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ORDINATION REQUIREMENTS
See Notes At Bottom of
Page
Click here to go directly to application.
Ordinations are freely given to all, however effective 23 October 2007, we find ourselves in the position of having to ask each candidate to make a love donation of $20.00 (USD) to help defray mailing and other expenses incurred by the Church. To comply with and gain secular governmental recognition of your ordination we require that you have read and agree with our (1) STATEMENT
OF FAITH (2) CODE OF ETHICS, and (3)that you have read and understand the eBooks,
PATHWAY
TO THE STARS and
BEGINNING MINISTRY
. Issuance of Certificates and I.D.'s to you
declare in writing that you have completed and are in agreement with the
foregoing requirements. Failure to subscribe to these requirements is reason for
revocation of your Ordination in this faith.
For your convenience a link to the ordination application is at the bottom of this page, but please read the entire page!
The purpose of this denomination is
to declare to the world that you wish to be a member of the Body of Christ as it
existed during the ministry of Jesus Christ and directly following before
mankind began to convolute His teachings and the Holy Bible in order to serve
the goals of domination and control of converts; their lives, their minds, their
souls, their bodies and their wealth.
Those wishing ordination must
contact the founder and membership through the Church
Email Group and give their name, their email address, mailing address, the
name of their Ministry, and its physical location (internet presence) or in lieu
of such named Ministry, a request to be a Pastoral Counselor At Large. All
existing Ministries and including that of Pastoral Counselor At Large will
become "affiliated" with this Church (which is another way of saying
they will be Chartered at no cost, now or in the future). An applicant's
age, sex, race, sexual orientation, national origin, phone number, or education have
absolutely no bearing on Ordination in this
Church. We do not limit whom the Creator will call into His service to
others. It is also good to include in your request a short biographical sketch of yourself and background so that the membership can feel they know you a little better before voting on your application.
I must repeat, we do not deny the gifts of this Church to members based on their sexual preferences. We, as a body, have learned that homosexuality, regardless of what you have been told by others, was a part of the ORIGINAL COVENENT with God. We see this as a lifestyle, a lifestyle that you do not have to accept, but one that you must not heap condemnation upon. We are tolerant and view all such matters with the same "eye" and "understanding", applying the Biblical standard of conduct one expects of a heterosexual to those who live a different lifestyle.
Along with the foregoing
information, you must write a synopsis of what you have learned from reading the
three works referenced above and a statement describing your desire to follow
the Holy Spirit in your life. After joining the email group and posting
your request, Ordained members may ask questions for you to respond to or they
may just signify a positive declaration of your submission. Only three
positive declarations are needed from the group of previously Ordained Ministers
to approve your request. Ordinations in this Church are for life, but you
may withdraw your ordination from The Church Of Interfaith Christians, USA, by
merely sending a request to do so to the church office by using our handy contact us page.
YOU
CANNOT BUY ORDINATION OR RECOGNITION BY THIS CHURCH! Only
a stated agreement with our Statement Of Faith, an understanding by the
applicant of our inclusive beliefs and the acceptance of fellow Ordained
Ministers.
>>>>>>Sample Application from Rev. Dr.
Danny Lee Turner: (You may add your own experiences and beliefs.)<<<<<<
"I agree with you that we need to
keep the church as you first envisioned it, but understand that to keep us all
legal and safe as in the laws of the land that you must make changes.
Therefore, I will make the following statements:
I, Danny Lee Turner, hereby state
that I have read the Statement of Faith of The Church Of Interfaith Christians
and that I agree with them. I have asked for Ordination into
this Church because I believe in the work that it is performing. I asked
because being a Christian since a teen, I have been involved with a well known
Protestant group. For years, I have felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me
about how the Church has fallen away from the teachings of the Lord as they were
taught while He walked the earth. I have come to the understanding through
the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in me that all faiths are correct and
that their beliefs were the work of the Lord to bring all persons into His
Kingdom, through reaching them through their lifestyle and culture
backgrounds. The Holy Spirit has worked through me and shown me that all
living things have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. Thus, showing them
the pathway they must follow to the Lord.
I therefore submit this statement
to The Church Of Interfaith Christians, USA."
>>>>>>Application
from Rev. Dr. Garrison<<<<<<
Dear Rev.
Ernest A. Stedman:
I Rev. William Garrison agree that we should keep the church as you
visioned. I make this statement to make sure that all is legal and
within the requirments within the law of the land.
I William J. Garrison hereby state that I have read "Statement of
Faith" of Interfaith Christians and agree with ....................... & Pastoral Counselor at Large because I
belief in the work of the church. I belief that the teachings of the
church have fallen away from the original teachings when the Lord
walked the earth. I am being lead by the Holy Spirit to understand
that all faiths and beliefs are lead by God and see that he is
reaching them and leading them to a pathway to follow. I have
learned a great deal from the 3 works I have read, I have a better
understanding and dealing with the church. I have retired from the
emergency medical services (27 years) and always felt that the Holy
Spirit was working with me and now being a Minister, I see those
same individuals in a spiritual crisis.
I believe that the Lord has given me the responsiblity of bringing
his word to the people, going to them giving them free Bibles,
tracts, etc. I therefor submit this to you for consideration:
Rev. William J. Garrison, Jr.
Independent Ministries
39471 Schuler Mountain Rd. Chilhowie, VA. 24319
revgarrison@smyth.net or revgarrison@yahoo.com
>>>>>>Partial
Application from Rev. Dr. Mayo:<<<<<<
"I can
really appreciate your views concerning the "organized" denominations,
and how they have historically ruled through superstition and fear. I
agree with this very strongly, especially in light of the reason I returned to
The Church Of Interfaith Christians, which was the sadness I felt when the
Church I belonged to took great pains to judge other faiths, condemn anyone not
of their exact viewpoints, and the fact that they set themselves up as the
supreme watchdogs of all media.
I embrace the
Interfaith philosophy because I fee that there is merit in ALL Christian faiths,
and to follow our Lord and Savior, free of dogma and Church policies, which
often mean politics and infighting, which cast a taint on the simple and blessed
Word of our Lord.
I remain your
eager student, supporter and friend."
>>>>>>Complete
Application From Rev. Dr. Stein<<<<<<
"Greetings Rev. Steadman
and all the Clergy,
As required, I offer the following as fulfillment of the requirements
for ordination:
I am interested in aligning my ongoing liturgical Christian ministry
with The Church Of Interfaith Christians, USA, as I feel strongly our
theological and philosophical positions are similar, and because for
all of us who are called to lead as Christian ministers, it is time to
put aside cultural divisions and embrace the teachings of our Lord
Jesus Christ in a renewed and spirit-filled way. Thus, I will make the
following statements:
I, Richard Stein, hereby state that I have read the Statement of Faith
of The Church Of Interfaith Christians and that I agree with the
materials and theological platform contained therein.
I have asked for Ordination into this Church because I strongly
believe our Christian Faith has been diluted and convoluted with
social controls that are not in any way representative of the
teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and those of us who believe this
is true have a need to work in community, as mandated by Scripture, to
bring a change in spiritual direction that better represents a people
existing in love of God rather than in fear of each other. I feel Rev.
Dr. Steadman's approach and life-long study of the faith has merit and
demands assistance.
I have been called to minister to the faithful in His Church but
postponed my vocation due to the state of our Church today, which left
me feeling as if the Spirit had left. After years as an executive in
the advertising business I could not resist the calling any longer and
have retired to devoted my life to serve Him. This being the case, I
have spent the last ten years attempting to align my vocation with
church jurisdictions within historic apostolic succession, but
encountered numerous problems: lack of clarity and quality, and the
usual theological barriers erected by those who put fear before love
in their social outlook and ministry. As a result I now declare
apostolic succession, as a prerequisite to valid Christian ministry,
is no longer a guarantee of theological or spiritual wholeness, as
witnessed by the extraordinary clerical abuses being uncovered today
by churches who hold claims to legitimacy based on apostolic
succession. Furthermore, I declare that the divisions cast as dogma in
churches claiming to be Christian have a basis in human
misunderstanding, are marred by the fingerprint of sin and are only
valid within a state of spiritual repression.
That the Holy Spirit is my guide as I discern the nature of religious
tradition today is of paramount importance. Through a life of
continual prayer I have been led to a larger understanding of
spirituality and as a result I bring my vocation and my ministry to
the doorstep of The Church Of Interfaith Christians, that I might be
deemed worthy to continue on the traditions of the Christian Church as
it was taught by our Lord Savior Jesus Christ and to add to the vision
of the founder, Rev. Dr. Ernest A. Steadman.
I therefore submit this statement to The Church Of Interfaith
Christians, USA.
Richard Stein
500 SE 102nd Avenue
Vancouver, WA 98664
Email address: pastor_st_sophia@yahoo.com
Website address: http://home.comcast.net/~st-sophia/index.htm
My ministry is called St. Sophia Church of the East and is best
described as a nondenominational Christian Church modeled after the
Ancient Church, with a reformed oriental orthodox theology
(Syrio-Indian) and liturgy.
I am a 49-year-old married man with two children, a son age seven and
a new daughter, age 7 months."
Continuing erosion of the
recognition of organizations, such as the Universal Life Church, in such states
as New York and North Carolina, through legislative means, and with
uncomplimentary statements coming from the Tennessee Secretary of State as to
the validity of religious organizations who require nothing from Ordained
Ministers other than a request and the submission of a fee, it was considered by
the membership of this Church that changes needed to be made in the way we
conducted our affairs, specifically as they dealt with the Ordination of new
Ministers. The following are some of the comments which were used to
evolve our organization and establish the new Ordination requirements without
sacrificing our core beliefs. Of course, none of this has any bearing on
anything we could do in Nevada, save the ability of a Minister in that state
being able to serve with another "established" and long standing
congregation for a period of at least three years before Nevada will recognize
their status as a Minister.
>>>>>>Contribution
by Brother Shane:<<<<<<
"There seems to
be two subjects to consider: 1. Legality, or acquiescing to intrusive government
and 2. Defining Ordination with The Church Of Interfaith Christians, USA.
...both are
interrelated, of course, but let's look at them separately.
(First Point)
Ordination is defined along similar lines within the Judeo-Christian mainstream
with differences in the "unique" application of understanding
denominational affiliations. Added to this is the Government's Orwellian
double-speak concerning it's recognition of denominational Ordination. The
Government does not consider Ordination outside of a denominational
context. The elements held most in common with all the denominations, and
thus the Government, are as follows:
1. Letter to
the denomination requesting licensee and/or Ordination within said denomination.
2. Some form of
preliminary examination by the denomination; usually in the form of statements
of oath to denominational standards and acceptance of forms and practices of the
denomination.
3. Review of
the applicant by the Deaconate, the Congregation or some Committee
thereof. In most denominations, credentialing is an important process of
becoming a Minister; usually the denomination has it's own school, college
and/or seminary by which the applicant must hold some credential before
acceptance into a licensed/Ordained ministry.
4. If selected
to the ministry, there is usually some form of public ceremony or affirmation.
This is what the
Government recognizes when it tries to determine a "legal" Ordained
Minister.
(Second Point)
So, in view of the above; what would be the most appropriate manner in which The
Church Of Interfaith Christians can meet the "governmental standard"
of a legally Ordained Minister without becoming that which we detest?
A third subject to
consider is what constitutes a Church in the eyes of Government? Again,
the Government does not consider the belief system of that Church, but rather it
considers the presence or absence of a historical standard as presented by the
mainstream Judeo-Christian culture. The ULC has failed to show a
"Ministerial Standard" as well as an established "historical
practice"; in effect, the ULC has doomed itself because it is so very open
and nondiscriminating and does not have a record of actual Church
practice. The Government, intrusive and possibly unconstitutionally
minded, is "culling" any and all Ministers and Churches that do not
follow the established practices briefly described above.
The Church Of
Interfaith Christians, USA, is ahead of the game because of having recognition
as a valid faith, because of established Churches here in America and abroad,
because of having Ministerial Standards, etc. However, there is some
amount of work to be done to protect against the Government and the
mainstream. The question remains, though, how best to protect ourselves
and yet remain true to the calling which created The Church Of Interfaith
Christians? One thing we may wish to stress is the importance of
"True Ordination" - that is our calling to the work of God
(dess/Supreme Deity) by God versus "Legal Ordination" - the
Government's lame reasoning to further complicate our lives."
>>>>>>Contribution
by Rev. Dr. Gregoire<<<<<<
"Great
thoughts, as we have grown, it forces us to re-structure and create a stable
organization with an established creed, that answers the why, how, where, when
and who, which adds to the credibility of all concerned. All, who are part
of our organization have answered a calling from that Spirit that is within us
all."
>>>>>>Contribution
by Rev. Dr. Crabtree<<<<<<
"So why not ask
the candidate for a brief explanation of how the Holy Spirit called him/her to
the ministry, and the board would assess that paper, not on theological or
technical issues, but rather appearance of sincerity. Would this not side
step any appearance of doctrine as being established within the body of The
Interfaith Christian Church and establish for Government purposes and appearance
of a determined exercise by the candidate to gain Ordainment?"
>>>>>>Contribution
by Rev. Dr. Bennett<<<<<<
"There clearly
needs to be a standard. But it should not be one of total
conformity. We do not want a Ministry of "clones" who all think
exactly the same, and jump to the same tunes.
The idea of reading
the three documents mentioned, and of applying by letter with details concerning
faith and belief in why he or she feels God is leading them to Ordination seems
a good choice. Certainly, I agree with the idea that an attempt to
evaluate an applicants "Sincerity" is more important than their grasp
of "theology". How a person stand before God, before the Lord
Jesus Christ and how he or she feels led by the Holy Spirit is of top
priority. So too, is one's prayer life and attempt to read the Scriptures
regularly. It might also be born in mind that sometimes a member may wish
to query or question something in an applicant's letter. In that case,
Ordination should wait until the query or question is dealt with. I also
like the idea of a minimum number of members to sponsor an applicant."
>>>>>>Additional
Contribution by Rev. Dr. Crabtree<<<<<<
"I think that
is what Rev. Steadman is attempting to accomplish by his untiring efforts to
gain "acceptance" by "man" (the state) of The Church Of
Interfaith Christians. And, I think most of us agree that this is a
necessary step, it's just as Rev. Steadman and I feel, the organization must
find a way to comply with the laws of man without adopting "doctrine"
--- the nefarious translations of the Holy Scriptures and the piecemeal use of
various verses to justify (albeit totally out of context) the needs of the
parent organization.
It is my dream, to
be just a small part of a greater whole, a composition dedicated to the
teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and not a bureaucracy founded to maintain
ecclesiastical standards imposed upon the Ministers and laity -- as this
"control" in my opinion only separates the individual from Holy
Communion with God, the Father, and Christ, the Son, through the Holy
Spirit."
>>>>>>Continuing
Contribution by Rev. Dr. Crabtree<<<<<<
"I think the
base for this questioning about compliance with "Mans" laws, are due
in part to a base concern that some of us see regarding the underlying threat or
indication that certain extremists within the mainstream are very definitely to
"License" Ministers for (1) create a facade of perceived
professionalism within the ministry, such as we have seen with the requirements
of other professions that are now regulated and licensed by the state, and (2)
regulate the dissemination of religious teachings which in effect violates the
constitutional standard of "no laws establishing a state religion".
Rev. Steadman,
through his leadership, is trying to place The Church Of Interfaith Christians
in compliance with these laws without establishing a Church Doctrine (something
we have been against since day one). This compliance would protect us and
future members/Ministers while witnessing and prostylizing our Lord's Holy Word,
something I fear will be regulated one day by the mainstream."
>>>>>>Rev. Dr.
Crabtree explains why this Church gives Affiliations (Charters) to all our
Ordained Ministers<<<<<<
To
clarify this situation,
It
would seem that in the jurisdictions that have a problem with ministers that
only have a ULC ordination, the bureaucrats in these jurisdictions in order to
cover their own posteriors, require of the minister to produce documentation
that he or she has demonstrated a clear and conscious act demonstrating their
sincere desire to become a minister. These jurisdictions are
in effect saying that an ordaining body that allows for obtaining a ULC ordination
just, for example, to marry your niece and her fiancé, but not pursue the
ministry is not good enough. They also seem to take less than serious an
ordination process that in effect could also allow for the ordination of for
example one's dog or cat.
Therefore
in the interest of CYA, the independent minister who has received a ULC
ordination, but not dual ordinations through some other body, probably should
seek out multiple ordination or chartering bodies and obtain documentation
from these bodies. This would have the effect of demonstrating to any
administrative law judge or bureaucrat that the minister has clearly
demonstrated, his or her sincere intention of becoming a minister. It
should be pointed out that this process has nothing at all to do with the
"calling" of one by God, but rather to fully comply and to
demonstrate to the laws of man that the minister was sincere in seeking his
ordination and did not in effect "point and click" on the spur of a
moment whim.
In
all due reality my brothers and sisters, we all know the "voice"
that small quiet inner voice that cries out, that has tugged at our hearts,
and lead us to becoming a minister. But in the eyes of man, how do we
distinguish ourselves from those that have obtained ordinations, even those
through the mainstream, that only have sought ordination for professional
reasons, secular pursuits, or even as a joke. Granted as part of
God's chosen we should demonstrate the sincerity of our calling through our
leading by precept and example. As the scriptures say "Render unto
Caesar what is his but render unto God what is God's" we must, in
this convoluted world prove our sincerity, rendering unto the state and the
eyes of man proof of our intent. However God knows what is in the heart
of everyman and woman that has entered into the ministry and the basis of
their intentions, sincere or not, and by answering God's true calling we are
rendering unto him what is his.
We
no longer live in a country that proclaims "innocent until proven
guilty" and this applies to every aspect of life. Gone are the days
when a man's word was a good as a written contract. Our word so to speak
is no longer enough to demonstrate our intentions.
So
what our beloved Reverend Steadman has labored so long and diligently on is a
means by which our members can show to the masses that in the process of
obtaining ordination, each of us has demonstrated clear and conscious
intention of seriously obtaining an ordination, an act that says to the world
that each of us has gone that extra mile to obtain paperwork that demonstrates
that we did not seek ordination as a joke or for less than sincere
reasons.
My
advice to each of you, is to first review the information that Reverend
Steadman has compiled regarding your state laws, then even if you do not
perform weddings, check out the laws that regulate who may perform weddings in
your state or if any laws exist that define who is considered a minister and
what that status allows in the local jurisdictions. If you then are in
compliance with these laws, then don't worry about it, as far as your state is
concerned you are a minister. If not then seek out further documentation
that demonstrates to the state that you are serious about being a minister and
not just some yahoo who has sent off for, or gone online and pointed and
clicked, just to get a shingle that says "bingo bongo the below
named is a minister."
Click here to
proceed to Ordination application
(NOTE: PLEASE READ - All
references to the Universal Life Church or ULC are no longer valid, as this
faith has become a stand-alone denomination of Christianity. Ordination with the ULC is
no longer required for legal recognition of your ordainment with this Church in
your State or Community.
A Note From The "CEO" Regarding The Ordination
Process.
On 22 August, 2005, The Church Of Interfaith
Christians witnessed the third anniversary of it's formation. In the
three years since Reverend Steadman started the church as an e-mail
discussion group, the COIC has undergone major changes as well as
phenomenal growth.
At the beginning of the Church, those requesting
ordination were required to be first ordained by the ULC (Universal
Life Church) of Modesto California, as the ULC was duly recognized by
most states as an operating religious entity.
The validity of ULC ordinations have come under
attack from state legislatures, the clergy, media commentators and
others concerned that the "point and click" process of the ULC
ordination did not demonstrate a clear and conscionable act upon the
candidates part. Therefore in some jurisdictions, the ULC ordination
was viewed as non-valid in the eyes of secular law.
To serve and protect the ministers seeking
ordination through the COIC, our founder, the Reverend Steadman, and
the members of the church devised a means by which anyone could apply
for ordination, in such a way that no secular entity could claim that
the applicant did not seriously seek an ordination.
Let me please state that; when responding to the
calling into the ministry, the minister is first and foremost
ordained by God, and the minister should take that calling very
seriously, but to be recognized as a minister in the eyes of secular
governments and thereby entitled to perform certain ceremonies, such as
the wedding ceremony, legally, the minister must be credentialed as
an ordained minister in a credible process acceptable to the eyes of
man. And that is the entire basis of this process, to give secular, legal,
credibility to a minister's calling.
Reverend Ed Crabtree, CEO The Church Of Interfaith
Christians.
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