe?

 

[imperfectchristian]

The first one.

A degree isn't about what you love to do, it's about making money and getting a good job. A religious degree is useless unless you insist on going into full-time ministry for a living. (And even then, you don't *need* a degree. It helps, but you don't need it...)

And what's wrong with an MA in counselling...? The world needs more counsellors.

Actually career coaches will tell you how successful you are at a job is directly tied to how much you enjoy it and love what you are doing. I love the idea of being a professional counselor and think I would enjoy it, but not as much as worship ministry (which I have done before)

Several people think I am running from a calling to full time worship ministry (including my wife). It makes it tough to settle on a particular path.

 

[JimB]

Same as the last four times you asked this question.

.

 

[Faulty]

After I decided on that major, I called the school and they said they were phasing it out. It was the only school around that offered a program I liked in IT...so it was back to the drawing board.

Ahh, well, that's a bummer. Interesting leap from IT to counseling though. There isn't any reason why you can't do both I suppose, getting the Counseling degree first. It'll probably pay the bills, and probably be a plus should you pursue a full time ministry position and degree later on.

That's my opinion, if those are all the options.

Reminds me not to long ago that I saw a Geico commercial with the wife and it had R. Lee Ermey (drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket) in a role as a counselor yelling at some weeping guy on the couch and throwing a box of tissues at him. The wife told me that would so be me, and she's probably right. Not a profession I'd be cut out for, at all. I'm just not built that way.

 

[JimB]

I received my degree from a secular university (B.A., history, University of Houston) but have never found much use for it except that my major has been helpful in getting a better perspective on biblical history. However, one thing it did do was to help me build acquaintances with nonbelievers that being in a Bible college did not allow, one of whom I know came to Christ as a result of our relationship and heart-to-heart talks.

If one is going to seek a vocation outside of full-time Christian ministry and plan to enter the field of their major, I would think that a degree from an accredited nonreligious (secular) university would be more beneficial. It’s not only cheaper but you get more bang for the buck in the business world.

~Jim

Love God.
Love people.
Period.​

 

[Faulty]

If you're thinking about the fulltime ministry, why a 'Worship' degree? Why not a 'Divinity', or 'Biblical Languages', or 'Theological Studies' type of a degree? I'm just curious why you chose what you chose.

 

[ARBITER01]

.

No balance has a point, there is only so many ways of asking the same question.

 

[imperfectchristian]

If you're thinking about the fulltime ministry, why a 'Worship' degree? Why not a 'Divinity', or 'Biblical Languages', or 'Theological Studies' type of a degree? I'm just curious why you chose what you chose.

I started studying music when I was 5. In high school I privately trained with one of the best music teachers in the country. Without trying to sound like I'm tooting my own horn, I am a very capable musician. It's what I do best. I wouldn't need the degree to go back to being a worship pastor, but it would be helpful to have some type of formal education if I did. A worship degree would compliment the best.

Another reason than brings a great deal of hesitancy in a Biblical degree is that I have a friend who has served 15 years as an Army chaplain and has a masters in divinity and can't find a job in his field.

 

[imperfectchristian]

I received my degree from a secular university (B.A., history, University of Houston) but have never found much use for it except that my major has been helpful in getting a better perspective on biblical history. However, one thing it did do was to help me build acquaintances with nonbelievers that being in a Bible college did not allow, one of whom I know came to Christ as a result of our relationship and heart-to-heart talks.

If one is going to seek a vocation outside of full-time Christian ministry and plan to enter the field of their major, I would think that a degree from an accredited nonreligious (secular) university would be more beneficial. It’s not only cheaper but you get more bang for the buck in the business world.

~Jim

Love God.
Love people.
Period.​

This is a great point. At my current job I have been able to share a great deal with one person particularly I work with who knows very little about their Christian faith. Whereas ironically in my former ministry position, people seemed to keep me at arms distance. I agree that generally speaking, a secular degree is more beneficial in the business world. I am just conflicted because my greatest ability is in music and I would love to return to full time music ministry, but I'm not sure if that is the responsible choice.

 

[Faulty]

I started studying music when I was 5. In high school I privately trained with one of the best music teachers in the country. Without trying to sound like I'm tooting my own horn, I am a very capable musician. It's what I do best. I wouldn't need the degree to go back to being a worship pastor, but it would be helpful to have some type of formal education if I did. A worship degree would compliment the best.

Another reason than brings a great deal of hesitancy in a Biblical degree is that I have a friend who has served 15 years as an Army chaplain and has a masters in divinity and can't find a job in his field.

Cool. It would sure be a shame to let musical ability like that go to waste. I can usually recognize that something is an instrument, but that's as far as it goes for me.

Can you actually support your family doing something like that? (I honestly don't know.)

 

[imperfectchristian]

Ahh, well, that's a bummer. Interesting leap from IT to counseling though. There isn't any reason why you can't do both I suppose, getting the Counseling degree first. It'll probably pay the bills, and probably be a plus should you pursue a full time ministry position and degree later on.

That's my opinion, if those are all the options.

Reminds me not to long ago that I saw a Geico commercial with the wife and it had R. Lee Ermey (drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket) in a role as a counselor yelling at some weeping guy on the couch and throwing a box of tissues at him. The wife told me that would so be me, and she's probably right. Not a profession I'd be cut out for, at all. I'm just not built that way.

I saw that commercial..very funny...and I know some Army and Marine guys like that.

Come January I will have to make a choice on which direction I go and I will be pretty much set in the field I am going into. I won't have the financial luxury to change my mind and move should I get a year into it and decide I should have gone to SAGU.

 

[Big Drew]

Cool. It would sure be a shame to let musical ability like that go to waste. I can usually recognize that something is an instrument, but that's as far as it goes for me.

Can you actually support your family doing something like that? (I honestly don't know.)

If you can find a church that would hire a full time music minister it would be possible...most of the music ministers I know are part time, though...But, it makes me wonder if that type of degree would make it possible for someone to get a job as a Band or Choir Director in a high school, and then they could also be involved in a church music ministry as well?

 

[imperfectchristian]

Cool. It would sure be a shame to let musical ability like that go to waste. I can usually recognize that something is an instrument, but that's as far as it goes for me.

Can you actually support your family doing something like that? (I honestly don't know.)

The general pay for a full time worship pastor is around 30 to 40k per year and for people who progress up to large congregations (1000+) it can easily go up from 70k to over 100k. So to answer your question...yes. I was never in it for the money...if I were I would have ladder climbed my way up. All I wanted was to support my family and do what I loved doing.

Some people have told me I would be slapping God in the face if I didn't use the gifts He gave me to their full potential. I'm not sure how to feel about it.

 

[imperfectchristian]

If you can find a church that would hire a full time music minister it would be possible...most of the music ministers I know are part time, though...But, it makes me wonder if that type of degree would make it possible for someone to get a job as a Band or Choir Director in a high school, and then they could also be involved in a church music ministry as well?

There are churches all over the country who hire full time worship pastors. It is a niche profession and it is based heavily on skill and in the pentecostal charismatic world...the ability to put soul and passion in the worship. Entry level jobs may or may not require a degree, but larger churches generally require it.

 

[Faulty]

Some people have told me I would be slapping God in the face if I didn't use the gifts He gave me to their full potential. I'm not sure how to feel about it.

Not everyone is called to a fulltime ministry. If somebody ever told me that, I'd be inclined to ask them for chapter and verse where that assumption is laid out in scripture and then warned them about presuming upon God based on their personal assumprions alone. But then again, that's might just be me.