Leadership Development | Licensing & Ordination

Get Started: Licensing

Licensing is the process of becoming an Official Worker in the Alliance, by inviting men and women into a deeper life with Jesus and greater connection with our story and mission.

Whether you’re called to plant a church, serve in an established ministry, or work overseas, licensing is designed to strengthen your biblical foundation and encourage your call to serve.

Disclaimer: The following steps are sometimes completed in a different order depending on calendar of events and based on each candidate’s situation.

Step 1

Complete Next Steps Form

Please register above and fill out the Next Steps form.

This form tells us a little bit about you and your interest in ministry. Once this form has been completed, our team will follow up with you to ensure you meet the guidelines* for licensing with the Alliance.

After that, you will be granted access to the “Called2Serve” Application via email.

*Accreditation Guidelines
Accreditation, or Licensing, is the first official denominational covering by Alliance leadership for a candidate going into Alliance ministry. Accreditation is an act of being officially recognized by The Christian and Missionary Alliance as qualified to serve in Alliance ministry. Each person desiring accreditation in The Alliance is deemed eligible by fulfilling the following criteria:

  1. Ability to articulate a divine call to serve God in vocational Christian ministry.

  2. A minimum of 30 credit hours of Bible, theology, and ministry study with a minimum of 18 of these credits from 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.

 Step 2

Select a C&MA Ordained Mentor.

This person will coach you through any theological or doctrinal questions you may have on your application and help you prepare for your Licensing interview.

Step 3

Complete Called2Serve Application Online.

The application takes several hours to complete. It includes personal, doctrinal, and denominational questions as well as a Bible knowledge test, and a request for references.

Needs to be completed 1 month prior to scheduled interview.

Step 4

Email lynn@alliancenw.org to schedule your Licensing interview.

Our team will provide you with a Licensing interview study guide.

Step 5

Complete Licensing interview

Pass Licensing interview in order to receive your Provisional License.

A provisional license is issued as a preparatory license, which is valid for two years while the candidate works toward becoming Ordained and/or fulfilling any further educational requirements. Once ordained, they will receive an official worker license. If they do not pursue Ordination, their provisional license will automatically become a Church Ministry Worker License, which can hold pastoral roles with the exception of Lead Pastor or Solo Pastor of a church.

Next step: Ordination

Additional Requirements

Attend Foundations

Foundations is a required introductory course on Alliance history and polity, and a place to get to know the Alliance NW family.

*Foundations is offered once per year and may be attended before or after your Licensing interview.

Visit the Event Page to see if a Foundations event is coming up.

Attend Resonate

Resonate is a required event for newly licensed workers with the National Alliance Office to introduce you to the national work of the Alliance, get connected with leadership, and see how you play a part in the larger mission of the Alliance family.

*Resonate is offered once per year in the Summer and needs to be attended within your first year of becoming Licensed.

The National Office will reach out to new licensed workers to be invited.