“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.” (Ephesians 4:11-13 ESV)
No more honorable vocation exists than church work: equipping the saints for the work of ministry and bringing others into God’s family through the preaching and teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This work of ministry is what Concordia University Ann Arbor will train you to do in our church work programs.
Whether you’re thinking of becoming a church musician, family life director in youth and/or family ministry, a Lutheran school teacher, a deaconess or a pastor, CUAA is a great place to grow in service to God and his church. With our small community, dedicated professors, and special focus on learning through practice, CUAA will train you and equip you to faithfully teach and preach the Gospel.
So, you want to be a church worker? Check out our church work programs below and hear from a few of our students about their personal experiences!
Applied Theology
If you intend to pursue a Master of Divinity at seminary, this major provides you with a basic overview of the Scriptures and Lutheran doctrine. While our curriculum teaches Lutheran doctrine and our school is affiliated with the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, all students who desire to prepare for the pastoral office (regardless of denominational affiliation) are welcome.
Biblical Studies
This program teaches students the main message of the Bible to prepare for professional church work, future graduate studies, or to be a more informed lay leader in your Christian congregation.
As a student, you will learn to take the Bible seriously as God’s own inerrant word. Through in depth study of specific books of the Bible, you will learn how to interpret God’s word and put it into practice.
Christian Thought
This program is designed specifically for students who want to engage in serious theological discussion and have the opportunity to study the structure of Christian belief and practice. Students are primed to go on to earn graduate degrees, become a pastor, or become a missionary.
Family Life Education
The intent of the program is to prepare men and women for a life of service in the church, community, hospital, and in the world, within the specialized area of family life.
The family life graduate will leave Concordia with the academic and practical training necessary to develop and implement programming to build and equip strong, healthy families.
Students majoring in family life are required to select a minor in:
- Child life
- Community service
- Children’s ministry
- Youth ministry
Lutheran Teaching Diploma
Our Lutheran Teacher Diploma (LTD) program is designed to prepare confirmed members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to serve as rostered members of the teaching ministry in the schools and congregations of the church. If you have a passion for serving others in the church, this program will give you the opportunity to do just that through the teaching profession through our Elementary or Secondary Education programs. And even though you’ll be equipped to teach in Lutheran schools across the country, you’ll also be able to teach in public schools.
Elementary Education
Students acquire the knowledge needed to meet the diverse needs of students in an elementary school setting. Fieldwork experiences occur early and often throughout the program, providing opportunities to observe and practice essential teaching skills.
Certification test support is provided. The final Student Teaching Experience prepares students for independence as a teacher. Recent graduates have a job placement rate of nearly 100% in Lutheran, private, public, and charter schools in Michigan and the United States.
Secondary Education
In our Secondary Education program, you will be equipped to teach in middle school, junior high, or high school in both the private and public sector. You’ll learn how to design and use teaching methods in your specialty area that will make a meaningful impact in the classroom.
Parish Music
Students learn to assist worship services through the development of their musical talents. Courses focus on music performance, theory, and history. Students will have the ability to perform in a variety of musical groups, such as Concordia Choir, Wind Ensemble, or String Ensemble.
Pre-Seminary Program (Pre-Professional)
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Rom. 10:15) Pastors have the privilege of sharing with all the awesome message of Jesus the Savior. This program will help you grow in the knowledge of the Bible, communication skills, and practical experience you need to stay on the path to seminary and become a minister of the Gospel in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
No more honorable vocation exists than church work: equipping the saints for the work of ministry and bringing others into God’s family through the preaching and teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You may choose any major, but you must take at least the theological languages minor and the church work courses of Old Testament, New Testament, and Biblical Theology. Most choose the applied theology, biblical studies, theological languages, and/or christian thought majors.
Pre-Deaconess Program (Pre-Professional)
Deaconesses get to share the amazing message of Christ in a variety of settings, from aiding pastors in their congregations to serving in the mission field at home or abroad. At Concordia, we’ll prepare you for seminary and deaconess ministry in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as you study scripture, learn Greek, and grow as a person through practical experience.
You may choose any major in the pre-deaconess program, and you’ll choose a minor from among these options: christian thought, pre-seminary studies, philosophy, or theological languages. You will also take Old Testament, New Testament, Biblical Theology, and Greek.
Theological Languages
If you plan to attend seminary after you graduate from Concordia, theological languages is about as practical as it gets. Knowing the original languages of the Old and New Testaments will not only enrich your personal devotional studies, it will give you a firm foundation to build upon in seminary and eventually the pastoral office.
In order to read the Bible and major theological works in their original languages, you’ll learn:
- Hebrew
- Greek
- Latin
Reading these texts creates a closer connection to God’s Word, and offers a deeper understanding of the early Christian world and subsequent Christian history.
Want more details about our church work programs at CUAA? Contact Theodore.Hopkins@cuaa.edu.
— Meg Hewitt is the Marketing Strategist for Concordia University Ann Arbor. She may be reached at megan.hewitt@cuaa.edu.
If this story has inspired you, why not explore how you can help further Concordia's mission through giving.