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THROUGH OUR CHARTERED SEMINARY PROGRAM
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A way to receive online ordination study for real There are on-line "ordination mills" that will "declare" you to be ordained for payment of a fee. On some websites, you push a button and, presto, out comes an "ordination" certificiate. However...there's an honest, ethical way to study for the ministry on-line. If you feel called to enter the ministry, we will help, should you seek our training and assistance. We take ministry seriously: it is a sacred calling to live a selfless and exemplary life in service to others. Our seminary program, The Center for Ministerial Education, is a separate division within our interfaith denomination, The Love Church Worldwide. The Center shares some staff and facilities as co-ministeries since each shares Christ's vision of bringing God's love and peace and mental, physical, and spiritual health to all.
If this describes your situation, The Center for Ministerial Education can help. And, as we mention elsewhere, our online ministerial study leading to ordination is affordable. We just ask that you contribute a small fee for office expenses and to compensate your online mentor. The ordination studies tuition is only $250, which is made possible by the endowment of our parent denomination.
Our online ordination / ministerial training can lead you down one of two pathways....
(The Love Church was formed out of a long-term calling to establish a platform with which independent spiritual communities and / or congregations could affiliate. You could become "The Love Church of Deluth," or "The First Love Church of Denver," or "St. Theresa's of Dallas, a member of The Love Church Worldwide communion." Read about how to become a Love Church affiliate in your community. We would then provide you with organizational assistance, continuing ministerial training, fliers, even building you a website, should you need help. We can provide you with site hosting as well. Essentially, joining The Love Church Worldwide communion as an affiliated church, you would receive the recognition and assistance needed to develop and sustain your independent ministry.)
Pathway #2: You as an independent minister
As an independent minister, you may....
You'll receive credit hours toward a college degree
Fees:
Will I have to believe as you do?
But, we will not spoon-feed you a creed to which you must subscribe. You will receive a general background into world religious traditions, a historical perspective, and exposure to various belief systems and spiritual practices. Because we come from the world of Christianity, we will look at Christ as savior (from ourselves), redeemer (restoring us to our God-given state of "grace"), rabbi (Teacher), and even as one of the world's most-competent psychologists (although this side of Christ is rarely explored in today's Church). In the final analysis, you have come to the point of requesting training leading to ordination because the God of your understanding has tapped your heart and whispered to your soul that you should enter ministerial service. (“I have called you by name… You are mine.” Isaiah 43:1.)
Continuing education...
In-depth look at the history of ordination:
In Matthew 16:18, Christ declared, "Thou art Peter (i.e., a rock), and upon this rock I will build my church." Roman Catholicism has always interpreted this to mean that Christ knew that his earthly life was approaching an end and so he "ordained" or "consecrated" or "called forth" Simon Peter to become the temporal ruler of this church. Catholics consider Peter to have been the first pope, the head of the church after Christ's crucifixion, and that "office" has been filled in succession, in a direct line from Christ's ordination of Peter, ever since. Literally. Christ is said to have "laid on hands" with Peter, who laid his hands on his successor, St. Linus, then Cletus, St. Anacletus (Cletus), St. Clement I, and on and on, right to the present day. Today's Roman Catholic bishops and priests, Church of England/Anglican/Episcopalian and some Lutherans have been touched by hands that were touched by hands that were touched by hands...all the way back...in an unbroken chain...to Christ's laying on of the hands with Simon Peter. And, the bishops then laid hands on those who would become priests and ministers in succession (Apostolic Succession.
After Martin Luther spearheaded the Protestant Reformation, things became somewhat muddy. Offshoots of Catholicism continued to ordain priests and ministers in a direct line from Peter, whereas newly-formed congregations themselves "called forth" ministers to ordination, starting new "lines" of those ordained. The "laying on of the hands chain" from Peter had been broken. This may or may not be important to you as you seek ordination yourself, but please understand that you are being "called forth" to service in an ancient and sacred tradition.
The Center for Ministerial Education honors the historical significance of ordination and requires that candidates complete a course of study that provides at least the framework of a historical understanding as well as embracing the current ramifications of taking on this responsibility. You'll also learn how to perform ceremonies, and we'll give you the basics of spiritual counseling as well as how to start a church of your own.
We’d love to hear from you. The Love Church/Saint James College is a small, friendly,
growing institution of higher education. Please EMAIL your Resume/C.V., or call Administration at 863-441-3000 and ask for our Chancellor, Dr. Janice Learman. Thank you!
There's at
least One
Legitimate Online Ministerial Ordination
Program
When I was entering the ministry, I had to complete my masters
degree at an established university seminary before they ordained
me. Today, though, we have thousands of untrained (or poorly
trained) clergy out there running churches and various
ministries. This is most prevalent in the roadside “Gospel”
churches, small churches that proclaim that they are the
way, the truth, and the light. You see their signs
everywhere: “We are the road to salvation,” “We can give you the
keys to the Kingdom,” and, “Satan has already reserved
your place in Hell.”
Many of the pastors of these churches completed some sort of a
rudimentary training program, too often, it seems, emphasizing
the Old Testament notion of a dangerous, punishing God who turns
people into pillars of salt, smacks whole nations with plagues and pestilence, and even sends conquering pagan armies to sweep away entire countries of God’s own “chosen” people to be
enslaved, raped, tortured, and worked to death.
Many of these churches simply ordain new clergy from within
their congregations to go out and continue wreaking this kind of
spiritual havoic.
Very sad.
But, the picture gets worse. Today, we have internet
websites “ordaining” people as “ministers” with no
training whatsoever.
Oh my.
Some appear to be doing it with profit as a motive. Others,
though, appear to be offering “ordinations” out of sheer
insanity. I can’t think of any other reason. Can you?
From time-to-time, I’m asked if those ordinations are even
legal. Yes, apparently, in many jurisdictions. (Check with a
good corporate attorney in your community – one with a strong
knowledge base regarding churches, or at least not-for-profit
corporations.) Generally, once ordained, you can baptize (most
churches feel anyone can do this in a pinch), marry, bury,
preach and, although the thought is scary, most states even
permit ordained people to counsel. I'll be honest with you:
many trained psychologists and certified social workers are
less-than-excellent counselors. And, they have masters degrees or
PhD's! The thought of having people lacking any clinical
training advising others how to conduct their lives (often
instilling the fear of Eternal Condemnation for failure to
obey!) is a near-terrifying
idea.... But, in most areas, it would be legal.
Because of the constitutionally-mandated separation of church
and state, the government has been reluctant to meddle in
establishing academic or other criteria for ordination and
ministry. Which is, on balance, for the best. But, the result
is a chaotic mix of ministries, all claiming to have The
Way, things like proving your faith by handling live
rattlesnakes, having sex with dozens of people, denying
Christmas, beating children, prohibiting wearing of jewelry or
dancing or singing or any kind of rejoicing. You know them.
Maybe someone in your family or circle of friends has fallen
into their clutches.
But, there’s something worse, even more insidious. There are
the churches who insist that, if you want to avoid Hell, you
must give and give and give of your financial resources. You
have to support glorious palaces of worship (which need to be
heated and air conditioned – with your money). And, you have to
do this while your children go without proper clothing,
sometimes without nutritionally important food.
I know of a huge church that requires that you submit your Personal Financial Statement to them before being inducted...and...instead of tithing...you are required to set up a financial program whereby your bank account is automatically debited every week, with the money going to the church! If Christ hadn't risen from the dead, he'd be turning over in his grave!
Worse than this, even, are those who do the very thing
Christ warned us never to do: they judge others. I find
it curious – and profoundly sad – that we have so many highway
intersections in America with competing churches on each
corner. And, all claim to be The Way to salvation, and
your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family who attend the
other churches are all condemned to eternal damnation.
And, the internet isn’t doing a lot to improve the situation, as
increasing numbers of untrained (or, as I have said, poorly-
trained) people assume positions of leadership as "ministers." The
internet is, in and of itself, a wonderful gift from God. But,
it can be mishandled, like fire, or life-saving prescription
drugs.
The internet has done so much to transform our lives,
brought so much convenience and delivered so much good to us. Yet, one
has to be prudent when taking from the internet financial
advice, accepting medical “facts” – and you must use caution and
skepticism when looking into online seminary education.
Is there a source for online ministerial studies that’s “legit”
and that really gives us a basis for beginning a ministry?
Yes.
In fact, there are probably several, as distance learning
becomes more and more a way of obtaining an education. But, the
one I know of and can recommend is The Center for Ministerial Education at the interfaith denomination, The Love Church Worldwide.
This The Love Church
WorldwidLove is a small-but vibrant and ethical Christian denomination that emphasizes the
teachings of Christ as found in the four Gospels, and in the
Christian apocrypha, known to and studied by theologians. (I am
not a member of this denomination, nor on their payroll!) The
founder started his Christian ministry as a Catholic, was
associated with secular missionaries, worked for peace and
justice, and has served in United Methodist parishes, as well as
headed a Christian not-for-profit spiritual counseling and
healing center. Their program is a government-chartered not-for-profit, as are most churches. They are on the up-and-up and are
legitimate. They offer continuing education, understanding that
a fledgling minister is going to go “out there” and suddenly
realize the need for more answers, more training, more
mentoring. And, the best part is that their training is highly affordable..
The are endowed, with most of the costs underwritten as a part of their
ministry, although they do charge very nominal administrative
fees.
If you want to become a priest or minister, my bias is that you
should enroll in a reputable on-site seminary. But, if you are
coming to the ministry as a late-in-life vocation, or have other
reasons for needing or wanting to study online, I would
recommend The Center for Ministerial Education. If you want a degree, the fully-chartered Love Church has an ethical and effective online seminary program at its Saint James College.
They're small enough to get to know you and be truly helpful
at a personal level. They'll give you credit for your life
experience. They’ll share their knowledge of
God’s love. They won’t fill you with bad theology. They’ll
excite you about learning more and more as you go along. And,
you’ll have at least a solid rudimentary basis for going into
the real world and starting to serve (yes, serve others!) as a
minister. They'll even give you college credits toward an undergraduate or graduate degree as a routine part of their online ordination program.
I repeat: I am not on The Love Church's payroll. But, a church down the road from mine has a "pastor" who "earned" his "ordination" from an unscrupulous internet "church" and he has done irrepairable injury to his congregants. So, when I was asked to write an article about a reputable online seminary, I decided that the opportunity to tout a good one was too great to pass up.
NOTE: The Rev. Marty Thomas is a 30-year veteran pastor with the United Methodist denomination.
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