Ordination is appropriate for those who have a substantial preaching/teaching ministry in a church, parachurch or mission agency, or educational institution, including military chaplains.

Transformation Ministries will examine for ordination and recommend to the local church those who have a proven knowledge of Biblical truth and an aptitude for the communication of Biblical truth in their ministries.

The local church may license or ordain persons with specialized ministries not requiring preaching and teaching (e.g., counseling, hospital chaplaincy, worship ministry).

Transformation Ministries has outlined recommended standards and procedures for local church licensing or ordination. However, these standards are to be measured by the local church, and the accountability of licensed or locally-ordained individuals is to that local church.

As a partnership of many ethnically- and culturally-diverse churches, Transformation Ministries affirms the fact that different cultural groups utilize various processes or steps in credentialing pastoral leaders.  The guidelines anticipate that local churches will utilize processes that are appropriate to their cultures for licensing and local examination before sending a candidate to the Transformation Ministries Ordination Standards Council.

When a church is interested in recommending an individual proceed with the Transformation Ministries’ ordination process, the church pastor or designated official should contact the Director of Ministry Implementation.

Click here for detailed information on the purpose of the ordination process, and requirements for ordination.

We strongly encourage all pastors who lead a Covenanting Transformation Ministries Church to have their ordination recognized by Transformation Ministries.

What Does Recognition Mean?

Transformation Ministries believes every pastor is accountable to the Lord and, by ordination, is set apart by a congregation for ministry.

• Recognition of ordination by another Christian body by Transformation Ministries is appropriate whenever a Transformation Ministries Covenanting Church calls, as pastor, an individual credentialed by another Christian body.
• Recognition addresses the validity and transferrable standing of a pastor’s ordination outside of the local congregation.
• Recognition comes from a Council representing the larger Body of Christ, the Covenanting Churches of Transformation Ministries, acting in concert through the Ordination Standards Council to commend the pastor to all the congregations as fully qualified for pastoral leadership by approving a Candidate’s preparation, and examining his/her conversion, call, character, convictions and competence.

When an individual is interested in having their ordination recognized by Transformation Ministries, they should contact the Director of Ministry Implementation

Click here for the checklist of requirements for ordination recognition.

Licensing is a way for the local church to give recognition, authorization and affirmation of a person’s gifts and skills for ministry. Licensing is looked on favorably by other churches, which adds further evidence of the person’s gifts and abilities throughout the Covenanting Transformation Ministries Churches.

Licensing is usually granted through the recommendation of a church board to the membership of the church. Licensing is recognition of a number of different ministry specialties and does not need to be limited just to preaching pastors.  Like ordination, it is the local church that grants the license, not Transformation Ministries.

A license is typically provided to lay persons who have the gift and ability to preach, teach or minister as defined by the church granting the license. The license may either be a step toward ordination or an endorsement of a gifted lay person for ministry within the church.

Generally, a license is called the “Certificate of License for the Gospel Ministry”, and has also been known as a “License to Preach”.  Though preaching is a primary focus of pastoral ministry, other gifts may also be recognized by licensing.

Click here for detailed information on suggested licensing qualifications and pre-ordination licensing as a step toward ordination.