Frequently Asked Questions for World Christianship Ministries

If you have any questions that are not answered on this page, give us a call (559) 297-4271

Is the government involved in the ordination of ministers?

No, ordination is a religious process and the government is not involved. The reason ordination is legal is because it is protected under the religious freedom section of the constitution.

A am a retired senior citizen and veteran and in my 60’s, can I get ordained and start
    doing religious services right away?

Certainly, World Christianship Ministries (The WCM) welcomes seniors and veterans. We have ordained tens of thousands of senior citizens in their 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s over the past 41+ years, they are doing wonderful works. Once ordained you can start doing legal wedding ceremonies, baptisms and other Christian services right away.

Is it possible to expedite my ordination?

Yes, if you have something coming up quick like a marriage ceremony, baptism or funeral service, we can have you ordained the same day we have your application. Then we will PDF a copy of your original ordination certificate to your E-Mail address that day. Your original certificate and whatever else you applied for are usually mailed out the next business day. Applications can be Faxed in, Called in or E-Mailed to us as a PDF for JPEG attachment. Application can also be mailed to us.

Does my ordination have to be renewed each year?

No, ordination is for life as long as your work is Christian only and nothing illegal is done with the credentials.

What is the difference between The WCM’s ordination and the ordination provided by other
    ordaining ministry’s on the internet like Universal Life Church, The Monastery and
    The American Marriage Ministry AMM?

We, The WCM, are a Christian Ministry and ordain Christian Clergy only, and we only authorize Christian services.

What other services besides ordination does World Christianship Ministries offer?

In addition to ordination, The WCM offers excellent Bible Study Courses and many different Handbooks designed to give people guidance in the direction they might want to take their ministry. One of ourmost popular handbooks is our Marriage Minister Handbook which gives straight to the point guidance on how to do wedding ceremonies. This handbook was written by the founder of The WCM  based on over 2,500 wedding ceremonies he personally performed.

Do you ordain every person that applies?

 

Why do you not ordain anonymously right on the internet where I can just type in my name
    and address and instantly print out an ordination certificate?

That would leave the door wide open for fraudulent applications. We require personal contact by phone, fax, E-mail or regular mail.

How fast will you process my application once it is received?

Generally we will have your package placed in the mail 1-2 business days after your application is received.

What are Clergy Packages?

Clergy Packages, also known as Minister Packages or Ordination Packages are composed of ordination documents, materials, handbooks, Bible studies put together in various configurations for a lesser offering.

How long before I will receive The WCM’s mailed out information packet after I leave my name
    and address on your website?

Generally we place your information packet in the mail the next business day.

What authority do you give to the people you ordain?

We give you all the authority necessary to begin your own independent ministry or church. We empower you with the authority of ordination, and the authority to perform all Christian services including the rites of marriage and baptism. You will have the same legal authority as any clergy or any denomination.

Do I need to be ordained or licensed or both?

Both terms mean basically the same thing so we incorporate both terms on our ordination document. Many people are confused about the term “licensed” minister, thinking in some way it comes from the government. It does not.

Due to the state the world is in right now we do not ordain outside the USA. In prior years we have ordained people in over 85 countries.

Doing Marriage Ceremonies

Marriage ceremonies are one of the most enjoyable ceremonies a minister can perform. This is also one aspect of your ministry where you can earn money to support your ministry and family. We highly recommend you explore the possibility for doing wedding ceremonies.  Visit our  Weddings Page then visit our Doing Marriages in Yosemite Page!

Can I make money by doing weddings?

Absolutely!  Doing weddings is an excellent way to earn money to support your ministry and family. There are several websites now that list ministers in all areas of the country that do weddings ceremonies. We have provided some of these websites in our Marriage Ministers Handbook.

After being ordained by World Christianship Ministries can I do weddings in all states?

Yes, you can do weddings in all states.  But keep in mind that some states require you to register with a particular county office for doing weddings before you can do a ceremony there. However, most states do not require registration or filing a copy of your credentials of ordination first. Check YOUR states requirements for doing weddings by going to our Marriage Laws in all States Page.

If you are doing a wedding in a state other than your own state, always check with the local Marriage License Office in the county of that state where you are going to do the wedding and ask them if you need to do anything extra with them before doing the ceremony. Never do a wedding in any state until you know for sure if you need to register or file a copy of your ordination certificate with them first.

Is there any legal requirement of what I should say in a wedding ceremony?

There are 2 legal requirements that must be in each ceremony. First the couple must know they are getting married.  To satisfy this the minister would ask each of the people getting married if they accept each other as husband and wife respectively.  The second requirement is that someone in authority (the minister) pronounce them formally as husband and wife. Everything else in the ceremony is up to the person performing the ceremony, and the couple if they wish to add some of their own words to the ceremony.

Can I perform a marriage outside the USA?

In some countries you can do weddings, in others it may not be possible. Outside the USA you are dealing with different laws and regulations. Before doing a wedding outside the USA check with officials from that country to see if it is possible for you to come into the country and perform a legal wedding.

Why is it legal for me to perform a marriage?

 

What is the ministers role in handling the marriage license?

The couple getting married MUST have a valid marriage license from the county before you can perform the wedding ceremony. You MUST see the license BEFORE the ceremony, and verify that the two people getting married are really the ones on the license. After the ceremony the minister portion on the license must be completed properly by you. The license must then be filed with the proper county office in the time period specified by law in that state. We recommend that you get a copy of our
Marriage Minister Handbook which is based on over 2,500 wedding ceremonies performed by the founder and administrator of WCM. The handbook is straight to the point and easy to understand It addresses major aspects of the marriage from handling the license, wording for ceremonies, how to position the wedding party, where to advertise your services, and more.

Is it hard to do weddings?

No, many couples basically just want to be pronounce as husband and wife and meet the legal requirement for marriage.  But most people prefer a short ceremony.

Can I perform a wedding in the USA if I am not a citizen?

Check with the Marriage License Office in the county where you wish to do the ceremony.

Handbooks and Materials

What kind of handbooks and materials does WCM offer?

What type of Bible Study does World Chrisitanship Ministries have?

The WCM offers 9 different Bible Study courses using the King James version of the Bible. For detailed information about these well received, excellent courses visit our Bible Study Page.

 General Questions

About how many people has WCM ordained?

 

Is my name put on any mailing lists or shared with other organizations?

No, absolutely not!  Your information is private and not shared with any organizations or put on any mailing lists.

Does The WCM offer the Honorary Pastoral Counselor Certificate?

 

Which ordination title should I choose?

All of our titles have the same authority so the title you pick is not that important. Most people pick the general titles like Minister, Reverend and Pastor.

Do I have to register with the government after being ordained, and will the government recognize me?

Neither the Federal or State governments register clergy members. There are a few states where you must file a copy of your ordination certificate with them before doing weddings, but they are not registering you just because you are a minister. The ordination of ministers is a religious process protected under the constitution and does not involve the government.

If I have a question after being ordained can I contact you?

Certainly, we are happy to answer your questions. Our phone number is (559) 297-4271

    Can I use the name of World Christianship Ministries once I am ordained?

The answer to this question is yes and no. You can use our name as the ordaining authority which  gave you the right to do Christian services such as marriage, baptism and funerals. You can use our name as the authority that gave you the right to begin your own independent church or ministry. We DO NOT give anyone that we ordained the right to use World Christianship Ministries name in a way that makes it sound like that name belongs to them. World Christianship Ministries name is an incorporated LLC and may not be used as the name of your new independent church or ministry. Also World Christianship Ministries ^{TM SM}  was a Registered Trademark and retains all rights to the name. World Christianship Ministries name has been in continual use for 42+ years.
 

No, our purpose is to give you the authority of ordination to do Christian services. We do not get involved in taxes. If you wish to apply for those things then it would have to be in your name and your ministry’s independent name. Under no circumstances do we allow WCM’s name to be used on any type of tax exemption application. Most of the people we ordain prefer to have a tax paying ministry rather than a tax exempt ministry.

Do I need to be Ordained or Licensed or Both?

They are both basically the same so we incorporate both terms on our Ordination Certificate.

Does WCM offer the honorary Doctor of Divinity certificate?

Yes, we do offer that certificate.

Does WCM offer the Letter of Good Standing or Confirmation of Communion certificate?

Yes, that certificate is currently offered as a Free Bonus item with either our Basic Ordination Package, Or Clergy Package #1, #2, #3, #4 or #3-B.

Can I use my credentials to minister in Jails or Penal facilities?

The answer is Yes and No. We do not allow anyone to use our credentials to enter a penal facility. You would need to enter the facility in your own church or ministry name after you have established that name in a way the facility accepts. Once in the facility our credentials can certainly be used for Christians services.

Does The WCM write and prepare all of the things they offer?

Yes, everything that we offer was written and prepared by this ministry only. Most were written by the founder/administrator. We do not allow any copying of our copywrited material.