Credential Levels
The Assemblies of God offers three different levels of credentials to those who are called of God into a life of ministry and service.
This level is for efficient helpers in gospel work who devote a part of their time to Christian service. They shall show promise of usefulness in the gospel work. They shall devote a part of their time to Christian ministry and, at the discretion of the district credentials committees, remain under the supervision of a pastor or a designated supervisor. They shall be actively engaged in some aspect of ministry.
This level is for those who have demonstrated that they have met the qualification for license. This includes a clear evidence of a divine call, character and preparation suitable for that calling, practical ministry experience, and an evident purpose to devote one’s life in service to the proclamation of the gospel.
This level is for those who give proof of their call and whose mature ministry qualifies them for a wide range of leadership responsibilities in full-time gospel ministries. Applicants must be at least 23 years of age, have held a ministries license, and have been engaged in active work as a pastor, evangelist, or some other recognized and proven full-time ministry for 2 full consecutive years immediately prior to ordination.
Preparation for Ministry
These questions and answers should help you in making the decion about your ministry preparation and credentialing.
> Who do you intend to go into ministry with?
The truth is that ministry can be very lonely—you are going to need friends, you won’t want to go it alone. There will also be times when you will need substantial help — advice, intervention, assistance, and so forth. You’ll want to go into ministry with an organization that has sufficient infrastructure to provide the kind of legal and financial benefits that will become very important to you later in life. You also will want to join a fellowship that is large enough to have lots of opportunities and a variety of opportunities. And most importantly, you’ll want to go into ministry with a fellowship that: agrees with your doctrines and values, holds their ministers accountable to sound doctrine, moral purity, financial integrity, and one that has a track-record of success.
In short, you’ll want to join a WINNING TEAM, with: sufficient RESOURCES to help you, lots of OPPORTUNITIES for you, and RELATIONSHIPS to walk with you for the long-haul.
Being credentialed with the Assemblies of God opens up tremendous doors of opportunity — because the A/G is recognized in every state in the USA, and over 200 countries world-wide. The A/G has a wide variety of ministries — churches, schools, foreign missions, domestic outreach, drug rehabilitation programs, and so forth. There are lots of opportunities. The A/G has the infrastructure to provide legal and financial benefits that you’ll need. And most importantly, The A/G holds it’s ministers to a high level of accountability without infringing on their freedom to minister.
> How long do you intend to be in the ministry?
If you intend to go into the ministry at your local church, or with some short-term missions, then you may not need much preparation and certification. The ministry where you will be serving may be able to give you a temporary local-church commission of some kind. However, these certifications are temporary, not-transferable, and won’t qualify you to do ministry on your own. It is very restricted.
If, however, you intend to go into ministry for the rest of your life, then you’ll need to do some extensive preparation and certification. You’ll want your ministry to be transferable to other cities and states and qualify you for various ministries. The New Testament model of ministry is one of regional recognition and influence — even the lesser apostles traveled and were recognized by other churches and cities and were not restricted to one church. And if you intend to make ministry your life, you’ll want to follow this biblical model — you will want to have a certification that is widely recognized.