The Pastoral Ministries Program at Hesston College began in 1985 as a creative response to two critical needs in the Mennonite Church. Those needs in continue today. The first is that there are congregations that are unable to secure qualified pastoral leaders. The second is that there are mature men and women who experience God's call to pastoral ministry and have had affirmations of their call from a local church but who cannot afford the four or seven years additional education required to earn seminary credentials. Hesston's associate of applied arts and sciences degree in Pastoral Ministries addresses these two needs by providing strong entry-level training for candidates who qualify for admission.
This program is designed to prepare the mature student with a strong sense of call to ministry for pastoral work. Admission to the program requires a personal statement of call, detailed references, and affirmation from the applicant's home congregation. The program includes general education, Bible, theology, church ministry, supervised experience, and formation seminar. The program may be completed in a two-year or three-year plan.