Online Master's in Religion | Evangelism and Church Planting

Credit Hours

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Help Fulfill the Great Commission with a Master of Arts in Religion – Evangelism and Church Planting Degree

Are you passionate about spreading the Gospel? Do you want to carry out the Great Commission by helping to plant churches and grow congregations? If so, conferring Liberty University’s 100% online Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) – Evangelism and Church Planting may be the right path for you! Our in-depth curriculum can teach you how to organize and establish churches that align with biblical principles.

Liberty University’s online evangelism and church planting degree is designed to help equip you with a practical education in theology, biblical studies, and ministry practice. While pursuing the online Master of Arts in Religion – one of Liberty University’s most popular online ministry degrees – you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a program that can help you make a positive impact on your community.

By completing an online ministry degree program like the online Master of Arts in Religion, you can pursue ministry opportunities in churches, parachurch settings, and nonprofit organizations while preparing for further study in religion and Christian ministry. With the evangelism and church planting area of study, you can build on the core content of the program by discovering how to share the Gospel and help plant seeds of salvation among communities and individuals.

The techniques and methods taught in the evangelism and church planting courses come from our professors – seasoned ministers and pastors who have active ministry experience and who want to use their knowledge to help you become more effective in your ministry efforts. If you want to earn your degree in church planting at a university that is committed to your success, we can help you gain the credentials to lead with excellence and integrity in the ministry field.

Accreditation

Liberty Theological Seminary, as part of Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Your seminary degree is approved by ATS and has met rigorous accreditation standards, so you can feel confident that your degree is both academically excellent and well-respected among churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.

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Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s Online Master of Arts in Religion – Evangelism and Church Planting Degree?

With the flexibility of a 100% online format and no set login times, our online ministry degrees make pursuing an education easier. As a pioneer in distance education since 1985, Liberty knows how to design programs that blend accessibility, affordability, and quality academics. By pursuing one of Liberty University’s online seminary programs, you can earn an accredited college degree that can help equip you for ministry in a variety of fields.

The core content of Liberty University’s online Master of Arts in Religion provides foundational instruction in the fundamentals of apologetics, discipleship, and practical ministry skills. With the area of study in evangelism and church planting, you can also become equipped to engage with communities of diverse cultural and economic backgrounds to help find and meet their needs through ministry. The evangelism and church planting specialization is designed to help ministry professionals like you explore not only how to start a church but also how to help small communities of believers grow into thriving witnesses for the Gospel.

Our mission is to Train Champions for Christ. To fulfill this mission, we offer top-notch instruction from professors who have years of experience working in the ministry field. Whether your goal is to work in higher education, prepare for further academic study, or serve directly in ministry, our faculty can help you pursue God’s calling on your life. We’re excited to come alongside you as you take this important next step in your educational journey.

Get the Tools You Need for Ministry Success – Included with Your Program

As a student at Liberty University, you get access to the Logos Bible app at no extra cost. If you’re in a Rawlings School of Divinity program, you receive a Logos Max subscription – unlocking a robust library of biblical and theological resources while you study.

The majority of our Liberty Theological Seminary master’s programs even integrate Logos into your courses, teaching you how to use it effectively and giving you additional resources and training to help you dig deeper into Scripture and prepare for ministry.

What Will You Study in the Online Master of Arts in Religion – Evangelism and Church Planting Program?

If you want to become an effective witness for Jesus Christ, we can help you develop the skills needed to make a difference in your community and beyond. Our goal is to train up church planters who can go out into the mission field and help spread the kingdom of God while promoting spiritual formation among families and individuals.

Liberty University’s Master of Arts in Religion provides extensive, well-rounded training in ministry, global studies, theology, and biblical studies. The core of the online master’s in religion provides in-depth topical studies of the Old and New Testament, history of Christianity, systematic theology, and the research, writing, and sermon preparation process.

By pursuing the evangelism and church planting area of study, you can enhance your understanding of contemporary evangelism and church growth with advanced courses focused on identifying diverse community needs and establishing healthy churches. You will receive a guided overview of church planting, including effective church planting methods and cultural concerns when approaching communities, as well as guidance on important spiritual factors of growing churches.

Potential Career Opportunities

Liberty’s online Master of Arts in Religion can help prepare you to tackle challenges in active, full-time ministry with churches and parachurch organizations. Additionally, you can become equipped to pursue further education in Christian ministry at the graduate or doctoral level.

Some of the roles you could pursue with a master’s in church planting degree include:

Adjunct religion instructor
Associate pastor
Church education administrator
K-12 religion instructor (non-licensure)
Lay ministry leader
Missionary

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

To continue our mission of providing affordable education, electronic textbooks are provided for many divinity courses* all for one convenient fee.

*Electronic textbooks are not provided for PACO courses or courses that fall under departments outside the School of Divinity.

Grad & Postgrad Divinity Block Rate (9-15 credit hours)	$2,850
Grad & Postgrad Divinity Part Time (1-8.99 or over 15 credit hours)	$410/Credit
Military Grad & Postgrad Divinity Block Rate (9-15 credit hours)	$2,575
Military Grad & Postgrad Divinity Part Time (1-8.99 or over 15 credit hours)	$290/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Admission Requirements for Our Online Graduate Divinity Programs

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work. *Please note: the MA in Christian Apologetics requires a 2.5 GPA for admission in good standing.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Admission to this program also requires:
- The School of Divinity Questionnaire (login required).
- Submission of contact information (login required) for 1 pastoral recommender.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

Start Online Application

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $290 per credit hour for part-time graduate and postgraduate divinity courses
Discounted divinity block rate – $2,575 per semester*
Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder **
8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

*Credits taken below 9 and above 15 credit hours per semester are charged at the part-time rate.

**Not applicable to certificates, postgraduate, or doctoral programs.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Frequently Asked Questions for Our Online Master’s in Religion – Evangelism and Church Planting

Should I pursue an MDiv or an MAR in Evangelism and Church Planting degree?

Both a Master of Divinity (MDiv) and a Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) provide core training in topics like apologetics, the history of Christianity, the Old and New Testaments, and systematic theology. However, Liberty’s online MDiv is a longer, more comprehensive program that covers additional areas, such as Hebrew and Greek language tools.

Many students in our MAR program later go on to pursue a full MDiv. If you decide to follow this same route, you can potentially transfer 2/3 of your MAR degree into our MDiv program! Additionally, many schools require a Master of Divinity for admission to doctoral divinity programs. Both our MAR and MDiv programs offer quality training and multiple specialization options – you’ll just need to evaluate which degree best suits your schedule, interests, and goals.

What is the difference between an MAR and a Master of Arts in Church Planting?

As you’ve researched online evangelism and church planting programs, you may have noticed that some schools offer a Master of Arts in Church Planting program. While this type of degree may focus mainly on methods for church planting, our MAR in Evangelism and Church Planting degree covers a wider variety of courses to help you develop a broad skill set.

Throughout our master’s degree in church planting and evangelism, you’ll take a core set of religion courses as well as specialized evangelism and church planting courses. That way, you can gain advanced knowledge of topics like hermeneutics, global studies, and ministry preparation while preparing specifically to help spread the Gospel and launch new churches.

Why pursue a master’s degree in evangelism and church planting?

Earning a master’s degree can help demonstrate your expertise to future employers and show them that you are committed to the highest standards of excellence. Additionally, our MAR in Evangelism and Church Planting degree can help you prepare to advance your academic studies in the future.

For instance, you could go on to pursue a full Master of Divinity (MDiv) or a Doctor of Ministry (DMin). While many schools require an MDiv for admission to doctoral degrees in divinity, Liberty allows you to complete the DMin program even if you only have an MAR – so you can get the education you need to pursue your career goals.

Is Liberty accredited?

Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Your seminary degree is approved by ATS and has met rigorous accreditation standards, so you can feel confident that your degree is both academically excellent and well-respected among churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.

Are you ready to change your future?

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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MA in Religion – Evangelism and Church Planting Degree Carry out the Great Commission

Help Fulfill the Great Commission with a Master of Arts in Religion – Evangelism and Church Planting Degree

Accreditation

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Online Master of Arts in Religion – Evangelism and Church Planting Degree?

Get the Tools You Need for Ministry Success – Included with Your Program

What Will You Study in the Online Master of Arts in Religion – Evangelism and Church Planting Program?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Requirements for Our Online Graduate Divinity Programs

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

Ready to Apply?

Military

Frequently Asked Questions for Our Online Master’s in Religion – Evangelism and Church Planting

Should I pursue an MDiv or an MAR in Evangelism and Church Planting degree?

What is the difference between an MAR and a Master of Arts in Church Planting?

Why pursue a master’s degree in evangelism and church planting?

Is Liberty accredited?

Are you ready to change your future?

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