Alliance Accreditation Guidelines

Accreditation is the first official denominational covering by Alliance leadership for a candidate going into Alliance ministry. It is an act of being officially recognized by The Christian and Missionary Alliance as qualified to serve in Alliance ministry.

Accreditation is a developmental process.

Accreditation is an important step in the path toward serving with The Alliance. Whether someone is wanting to serve in the United States or overseas as an international worker, the accreditation process helps prepare the candidate for ministry. Throughout the process, the candidate will work directly with a leader who will help them gain a thorough understanding of their theological beliefs, to check on their adherence to the core characteristics of an Alliance leader, as well as an understanding of Alliance doctrine.

There is a relationship between accreditation and licensing.

Those wanting to serve in licensed ministry with The Christian and Missionary Alliance must go through the accreditation process in order to obtain a position in a church and a license from the district. Candidates may be accredited at an Alliance college or university under the leadership of Candidate Recruitment and Development (part of the Church Ministry team), located on their campus. Candidates are also accredited through a district credentialing council. Accreditation is the first step to a provisional license or a church worker or lay leader license.

Requirements for Accreditation

All persons who are seeking to fulfill a call from God to vocational ministry with The Christian and Missionary Alliance must complete the accreditation application for Alliance ministry, including the doctrinal questionnaire. After all required documents have been submitted to the district superintendent (or, as appropriate, to Candidate Recruitment and Development), an accreditation interview will be scheduled to determine eligibility for licensing as an official worker.

Each person desiring accreditation and licensing in The Alliance is deemed eligible by fulfilling the following criteria:

1. Applicant has the ability to articulate a divine call to serve God in vocational Christian ministry.
2. Applicant has completed a minimum of 30 credit hours of Bible, theology, and ministry study with a minimum of 18 of these credits in Bible and/or theology from an Alliance college or theological seminary, or from another fully accredited graduate or undergraduate institution. This academic requirement may be fulfilled through alternative study programs provided by Alliance Church Ministries (E-3-III-B).
   1. The School of Ministry is an alternative study program taught out of church ministry that meets the academic requirements for accreditation and licensing.
   2. The district Licensing, Ordination, and Consecration Committee (LO&CC) has the authority to waive or adjust these academic requirements when applicants for licensed ministry demonstrate an equivalent level of biblical, theological, and practical preparation for ministry.
3. Candidates for licensed ministry will be required to demonstrate their knowledge of biblical content by successfully completing the Bible knowledge exam.
4. Applicant displays the evidence of the Alliance core characteristics:
   1. Kingdom-Minded – Invested in the local and global church community for the sake of demonstrating God’s eternal and coming Kingdom.
   2. Biblically Grounded – Engaged in the process of learning, understanding, and applying truth and information through a biblical lens in order to love Jesus and be more like Him as a leader.
   3. Spirit-Dependent – Engaged in the process of being conformed to the image of Christ through the power of and absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit for the sake of others.
   4. Competently Skilled – Has and is constantly developing a holistic set of skills that will catalyze a lifetime of leadership.
   5. Self-Aware – Regularly seeking to grow in the understanding of self, motivations, the impact of the past, and natural abilities and liabilities in order to display a God-honoring life and engage in God-honoring ministry.
   6. Self-Disciplined – Displays Christ-like rhythms which lead to greater self-awareness, receptivity to God’s work in their life, and productivity for His Kingdom.
5. Applicant must have understanding of and commitment to the mission, Statement of Faith, vision, core values, and distinctives of the C&MA, and willingness to submit to constituted authority as defined by the Board of Directors of the C&MA.
6. Applicant must participate in the worldwide work of The Alliance by contributing financially to the support of Alliance ministries.
7. Applicant must comply with the intent of the Statement on Lifestyle and Conduct of C&MA Official Workers in the LO&CC handbook.
8. Applicant must be in active membership in an Alliance church.