How To Become a Missionary
What Is a Missionary?
Missionaries are individuals of faith who work to spread the Word of God. There are many different types of missionaries. Some go on long-term missions, others on short-term trips. Some serve internationally, others domestically. Many choose to work temporarily as missionaries while pursuing full-time, permanent employment in other occupations. The role of a missionary may change over time, possibly including more or different responsibilities.1
Missionaries can perform a variety of services to those in need, but ultimately, their focus is on evangelizing. Since there are many types of missionaries, there is no universal pathway toward becoming one. Explore the general guidelines for how to become a missionary.
What Do Missionaries Do?
The primary goal of a missionary is to spread the gospel and teach others about the love of Christ. However, missionaries may perform a range of other services to the population they’re reaching out to. Sometimes, these services may align with the missionary’s primary occupation (e.g., teaching). They also may fall more on the business side of a mission organization, such as helping with accounting or providing leadership. There is really no limit to the services a missionary may perform, but they will generally handle the following responsibilities:1
Missionaries may pursue short-term or long-term mission opportunities because they feel called to serve Christ and His people. In doing so, missionaries are fulfilling the Great Commission, which references the Commissioning of the Disciples. In the Bible, Jesus says: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:19-20). Some Christians may decide to become missionaries for the purpose of executing the Great Commission.
There are no standard missionary education requirements. While there are no degree requirements, some missionaries may travel to countries that require a degree to obtain an entry visa. In addition, some missionaries may hold a degree in a field like healthcare to bring their skills to those in need.3 Others may choose to contribute their knowledge of business or nonprofit management, economics, accounting or leadership to help mission organizations operate effectively. While there is no single path for how to become a missionary, you may wish to consider the following steps:
While you’re earning your high school diploma, you may wish to explore opportunities to become more involved in your church community. You could also work on improving your biblical knowledge and deepening your faith. Some churches even offer short-term mission opportunities that individuals can participate in as early as high school.4
Some missionaries may decide to earn a bachelor’s degree in theology or ministry. This can provide a good opportunity for you to deepen your faith and become more familiar with the Word of God. However, a missionary’s job is also to empower the communities they serve with practical services — like building a new school, teaching, working within a mission organization’s business operations or providing much-needed healthcare. Because of this, other types of degrees can also serve as preparation for mission work — ranging from nursing and business to teaching degrees and beyond. You may wish to consider double majoring in theology/ministry and another field.5
While there are no specific certificate programs required for missionaries, you may wish to consider enrolling in one. For example, you might enroll in a certificate program in Christian studies, particularly if your bachelor’s degree did not center on ministry or theology.
There are no entry-level roles required for aspiring missionaries. However, you may wish to consider serving as a volunteer at your local church in order to gain some practical experience. You might also decide to gain some work experience in another occupation before setting off on your mission work.
As you can see, there is no single path toward becoming a missionary, nor are there any strict missionary education requirements. Since mission work is often temporary rather than a full-time, permanent career, you may also wish to plan your academic and experiential pathway with another occupation in mind — such as one that will teach other skills you can use to benefit underserved communities.
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Best Degrees for a Missionary
A missionary’s most important qualification is the desire to serve God and His people. Because of this, a person with virtually any sort of academic background could potentially pursue short-term or long-term mission work. However, some aspiring missionaries might prefer to pursue a degree in Christian ministry or theology.
Whichever degree option you choose, you might also want to use your time in school to research different countries and their cultures to become more familiar with the people whom you may one day serve. You might also reach out to various missionary organizations in search of mentorship opportunities.
Missionaries are charged with sharing biblical truths and principles and teaching others about Christ’s love. They devote their time and energy to evangelizing, but they may also perform service projects for underserved communities at home or around the world.1 Because of this, missionaries tend to have a diverse skill set, and they may come from all different backgrounds.
When exploring how to become a missionary, you may wish to consider the following degree programs:
Bachelor’s Programs
- Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry
- Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies with an Emphasis in Global Ministry
- Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies with an Emphasis in Worship Leadership
- Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies with an Emphasis in Youth Ministry
- Bachelor of Arts in Worship Arts with an Emphasis in Worship Ministry
Master’s Programs
Doctoral Programs
Other Programs
Advancement Opportunities for Missionaries
Becoming a missionary is a calling that people generally do because they feel it is God’s purpose for them rather than because they seek career advancement through mission work. Because of this, there are no specific advancement opportunities for missionaries. However, mission work can give missionaries the opportunity to acquire certain skills that may prove useful in other fields, such as adaptability, public speaking, fundraising and cultural competence.7
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1 Koering, J. (2024, March 8). What Do Christian Missionaries Do? Nations Outreach. Retrieved Feb. 20, 2025.
2 Wasserman, P. (2024, Jan. 12). World Population by Religion: A Global Tapestry of Faith. Population Education. Retrieved Nov. 27, 2024.
3 SIM USA. (n.d.). What Kind of Work Skills Are Needed to Become a Missionary? Retrieved Nov. 27, 2024.
4 Kortge, K. (2017, April 12). How High Schoolers Can Prepare for Missions. TEAM. Retrieved Nov. 27, 2024.
5 Silvers, M. (2020, Sept. 30). What Degree Do You Need to Be a Missionary? Crossworld. Retrieved Nov. 27, 2024.
6 Topf, D., PhD. (n.d.). Competency: What Kind of Qualifications Do I Need to Become a Missionary? World Team USA. Retrieved Nov. 27, 2024.
7 TEAM. (2019, Aug. 7). 12 Job Skills Missionaries Gain on the Mission Fiel. Retrieved Nov. 27, 2024.