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What are the Seminary Requirements?
The International Mission Board has determined that long-term effectiveness of missionary personnel is closely related to solid academic preparation, especially in biblical, missiological and theological areas. Thus, the following expectations should be understood:
- Most assignments in church planting, church development and seminary teaching require a bachelor’s degree and a graduate level seminary degree.
- Assignments in business, medical, agriculture and education assignments require the education a person filling such a job in the United States would be expected to have. Career missionaries filling such an assignment are expected to have a bachelor’s degree plus 20 hours of graduate level biblical, theological and missiological study.
- Strategy Coordinators are required to have a minimum of 30 hours of graduate level biblical, theological and missiological study for career service. Associates need 30 hours of bachelor’s level study in the same academic areas.
- Missionary spouses, serving in the church and home ministries category, are required to have at least 60 hours of general bachelor’s level courses or 15 hours of biblical, theological and missiological courses. Spouses are not required to have seminary training.
For 20-hour and 30-hour requirements, the IMB recommends certain courses that will provide the foundation the missionary will need as they approach their task. There is flexibility in the classes you can take. However, we do ask that the courses be in the areas of biblical studies, missions, church history, anthropology and theology. Be sure to review course selections with your consultant.
Read more about the 20 hour curriculum — Read more about the 30 hour curriculum
Missionary apprentices are encouraged to have these requirements completed before appointment. However, for those who are not able to complete those studies before beginning their apprentice term, we would suggest the following as an alternative method for completing these requirements:
- While in the application process take one or two courses. We would recommend taking the “Introduction to Missions” course and perhaps a Bible survey course during this time.
- During the first term the applicant take a course via the Internet or a course offered by one of the seminaries while on the field.
- Complete the remaining hours while in the United States during the stateside assignment.
