In His Footsteps

Parker | future pastor

I've been asked the question "what do you want to be when you grow up?" many times. However what I really want to do when I grow up is to follow in my father's footsteps. I want to become a pastor. Having a father as a pastor has helped me learn what skills are needed to be a good pastor.

As a pastor I will need a solid background in Biblical knowledge. This will help me to prepare sermons and Bible studies. Good communication skills are very important as well. I will need to be a good listener so I can help people with questions they might have. As a pastor I will need lots of patience when counseling people. With good Biblical knowledge I can counsel people who have spiritual questions. Sympathy and compassion are important when counseling because I might not have experienced what they have gone through.

According to MyNextMove.org it would be good to get a degree in English or Religion. My father has a Master's of Divinity degree. Having this would help me learn more about the pastorate. The TexasCaresOnline.com website gives much of the same information as MyNextMove.org.

Salaries are based on the size of the congregation and experience. Web.pensions.org states that clergy salaries range from around $33,000 to $200,000 depending on years of experience and size of the congregation. Generally, the larger the congregation the larger the salary. There are always churches without pastors, so there will be many opportunities for employment.

I plan to get my undergraduate degree at Lamar University and probably get a graduate degree at seminary. By obtaining a scholarship I will be able to attend a good college a receive a solid foundation for my future as a pastor.