Becoming a Minister

Do you feel a calling from the Lord? Are you searching for your purpose in life? Maybe you’ve thought about becoming a minister but aren’t sure where to begin. If you feel a deep desire to help others connect with God and want to serve Jesus Christ with your whole heart, Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) is here to help you answer that call.

Christian Leaders Institute Can Help You

Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) is your path to becoming a church or kingdom minister.

Church Ministers: Serve a local church as volunteers, part-time, or full-time.
Kingdom Ministers: Serve in your community and beyond, often as volunteers. Some roles, like Chaplain, Life Coach Minister, and Wedding Officiant, can be part-time or full-time jobs.

A Ministry Clergy Program

Becoming a minister involves six key steps: Walk, Calling, Study, Endorsements, Recognition, and Commissioning.

Beware of Ordination Mills

Some websites offer quick minister certificates. They let you be ordained by simply saying you want to be a minister. This is known as an “ordination mill.” These certificates do not require proper training or credentialing.

What You Need to Do

Follow these six steps to become a credentialed minister:

1. Walk

Your walk with God is the foundation. Are you a Christian who has surrendered to Jesus Christ and wants to follow Him daily? CLI’s first course will help you understand this deeper.

2. Calling

Being a pastor is responding to God’s call. This call often comes after you accept Jesus. You may feel called to reach others, or receive a vision or dream from God. Are you discerning your specific calling?

Church Ministry vs. Kingdom Ministry

Church Officiants or Ministers: Serve in their local church and its community.
Kingdom Officiants or Ministers: Support their church and serve broader communities outside the local church. Some ministers do both.

3. Study

To get your credentials, you need to study. Full-time ministry may require a bachelor’s or master’s degree. CLI offers many study programs to prepare you for different ministry roles.

Full-time Ministry: More study is needed, often including higher education.
Volunteer or Part-time Ministry: Many roles are volunteer or part-time, following the example of early Christian deacons and Elders, and bishops.

CLI provides over 200 courses to help you become confident and skilled in ministry.

4. Endorsements

Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA) does not accept online-only ordinations. Local verification is important. Endorsements ensure you are trusted and recognized by your community.

5. Recognition

Recognition means others acknowledge your ministry training. At CLA, this includes listing your name in the Minister Directory. After completing your program, you can order recognition packages that include:

Your credential
A letter of good standing
An ID card
Other Clergy items

Packages range from $150 to $350 in the United States.

6. Commissioning

The final step is commissioning. This is a ceremony where you are recognizes you as a clergy member. For church ministers, church leaders pray over you. For kingdom ministers, a leader, mentor, or another minister prays over you. If you are a kingdom minister or officiant where no church or pastor is present, the ceremony can include other believers. This shows your community of faith that you are now a commissioned minister or officiant.

Conclusion

Christian Leaders Institute and Christian Leaders Alliance provide a clear, trustworthy path to becoming a ministry leader. By following the steps of Walk, Calling, Study, Endorsements, Recognition, and Commissioning, you can become a respected and effective minister.

Minister Story

Hello, my name is Brad Henry, and I am becoming a minister through my studies at Christian Leaders Institute. I currently live in Massachusetts and have three biological children, two adopted children, two stepchildren, and three grandchildren.

My Journey

I grew up in the Lutheran Church, mostly living with my grandparents in Colorado. Later, while my brother and I lived with our mother, we were baptized into the Mormon faith when I was 15. Shortly after that, we moved out of town and stopped attending church. For the next 35 years, I was not consistently active in any church, though I had many conversations with Jesus during that time. Finally, around 2016, prompted by an old friend and in memory of my mother, I started attending the Mormon church again. However, that only lasted for about two years, as things weren’t clicking for me.

Saved by Grace

In the fall of 2020, a friend introduced me to an online Christ-based group. After watching a few Zoom meetings, I quickly wanted to join his group. We reviewed a Bible study each week, checked in on each other, and shared prayer requests. In January 2021, I helped my friend move out of state, and I ended up staying for four days. During that time, all we did was talk about God’s grace and Christ Jesus. My mind and heart finally realized that God is real. I knew then that I wanted to give my life to Christ. So, my friend baptized me, and there is no looking back.

Called to Minister

I began praying earnestly and thinking about how I could best dedicate my life to Christ. Then, one day in March of this year, I heard the word “minister” loud and clear in my head. My friend was enrolled in the Christian Leaders Institute and had talked to me about it from time to time. So, I asked him for more details, and now here I am at CLI!

God has been incredibly patient with me. Looking back, I can see how God tried to get my attention many times. He was always there, watching over me. I am so grateful that I finally listened to Him, and I’m blessed to have a lady in my life for whom God is vital. We love to talk about Christ, faith, and scripture. I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with her!

My spiritual dream is to minister to individuals and small groups, whether in person or online. Unfortunately, I work full-time with a busy schedule that is constantly changing. The only way I can receive an education in ministry is through CLI. I am grateful to be able to be a support others to in their walk to ministry.