 Frequently Asked Questions |
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How long will it take for my application to be processed?Applications require at minimum two weeks to review and process. There are many steps in this process and there are no short-cuts in processing them. You will be notified upon acceptance of your application. If you have not heard anything after one month then you may need to reapply being very careful to answer all the questions accurately and in detail. UCMI regards the application quite seriously and recommends that you are just as serious in your view of this process. Contacting the offices regarding your application whether by email or by telephone will only serve to slow the process down. Please be of patience. Most Denominational Ministries will require months to complete this work. UCMI moves the process along as quickly as is humanly possible. Will my licensure be accepted as Legal? YES ... in most all Christian countries around the world and in all 50 United States. Our Ordinations are widely accepted everywhere. We are already in most all locations around the world. Will all Christian Denominations accept my Licensure to Ministry? Most Denominations will require that you hold their Denomination's Licensure. Many will accept your Licensure however it is at their discretion as to whether or not they will do so. Your License is as legal as any other however this does not make it universally accepted within all Denominations. Independent Ministry Licensure means that you can minister "independently" , apart from any Denomination. . Why should I become licensed? I thought only God could ordain us. Christ calls us to His ministry. True! We live in the secular world, run by man. We are subject to man's laws. The Bible is clear that we are subject to obey the laws of man. Man's laws dictate that we be recorded as legally ordained. Without recorded ordination we will not be recognized as "legally ordained" in man's world. What is the difference between UCMI Independent Ministry Licensure or Conference Ordainment with the United Christian Assemblies? UCMI will issue Independent Christian Ministry Licensure to those who qualify. The Conference Ordination from our Conference of Churches is not independent but rather a sacred appointment or call to a position or office for the ministry within the structure of the UCA Conference. Many will wish to be structured and aligned with a greater body for the cause of the Lord and therefore request this Ordained status. The UCA Ordination requires a high measure of standards to be met than is required for licensure to general ministry. The UCA Ordination carries a much higher level of respect within the community and the UCA actively supports and backs the ministry of its Ordained Ministers. .Is there any other registration required to perform marriages? In most areas you must get your ordination recorded by the local government to legally perform marriages. You can check at the county or court clerk's office in your area for complete details and legal requirements. . Can I legally start a church? Yes you can but you must obtain a Church Charter to be recognized as a legal organization. . Can I name my church whatever I like? Yes .. our Church Charters are independent of UCMI and do not require you to list us in any way. Your Church is your own .. you do not answer to us. You may pick a name of your own for your church. (NOTE: we will not authorize any denominational names) . Is my ministry automatically Tax Exempt? NO .. You must file for non-profit status with the IRS. Forms are available at your post office. UCMI does not provide this coverage. To do so would require listing all of our ministers with the government. All of our ministers would then fall under governmental scrutiny. Additionally many would seek ordination through us just to receive a tax dodge. You can collect all the forms and information you require in this area directly from the IRS. . Why should I get any credentials when I become ordained? Most areas will require you to record your ordination with the local government to legally perform marriages, etc. Email notification contains NO authorized signature and therefor will not qualify for recording. Many areas will not accept anything delivered via email or received directly over the Internet. This fact mandates that you request professionally published Ministerial Credentials. There are other times that you may be asked to show some ID to prove your ordination as well. Check in your local area to find out your particular needs. . I thought ordination was free. Why is there a charge for a Letter or Certificate of Ordination? Ordination Licensure is 100% free. We charge for processing and shipping of professional credentials. We could not function for very long if we could not compensate for the costs of these materials and services. UCMI is a not-for-profit structured organization but we must offset our costs. . How long does it take to get my credentials? We will usually process the request on the same day we receive it and send the documents out the next day. Mail delivery time will vary according to your location. . Are there any renewal fees to keep my Ordination in tact and active? NO..... Once you are ordained by UCMI, you are registered as such for life! . Can my ordination ever be removed or revoked? Your ordination can only be reversed or removed by UCMI. We WILL remove an ordination from anyone who does not minister the Bible as God's Word or who does not minister Christ as the only savior of mankind. No Ministry outside of biblical Christianity is acceptable. . Is my personal information kept confidential? YES .. we will not give out your contact information without your approval being obtained first. We will allow other ministers within UCMI to contact you, but not the general public. We NEVER give out information for name lists or mailing lists. . Once licensed, what title may I use with my name? You may use any standard Christian title that you choose. Reverend, Pastor, Vicar, etc. Any acceptable title may be used. You are not assigned a specific title by UCMI. . Will I be able to ordain others into my new ministry? Yes .. once you have a registered ministry (chartered church) you can legally ordain others. . Am I required to make any donations to UCMI? You are not required to donate to anything in the cause of Christ, however your status with the ministry is directly connected to your willingness to help in support of the ministry. It is also a part of the covenant you have entered into with UCMI when you requested licensure. Giving is God's financial plan to support HIS church. It is a biblical mandate that you would be in support of the Church that Christ began. UCMI is a part of the working ministries of the Kingdom and therefore it is expected that you will be a covenant partner with UCMI in the gifts and offerings you sow into the Kingdom Ministries. |
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