A better starting point for pastoral candidates
Built to make pastoral candidacy work clearer.
ministry.bio gives candidates guided structure for doctrine, calling, experience, and ministry practice, then helps them turn that work into editable documents they can keep.
Free to begin. No card required.
Founder & reviewer
Jonathan
Founder of ministry.bio
Relevant background
- 12 years in electrical engineering, including work as a licensed Professional Engineer and electrical department manager
- Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Shepherds Theological Seminary
- Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.), Shepherds Theological Seminary
- Baker Publishing Academic Achievement Award
- Zondervan Academic Outstanding Hebrew Scholar
Before building ministry.bio, Jonathan spent 12 years as an electrical engineer and licensed Professional Engineer, ultimately serving as an electrical department manager. His work included contract documents, technical reports, specifications, hiring, interviewing, and the careful documentation required to turn complex requirements into dependable deliverables.
Jonathan left engineering to attend Shepherds Theological Seminary full time. He earned a Master of Theological Studies in one year and then continued into the Master of Divinity program, receiving the Baker Publishing Academic Achievement Award and the Zondervan Academic Outstanding Hebrew Scholar award.
The idea for ministry.bio emerged while he was preparing his own pastoral-ministry applications. Researching doctrinal statements, philosophies of ministry, ministry résumés, and the other documents requested during a pastoral search revealed a recurring problem: candidates may know what they mean while still struggling to express it with the precision the subject deserves.
The sentence that exposed the problem
I believe all Scripture is inspired.
I believe that inspiration extends to every part and every word of Scripture and that the original writings were without error in all that they affirm, whether concerning doctrine, morality, history, or the created order.
That comparison helped define the purpose of ministry.bio: provide carefully developed starting language, distinctions, and supporting references so candidates can understand, revise, and take responsibility for a statement that accurately expresses their own convictions.
Review accountability
Portfolio Review is completed by Jonathan or another qualified reviewer with relevant graduate education and professional experience reviewing complex written material. Every review remains advisory and document-focused; it is not ordination, denominational approval, placement, or a guarantee of candidacy success.
What ministry.bio is built to protect
Your convictions, your judgment, your final words.
The product supplies structure, carefully prepared starting language, and consistent formatting. It does not decide what a candidate believes or replace the discernment of a church.
- 01
Authorship stays with the candidate.
Guided builders support careful thinking and revision, but candidates remain responsible for every claim and every final word.
- 02
Private work stays private.
Nothing is shared until a candidate explicitly exports, submits, or publishes it. Permanent downloads do not depend on hosting.
- 03
Structure does not flatten the voice.
The aim is to make thoughtful, truthful work easier to prepare and easier for a search committee to understand—not to make every candidate sound alike.
Start where you are
Begin with doctrine. Build the full portfolio when you are ready.
The Doctrine Builder is free, private, and requires no card.