Questions for AG ministers (ordination)

[imperfectchristian]

I have some questions concerning ordination in the Assemblies of God church.

I am 28 years old, and have lead worship in my small non-denominational family church and a few other small churches for the past 10 years. Until recently I have been running from a call on my life to be a music minister. I finally accepted and gave in and now I am anxious to begin. However, I know that I need growth and sheperding which is why I was considering the Assemblies of God ordination process. Even though I have never formally belonged to an AG church, my beliefs line up quite fully with the statement of beliefs and positions of AG.

Can someone offer some insight and or advice over and above what is available on ag.org concerning ordination of a worship leader/pastor? How does this work? What can I do to make this happen?

 

[quietbloke]

To be considered as an Assemblies of God minister you need to first, be in fellowship and serve in an AoG church. You would need to be proved and matured in that Fellowship. It would be a good thing to get in contact with an Assemblies of God minister who would be able to advise you. God bless you, tlwGl .

 

[okieray]

get on the nat. aog web site in springfield mo. they have a lot of info. and will answer questions. if the holy spirit is moving you that way i say get` er done! it will take some time but i think you`ll be glad you did

 

[imperfectchristian]

To be considered as an Assemblies of God minister you need to first, be in fellowship and serve in an AoG church. You would need to be proved and matured in that Fellowship. It would be a good thing to get in contact with an Assemblies of God minister who would be able to advise you. God bless you, tlwGl .

I have been trying to contact an AG minister about these questions, and talked to one, but he was apparently in a rush and did not have time to talk with me.

My biggest question is if ordination is primarily for pastors and youth pastors. Do worship leaders/directors usually get ordained in the AG?

 

[quietbloke]

In the UK , Aog are a fellowship of churches and ministers and assemblies have fellowship together. The churches are represented on Regional and National level by a recognised person.

A church has to have a certain amount of people before it can have another recognised leader as well. )

What I'm trying to say is that I'm not sure whether other ministries are recognised officially,as far as being ordained by Aog.

That is why you need to talk to an AOG minister in America or find out whether the situation is any different there.

Sorry I can't be any more helpful.

 

[shaslove]

I have been trying to contact an AG minister about these questions, and talked to one, but he was apparently in a rush and did not have time to talk with me.

My biggest question is if ordination is primarily for pastors and youth pastors. Do worship leaders/directors usually get ordained in the AG?

I was in the AofG for awhile:

Yes. You have steps you go through, 1st Certification, then Licensing, then Ordination. There are periods of service in between each step. You also have to take classes, in the basics of the AofG faith. You can take these fairly easy. Go to www.ag.org, and look up "Licensing", and it will give you more info.

 

[RevDerek]

The first step is to become a member of an AG church. Get involved in the ministries at the church. After you have been there about 6 months and have a proven tithe and attendence record, then you will need to contact you District Office Credential Secretary and ask for a "New Minister" credential application for Certified Ministry. There is a fee you will have to pay with the application, you will have to have an interview and take an exam. You will also be required to take 9 classes either through Global University (Berean) or if your District has one, the District School of Ministry. They will also transfer credits for some courses from recognized Bible Colleges. There are 9 classes at each of the 3 levels. The AG History, Polity and Missions will have be done by correspondence/Distant Ed.

While there is no minimum time between Certified and Licensed, they will usually make you wait about a year. There is a two-year mandatory minimum between licensed and ordained.

In some cases, credentials will be transfered from another denomination, but there is no guarantee of it.

Hope this helps.

 

[RevDerek]

It is 8 classes per level. It used to be 11 per level.

Here are the Certified Level required courses:

Level 1 (Certified)

COURSE:

Introduction to Hermeneutics; Prison Epistles; Introduction to Pentecostal Doctrine; AG History, Missions, & Governance; Synoptic Gospels; Evangelism; Relationships & Ethics in Ministry; Acts

 

[mary48]

How would you get licensed in a word church then

 

[kidsminister]

I was in the AofG for awhile:

Yes. You have steps you go through, 1st Certification, then Licensing, then Ordination. There are periods of service in between each step. You also have to take classes, in the basics of the AofG faith. You can take these fairly easy. Go to www.ag.org, and look up "Licensing", and it will give you more info.

Here are the different types of credentials:

-Specialized Ministry License - this is for people who are called to minister in a specific area, such as music...women's ministries...health care ministries - things that are "callings" but aren't necessarily "preaching ministries." You have all the rights and privileges of a licensed minister in your state (i.e. marry and bury!), but if you want to get ordained, you must upgrade to License to Preach.

-License to Preach - if you are called to preach! This includes the roles of senior pastor, youth pastor, and (in most districts!) children's pastor. You must hold a License to Preach and serve in ministry in ONE church for a minimum of two years before applying for ordination.

-Ordination - This is the process by which you are formally recognized as a minister of the gospel through the laying on of hands by already ordained ministers. As mentioned, you must have a proven preaching ministry in one church for two years...go through a long application and interview process, and take a HUGE test (even more in-depth than the one you take for licensing!).

-Certificate of Ministry: This is sort of a "trial" credential that they give you for a year - you can apply for this when you initially go for your credentialing, or in some cases, your credentialing committee will "start you out" with it if they feel there is good cause (i.e. you have potential, and they feel that you are called, but some of your references were not glowing!). You must upgrade to a Specialized Ministry License or License to Preach within a year.

Whatever district (state!) you are in, you need to check with your district office for specific requirements, application deadlines, etc.

[I am an A/G children's pastor (License to Preach), and I just went through this whole process two years ago! Feel free to PM me if you have more questions!]

 

[kidsminister]

Someone PM'ed me asking me a question regarding becoming a licensed A/G minister if you're divorced. For some reason, I am unable to post a reply there, so I'll try here:

In 2001, they revised that rule...if your divorce took place PRIOR to your conversion, or if you had Biblical grounds (i.e. marital unfaithfulness or an unbelieving spouse who chose to leave you), you are eligible to become licensed.