What skills stand out on Missions Pastor resumes?

Our graduates tell us employers often note the rarity of religious studies degrees, and then go on to remark with excitement about things like intercultural competence and communication skills that the degree supports. For more on that see: Smu

What hard/technical skills are most important for Missions Pastors?

In terms of the hard/technical skills that aid pastors/ministers in carrying out their responsibilities, these would include skills of crisis intervention, conflict resolution & peacebuilding, knowledge and praxis related to racial justice and reconciliation, and knowledge of (and techniques for) addressing some of the following situations: trauma and grief, conflicts in the family (including pre-marital, marital and family interventions), addictions and situations of sexual abuse. In all of this, attention to the intercultural dimension of pastoral caregiving is also extremely important. Clinical Pastoral Education training can also provide some of these "hard" and "soft" skills.

What soft skills should all Missions Pastors possess?

In my students, I encourage the development of soft skills such as deep listening, empathy, authenticity, flexibility, integrity, trustworthiness, and a collaborative leadership style. These skills exist alongside commitments to ongoing spiritual formation, self and theological reflection and reflexivity, ongoing education and supervision, and care of the self's physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual parts.

What Missions Pastor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

The best way to maximize your salary in pastoral ministries is to not focus on it. Find a job in ministry you love and allow the financial returns to follow a strong work ethic, a recognition and acceptance of your current role, and a consideration of further ones that have more earning potential, but only as they fit the man or woman you are and want to be. One of the biggest mistakes in ministry is leaving a job we love and are effective in to simply earn more money in a different role that we don't like, that doesn't fit our spiritual gifts or experience, and where we quickly lose our joy in the faith and our joy in our pastoral roles.

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Missions pastor skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

1 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Jill DeTemple Ph.D.,

Leah Thomas Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical missions pastor skills. We ranked the top skills for missions pastors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 43.9% of missions pastor resumes contained student ministry as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a missions pastor needs to be successful in the workplace.

List of missions pastor skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a missions pastor resume and required skills for a missions pastor to have include:

Student Ministry

Community Outreach

Pastoral Care

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs