Eight Steps to Credentialing

1.    Understand the purpose of a ministerial credential:

  • To affirm (not bestow) God’s call upon your life
  • To verify that you meet the qualifications and standards for ministry in The Evangelical Free Church of America
  • To approve you for ministerial service of the EFCA
  • To provide legal status in the exercise of your ministry (the IRS looks for a nationally recognized credential; in this case the EFCA)

2.    Understand that every credential is the property of the EFCA and is given to a candidate “in trust”.

3.    Understand that three entities will be involved in your credentialing process.

Credentialing 3-Legged Stool

4.    Review the following documents and call (209.667.5789) or e-mail () the EFCA West office with any questions:

General requirements for ministerial credentials

Preliminary Application for Ministerial Credential

Steps Toward Credentialing booklet

What It Means to be an EFC

5.    Complete the Preliminary Application and mail it with (a) your letter of intent and (b) the processing fee to:               

Credentials

EFCA West

2111 Geer Rd., Suite 510

Turlock, CA  95382

6.    Upon receipt of the preliminary application, our office will send you a packet of materials that spells out the various requirements involved in obtaining a credential.  The heart of the process involves writing a doctrinal thesis and an oral defense before a council.  EFCA West has a network of groups designed to assist you with the theological portion of the thesis.

7.    Depending on your schedule, you can expect your portion of the process to take 6-24 months after which your application and supporting documents are submitted to the national EFCA’s Board of Ministerial Standing (BOMS) for their approval.  You can expect the approval process to take an additional 3-12 months.

8.    You will receive the appropriate document from the EFCA West office depending on the credential earned (3-year license, Certificate of Christian Ministry, Certificate of Ordination, etc.)  A public worship service celebrating the ordination is required for first-time ordinations but is optional for transfers of ordination.