The Cost of College
Quality ministry training you can afford is hard to find.
The average cost of a private college bachelor's degree in 2019 was $33,450 according to Value Penguin. According to Student Loan Hero, 69% of college graduates in 2018 took out student loans and the average debt was $29,800. And that doesn't include loans that parents took out to help pay for their child's education.
But is it really worth it? How will this debt impact your future? And an even more important question, for the Christian: How does this debt impact your service to God?
The Reality of Debt
Debt is not encouraged in scripture
The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Proverbs 22:7
Let's be honest. The Bible doesn't say "never go into debt." But the Bible does warn us against the dangers of debt. When you enter into debt you have become a slave to the person or institution from which you borrowed the money. You have essentially given up a portion of your freedom and future in exchange for use of the money in the present.
The problem is that we don't know what the future has in store for us.
But if your goal is to serve in ministry as a pastor or ministry leader, we can make some assumptions about your future.
Debt and Ministry
Pastor and Ministry leader salaries are often low.
In Luke 14, Jesus asks a question. Like all of His questions, this one gets right to the core of the problem.
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Luke 14:28
According to ZipRecruiter, in June of 2019 the average salary of a Pastor was $39,400. What that means is that with the average debt of almost $30,000 and the average pay of around $39,400 you owe almost as much as you will make in a year!
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
Luke 14:28
Debt limits your options for serving God
But I think the most dangerous problem with starting your ministry career with debt is that it limits your options for serving God. What if you feel God is calling you to serve in a new church plant, as a missionary, or in a smaller church that really needs your help? Is that even an option when you have this much debt? Are you going to be forced to select a ministry based on how much they pay rather than the Spirit's leading?
Many ministry position do not even require a degree
Depending on the domination and the position you are seeking, you may not even need a degree to start in ministry or even to get ordained. What if you could avoid the debt and be fully prepared for ministry?
An Affordable Option
At Worship Arts Conservatory we have a better option. We have quality ministry training you can afford.
A Christian Ministry Diploma in Detroit through Worship Arts Conservatory can help you avoid most, if not all, of this debt.
Our cost, after scholarships, for two years of full time study is only about $7000 - about half the average cost for two years of private college! But we can do even better.
Worship Arts Conservatory Ministry Internship combines our quality education with practical hands on service in a church worship ministry. In exchange for serving in a church you receive a scholarship for up to $1,500 per term. That means your cost could be as low as $900 per year!
And if you still want to pursue a bachelor's degree, our credits transfer to select colleges.