Ordination Program
Topic outline
-
🌿 Christian Leaders Alliance Ordination Program
A Free, Trusted, and Global Journey to Ministry Credentialing
Are you sensing a call from God to serve as an officiant, minister, chaplain, or ministry coach?
The Christian Leaders Alliance Ordination Program (CLA Program) is a global, study-based program of ministry credentialing that equips Christians at every level of calling. It is designed for volunteer, part-time, and full-time clergy members.
This ordination program features ministry training through the Christian Leaders Institute (CLI). The courses are free to access, supported by generous donations, and available worldwide to anyone with an internet connection.
Four Ordained Ministry Paths
Each path is designed to affirm your unique calling, equipping you for real, recognized ministry in your community and beyond.
Lead sacred ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, and dedications. Bring God’s presence into life’s defining moments.
Preach, teach, lead, and disciple in churches, house fellowships, online communities, or wherever God places you to shepherd His people.
Minister in public spaces—hospitals, schools, workplaces, military, and first responder settings. Bring light and comfort where it’s needed most.
Walk alongside others with wisdom, listening, and prayer. Encourage spiritual growth and help people discern next steps in their journey with God.
-
-
A Statement of Faith serves as the north star for ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. This same Statement of Faith is shared throughout the Christian Leaders organization, uniting all programs under a common biblical and theological foundation.
-
🌿 Your Journey Into the Officiant Pathway
The Officiant Role at Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA) is the most accessible programmatic pathway for volunteer Christian leaders to begin serving in ministry. Our most popular role, the Wedding Officiant, equips leaders to officiate weddings with biblical depth, pastoral care, and professional excellence.
Officiants are trained not only to lead ceremonies—weddings, funerals, baptisms, child dedications, and blessings—but also to bring essential ministry through prayer, discipleship, and relational guidance. Specialized roles such as the Romance Officiant prepare leaders to walk with couples before and after marriage, offering spiritual support and biblical counsel for building Christ-centered relationships.
For many, the officiant role is the first step on a programmatic pathway toward broader ordination as ministers or chaplains within CLA. This program affirms that volunteer and bi-vocational leaders, when equipped and recognized, can make a lasting impact in their communities while being connected to a global family of credentialed Christian leaders.
Officiant RoleWedding OfficiantTrain to officiate Christian weddings with biblical depth, pastoral care, and professional excellence.Ceremony • WeddingsEntry StepCatechumen (Getting Started)Begin your study-based journey of ministry formation and explore where God is calling you to serve.Foundation • DiscernmentOfficiant RoleRomance OfficiantEquip yourself to guide Christian romance, dating, and engagement with Christ-centered wisdom.Romance • RelationshipsOfficiant RoleFuneral OfficiantLearn to officiate funerals with compassion, Scripture, and pastoral presence in times of loss.Funerals • ComfortOfficiant RoleMinistry OfficiantBuild multi-ceremony officiant skills for weddings, baptisms, dedications, and other Christian services.Multi-ceremony • MinistryOfficiant RoleOfficiating MinisterAdvance as an Officiating Minister, integrating multiple ceremony skills with broader pastoral ministry.Advanced • OfficiantOfficiant RoleFaith OfficiantServe in everyday ministry settings leading faith-focused ceremonies, blessings, and gatherings.Faith • CeremoniesOfficiant ProgramChristian OfficiantA broader officiant recognition pathway integrating ceremony skills with CLA credentialing.Recognition • OfficiantOfficiant RoleYouth Ministry OfficiantPrepare to serve youth and families through ceremonies, events, and discipleship-focused ministries.Youth • DiscipleshipOfficiant / Minister RoleMicroSchool MinisterLead MicroSchool ministry, blending officiant and teaching skills to serve families and local churches.MicroSchool • Ministry-
Please confirm that you have successfully completed all the required steps for the Christian Leaders Alliance Officiating Minister Ordination Program. Once your checklist is verified, you’ll be eligible to order your Official Officiating Minister Ordination Recognition Kit—a tangible symbol of your ministry calling, your completed training, and your recognized standing as an ordained Officiating Minister within the global Christian Leaders Alliance.
-
🌿 Your Journey Into the Ordained Minister Pathway
The Ordained Minister Role at Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA) provides a programmatic pathway for called men and women to be recognized, equipped, and commissioned as ordained ministers of the Gospel. Built on the free, high-quality ministry training of Christian Leaders Institute, this program combines biblical study, practical ministry skills, personal reflection, and local endorsements to ensure leaders are both prepared and affirmed in their calling.
Ordained ministers at CLA may serve in a variety of roles—pastoring congregations, planting churches, leading ministries, officiating life events, and offering pastoral care in their communities. Each ordained leader is connected to a global network of Christian ministers who share a commitment to integrity, accountability, and Spirit-led service, advancing the Gospel through volunteer, part-time, and full-time ministry.
Ordination TrackLay/Field MinisterBegin your foundational clergy journey serving in local churches, ministries, and community settings as a recognized Lay/Field Minister.Foundational • Local MinistryOrdination TrackLicensed MinisterReceive training to serve as a volunteer, part-time, or full-time minister, equipped to preach, officiate, and shepherd with CLA recognition.Licensed • MinistryOrdination TrackOrdained MinisterA comprehensive ordained pathway for pastors and ministry leaders called to ongoing Word, sacrament, and pastoral care responsibilities.Ordained • Pastoral LeadershipAdvanced OrdinationMinister of the WordThe most advanced ordination role at CLA, focused on preaching, teaching, and Word-centered leadership in the local and global church.Advanced • Word Ministry -
🌿 Your Journey Into the Chaplain Pathway
The Ordained Chaplain Role at Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA) provides a programmatic pathway that equips and recognizes volunteer, part-time, and full-time chaplains who bring Christlike presence into diverse settings such as schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, workplaces, military, and community organizations.
Rooted in the training of the Christian Leaders Institute, this program provides a pathway of free, donation-supported courses leading to ordination and specialized chaplain endorsements. Each chaplain affirms the CLA Statement of Faith, completes background verification, and is connected to a global network of credentialed ministers.
Through this program, Christian leaders are prepared to serve with credibility, compassion, and biblical grounding—meeting people in moments of need with prayer, comfort, and the hope of the Gospel.
Chaplain ProgramOfficiating ChaplainPrepare to lead ceremonies, services, and seasonal ministries as a chaplain serving in community settings and special events.Ceremonies • Community ChaplaincySeasonal ChaplainChristmas ChaplainServe during the Advent and Christmas season, bringing hope, presence, and the message of Christ into celebrations and seasons of grief.Advent • Holiday MinistryChaplain ProgramFire/EMS ChaplainEquip yourself to care for firefighters, EMS personnel, and their families through crisis response, debriefing, and ongoing spiritual support.First Responders • Crisis CareChaplain ProgramPublic School ChaplainTrain to serve students, staff, and families in school contexts with Christ-centered presence, listening, and encouragement.Schools • Next GenerationFoundation RoleMinistry ChaplainA versatile chaplaincy pathway preparing you to offer presence, prayer, and spiritual care in churches, ministries, and community organizations.General • Ministry ChaplaincyAdvanced VisionKingdom ChaplainExplore the broader vision of Kingdom Chaplaincy—serving wherever God opens doors, across cultures, networks, and emerging ministry spaces.Global • Kingdom Focus -
🌿 Your Journey Into the Ministry Coaching Pathway
The Ministry Coach Ordination Program at Christian Leaders Alliance (CLA) equips called men and women to walk alongside others as they grow spiritually, personally, and relationally. Many people long for a trusted guide who will listen well, ask wise questions, and offer biblical encouragement as they discern their next steps in faith, relationships, calling, and life decisions.
A Ministry Coach is an ordained or commissioned Christian leader who offers presence, guidance, and Spirit-led coaching in churches, schools, workplaces, nonprofits, correctional and recovery settings, and one-on-one mentoring relationships. Ministry Coaches help others discover what God is doing in their lives rather than controlling or directing their choices.
Through free, donation-supported courses at the Christian Leaders Institute (CLI), this program provides biblical, theological, and practical coaching training, along with ordination credentials that affirm your calling. Ministry Coaches and Life Coach Ministers commit to confidentiality, accountability, and Spirit-led service—creating safe spaces where people can share their deepest questions, struggles, and dreams while seeking God’s direction.
Coaching OrdinationMinistry CoachPrepare to serve as an ordained Ministry Coach—listening deeply, asking wise questions, and guiding others toward God’s direction in their lives.Ordained • Ministry CoachingCoaching RoleLife Coach MinisterExplore the Life Coach Minister pathway, blending ministry training and Christian life coaching to help people grow in identity, relationships, and calling.Life Coaching • Ministry -
🔖 Clergy Specializations at Christian Leaders Alliance
Expand Your Calling with Focused Ministry Credentials
At Christian Leaders Alliance, every clergy credential—whether Officiant, Minister, or Chaplain—can be enhanced with a Clergy Specialization. These specializations are designed to deepen your impact in a specific ministry area, offering targeted training and recognition for focused service.
Let’s say you’ve earned your credential as a Wedding Officiant or Romance Officiant. You can expand your ministry by pursuing the Intimacy Specialization, which adds deeper training on guiding couples in biblical, flourishing sexual intimacy. Or, if you’ve been credentialed as a Life Coaching Minister, you could specialize in areas like intimacy, prayer, or navigating conflict—empowering you to lead conversations that transform lives.
Each specialization is earned by completing additional ministry training through Christian Leaders Institute (CLI). Once completed, your clergy profile and credentials will be updated to reflect this area of expertise.
🧭 How It Works:
Step 1: Earn your core clergy credential (e.g., Minister, Chaplain, Coach or Officiant).
Step 2: Enroll in the additional courses required for your chosen specialization.
Step 3: Your specialization is added to your official clergy listing and credential recognition
-
Overview: A Soul Center is a specialized space focused on Christian Ministry, officially registered with the Christian Leaders Alliance. Designed to serve as a hub for ministry and community involvement, a Soul Center can vary in size, location, and function. It aims to provide a range of Christian religious services, from traditional gatherings like local churches to more specialized fellowships and ministry practices.
Key Features:
- Broad Scope: Soul Centers are not limited to just traditional church settings; they can also encompass various ministries, fellowships, and other religious practices. These societies are suited for volunteer and part-time ministers to develop a ministry footing in communities or online.
Credential Requirement: Only individuals who have earned a credential from the Christian Leaders Alliance, such as officiants and ministers, are permitted to establish and register a Soul Center.
Benefits:
- Traditional Ministries: Soul Centers are ideal venues for traditional ministries like local house churches or larger community churches.
Flexible Operations: They are well-suited for ministry activities that operate out of homes or online, allowing credentialed volunteer ministers from the Christian Leaders Alliance to extend their reach.
Specialized Ministry Practices: Soul Centers are also perfect for offering specialized Ministry Practices that focus on specific topics. Examples include ministry coaching in areas such as marriage, matchmaking, intimacy, and conflict navigation.
Community Ministries: They can serve as the foundation for community-based ministries that focus on social issues like homelessness or street ministry.
Evangelism and Ministry Launchpad: Soul Centers serve as effective platforms for expanding ministerial work and evangelism within the community.
By offering a structured, yet flexible, platform, Soul Centers cater to a wide range of spiritual needs and community initiatives. They not only maintain the essence of traditional religious practices but also embrace the dynamic nature of modern ministry.
Click here to see the Soul Center Registration Course
-
