Become an ordained minister?

I'm wanting to get involved heavily in the ministry. What must one do to become an ordained minister? Please let me know.

Thanks,

Matt

 

OK, OK, I won't say it. No, really. (Do they even have chaplains at Curves?)

For starters:
what religion are you,
to what sect do you belong,
and are you a member of a local congregation?

 

1) I am a non-denominational Christian.

2) Yes, I am a member of a church.

The goal is to travel around the country, and speak to churches on a regular basis, and eventually world wide.

 

Note to other posters: The kid's new. Yes, I know this should be on off-topic.
__________________________________________________

OK. Non-denom tells me nothing about your views, theological position, etc.

Talk to me if you want my help.

If your local church is not affiliated with any larger organization (true or false?), then does your local church have authority to ordain ministers? If so, only for work within that congregation or elsewhere, too?

"The goal"? Why that? Why you?

 

Matt,
If you are non-denominational, most likely your church would be the one to ordain you if they so choose. Why not ask your pastor what the process is?

In addition, you do not have to be ordained to speak in most churches, but do have to to perform weddings.

Stay far away from the many "ordination mills" online. Although their credentials might be legal, they are hardly ethical and will be looked down upon by any legit church organization.

BLD

 

There are many answers to your question. Ordination should take place within the context of a community.

There are many internet organizations where you can become "ordained" and it will not necessarily mean too much. Who is it.....Universal Life and a number of related groups that will ordain instantly over the net.

If you are looking for independent denominational ordination be cautious. I would say that you want to do some checking and get involved with a denomination that has some external recognition of its credentials. One simple way is to find a denomination that is recognized by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board/NCMAF. This is the umbrella group by which a denomination must be recognized for endorsement of Federal Chaplains such as the military (eg Active duty, Reserve, Civil AIr Patrol) and VA/Federal Prisons.

Being ordained in the Foursquare Church will not get you a position as an Episcopal priest, etc.

Also, each denomination has its own requirements. Many want the MDiv or equivalent and others will ordain folks who "read for orders" and still others anyone with a call.

If you want to become a military chaplain (includes Civil Air Patrol), VA, FBOP then you will need approx the following:

1) Accredited BA
2) 72 graduate hours from an accredited college or seminary at least half of which must be in theology (normally an MDIV).

and the endorsement of a denomination recognized by NCMAF.

Good luck.

North

 

In my non-denominational fellowship, anyone can be ordained by a local church. While most have educational credentials, it is certainly not a necessity.

It would seem to me that it would make the most sense for THEGOALIE to seek ordination through his/her own fellowship.

BLD

 

North, are you suggesting this isn't legitimate ordination?

www.ulc.org

 

The easy way would be to send in your $10.00 to one of the "churches" that run adds in the back of the Village Voice and Mother Jones Magazine that will ordain anyone with a check or money order.

But I assume that's notwhat you're looking for.

 

If you are involved in a local church, your pastor should be your first point of information.

The most important question, however, has not been asked. Has God called you into ministry? If you just want to do this, you may want to think again. The ministry is a calling from God and not something one wants to do just for the sake of doing it.

A possibility is looking into the ministry of the Christian Church of North America. This recognized denomination has an online Bible college that will meet credentialing requirements.

If you want ordination for personal ministry (independent ministry) with no intention of ever serving as chaplain in any capacity or ministering in a major denomination, you might look at the following:

1. The Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches

2. International Ministerial Fellowship

3. Pentecostal Assemblies of God

4. American Evangelical Christian Churches

5. The Missionary Church International

6. United Christian Ministerial Association

WORD OF CAUTION

Many will consider some or all of numbers 1-6 as ordination mills so you will need to procede very cautiously!

Best of luck!

 

Whatsa matter Janko?

Did Jimmy steal your ideas?



clint

 

Hardly.
I think Dr Clifton understands my profound disappointment in his reckless post.

 

Speaking now only of academics, and not having a minister's call and heart, which, I confess, I don't have:

re CCNA School of the Bible. I looked at that site and suprprisingly do not see the credentials of the teachers. I do see the books used for each course. Is one just buying books?

Are there not there also an assortment of well qualified School of the Bible personnel responsible in each area of study directing and evaluating student learning ?

Using your textbook , Jimmy, as someone works his/her way through Systematic Theology by Berkhof, that student may need a fairly sharp prof to develop and assess that student's competency in comparing, say, Berkhof on the kenosis with Erickson or on supra vs infralapsarianism with Berkouwer.

It hardly will do to simply read a book.

I'm not saying there are no such profs, I just don't see any listed. That little item always troubles me.

BTW, Thegoalie, how do feel that 1 Timothy 3,4 and Titus 1 concern your question?

 

I understand your "profound disappointment."

My first recommendation, the Christian Church of North America, is a good suggestion, I think. It is a recognized denomination with a long tradition in this country.

I know the others are not viewed favorably by a number of folks. I do not really like some of them either. A few, especially the first one, is a good suggestion.

A few others have real congregations, with real buildings, with real programs, and real worship services. I am not sure I would call them "ordination mills."

Perhaps a few would qualify. The ones that will ordain simply via mail are not good choices. Some (the ones with real congregations, buildings, etc.) require personal interviews and a "laying on of hands ceremony."

I do understand your concern, I really do. The man asked for some ideas and I presented them. Upon further reflection I probably should not have listed numbers two and six.

It was late. I see I made an error also. The Christian Church of North America's Bible college is not an online school. It is a correspondence school.

At least I didn't rercommend the Universal Life Church, the Progressive Universal Life Church or the Calvary Grace Churches of Faith (Is Angelo C. Spern still living?).

 

So, why not travel around the country and speak to churches on a regular basis? Why do you need to be ordained?

It sounds to me like you have inner doubts or something, and want some kind of external validation, however phony, that what you are proposing to do is righteous and justified. Or perhaps you fear that churches around the country won't see any more reason for you to come and speak to them than anyone else they have never heard of off the street.

I don't know, I'm basically clueless about this protestant ordination/preaching stuff.

But it seems to me that if you want formal validation from a church organization, then you need to formally join an organized church and then undertake their program of clergy preparation.

If you just want to preach outside a formal church context, then you don't need a phony certificate from an ordination mill. Just do it. Whether anyone else listens to you or responds to you is up to them and God, I guess.

 

On the way to the doctor's today I suddenly realized I failed to list the Evangelical Church Alliance. This a fairly well respected organization.

 

Hi Bill,

The Christian Church of North America used to be called the Italian Christian Church. I don't think they have an Bible colleges or seminaries but I just don't know. I will email them and find out. I do know they are a legitimate denomination of nearly 8,000 members in about 100 churches.

I certainly agree with you that ministers must be educated. I grew up in the south and I saw Pentecostal, Holiness, Full Gospel, and Baptist congregations ordain as young as eight. Al Sharpton was ordained at 10 by the Pentecostals.

Salvationists, Volunteers, Quakers, Baptists have and still do ordain, commission, and record people to the ministry with little or no theological training. I don't agree with this but they do.

 

Hmmmmm........define legit

Well, my dog has sensed the call lately.....maybe.....
Actually did they not have a request that people not get their pets ordained (I guess it had been happening).

Goalie has gotten some advice to weigh carefully (ps Goalie...Dr. Russell is not intending to switch his credentials to the ULC any time soon).

International Ministerial Fellowship may not be everyone's cup of tea but judging by their current requirements and web site they do seem legitimate and make efforts with regard to background checks, stated requirements, experience, recommendations, current ministry, education, etc.

Just be cautious. NCMAF recognition is a good way to ensure 3rd party recognition of credentials BUT WILL NOT mean as I say that you will be able to leap from that to a job as an Episcopal Priest or Wisconsin Synod Lutheran Church. Each denomination has very specific requirements including in some cases insistence that the education come from one of their seminaries (trying to avoid pollution).

Also, unlike more established denominations, independent ordination means usually there are no churches/ministry to be simply transfered to or referred to. FOr example, a Bishop in the Episc. Church may have openings in several paarishes and send you around to bascially interview (they don't call it that but it is what it amounts to). IMF and otehrs are not likely to have that situation. You will need to create your ministry.

PS If you have difficulty, contact the Wisc. Synod Lutheran Church, they are very open to considering many different backgrounds, seminary experiences, etc. The more liberal you are the better.................(just kidding Unc Janko.......I can hear the swearing now in several languages and slavic dialects). For those outside the loop, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod considers itself conservative and the Evangelical Lutheran Church to be liberal to the point of almost beining in league with Episcopalians (Oh wait...they are). The ELCA considers the LCMS to be right wing and the Wisc Synod to be to the right of Attila the Hun and stuck in a century or two ago). Wisc Synod considers the LCMS to be doctrinally liberal and the ELCA to unitarians. Eee...Iiiii...Eeee...IIII..Ohhhh.

Seriously for most folks this whole thing is hard to figure out, easy to step on toes and oy vey. That is one of the reasons why Dr. Bear quit including a Relgious section for DL degrees (produced a lions share of his hate mail and he could not figure out the difference ebtween PCUSA & PCA, etc).

So...Goalie....be cautious.

North

 

In the Riverside County of California anyone can perform weddings if one obtains a permit. In California the authority to conduct weddings depends on the the county.