Evangelical Christianity is a branch of Christianity that is distinguished by it's emphasis on Biblical authority and the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Like any Christian group, pastors are leaders called by God to shepherd the group and lead them in their growth in Christ.

Becoming an evangelical pastor is not for the weary or faint-of-heart, but if you are a Christian with a desire, and are called by God to love and serve others, this profession may be perfect for you. A pastor preaches the word of God, teaches others how to live a Christian life, baptizes, gives communion, visits the sick and performs marriages and burials.

Do you love God and feel called to serve Him by teaching others how to know and love Him? If so, have you ever wondered how to become an evangelical pastor and do just that? This page will provide you with vital information that will help you to discover if guiding and serving a church congregation is right for you.

Being a mature Christian and receiving a call from God are the most important indicators that becoming a pastor may be right for you. The following questions will help you determine whether you qualify to pastor a church.Bible Gateway A: John 3:3

1. Are you a Bible-believing Christian?http://www.christianpost.com/Opinion/Columns/2008/02/has-god-called-you-discerning-the-call-to-preach-11/index.html
2. Pray for God's guidance. Do you believe He is calling you to teach and minister to others?
3. Do you love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength?http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=49&chapter=10&verse=27&version=31&context=verse
4. Do you love people and desire to serve them?
5. Do you meet the biblical qualifications in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1?
   1. I Timothy 3: "Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap."http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Timothy%203;&version=31
   2. Titus 1: "An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it."http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus%201;&version=31

Preparation is the second-most important ingredient in becoming a successful pastor. As a role model, Jesus prepared for 30 years for his ministry and served in that capacity for only three years before his ministry was cut short by his death.

1. Ask your pastor to become your mentor.
2. Become an avid student of the Bible.
3. Get involved in a Bible-believing church and become a regular attendee.
4. Join a Bible study or a home fellowship.
5. Develop a strong prayer life.
6. Learn how to share your faith and then lead others to salvation.
7. Serve on a missions trip, to evangelize, disciple or help heal and feed those in need.
8. Start your own ministry or Bible study.
9. Become a volunteer in one of the following places, to see if you enjoy serving and helping others:
   1. Your local church
   2. A nursing home
   3. A hospital
   4. A food pantry
   5. A homeless shelter

Some church congregations do not require their pastor to have formal training, but the normal route to a pastoral degree is a four-year undergraduate degree, followed by three to four years in a seminary program. A bachelor's degree from a Christian college is beneficial, because you will have access to courses that are not normally found in a secular college.

To begin the ordination process, you will most likely need the support of your local pastor and denomination, who will interview you to see if you have the qualifications necessary to become a pastor. Once they have chosen to sponsor and thereby vouch for you, many will mentor and pray for you throughout the education process at your chosen seminary.

1. Focus your undergraduate courses in:
   1. Greek, Hebrew and Latin
   2. The scriptures
   3. Church doctrine (if studying for a specific denomination)
   4. Sermon preparation, with courses in speech and English
   5. Classes that will prepare you to run a business
2. Get sponsored for seminary by your local church and denomination
3. Complete a four-year seminary program, which may also include a year of internship.http://xrysostom.blogspot.com/2005/08/preparing-to-become-pastor.htm
4. You may or may not need to obtain clinical pastoral training, but it will be beneficial nonetheless.
5. Following seminary, an ordination ceremony will take place.

Many online sources offer ordination programs for a fee, but most mainstream denominations will not recognize or honor them.

Some accredited US seminaries include:http://www.ats.edu/MemberSchools/Pages/denom.aspx

1. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
2. Oral Roberts University School of Theology
3. Dallas Theological Seminary
4. Talbot School of Theology
5. Gordon-Conwell
6. Fuller Seminary
7. Ashland Theological Seminary
8. Grace Theological Seminary