When Jacksonville College welcomes students for the fall semester next month, they will be arriving to the newest bachelors-level program in Texas. Students are enrolling now in a Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministry program that begins in August. This new degree equips future pastors, missionaries, and other Christian leaders with a biblical foundation for integrating faith and knowledge while preparing them for vocational, co-vocational or volunteer ministry positions.
A focus of the program is practical preparation, including four professional/vocational certification courses and six semesters employed in JC Works, a work-study program that includes both oncampus jobs and internships in churches and other ministries.
According to Jacksonville College President, Dr. David Erickson, “By focusing this new degree on both rigorous academics and practical preparation, including training for additional career paths, we can build a generation of leaders who will meet the needs of 21st century churches, especially in rural Texas.”
This new degree is a significant step to realizing Jacksonville College’s vision for the future. Founded in 1899, the college transitioned to a junior college in the aftermath of WWI. For more than a decade, Jacksonville College has been the only private junior college in Texas.
According to President Erickson, “As we examined the educational needs of young people in our sponsoring churches and our surrounding community, it became apparent that as a traditional liberal arts school that focuses on the spiritual, intellectual, and character formation of our students, transitioning to a four-year school that prepares them for various careers would best meet their needs.”
The college partnered with Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary, its longtime sister school also located in Jacksonville, to create this first bachelor degree in ministry. The college is already putting plans in motion to open additional bachelor’s degrees in other fields in the future.
For more information, visit https://www.jacksonvillecollege.edu/bachelor/. Students interested in enrolling in the Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministry should contact the Admissions Office at 903-586-2518 or admissions@jacksonvillecollege.edu. Classes begin Aug. 13, 2025.