A. Ministerial Credentials

The International Pentecostal Holiness Church issues the following ministerial credentials:

• Local Church Minister’s License
• Minister’s License, Minister of Church Education License, Minister of Music License
• Certificate of Ordination
• Certificate of Ordination for Missionaries

1. In order to qualify for Local Church Minister’s License, a candidate shall be a member of a local church and recommended by that local church. This recommendation must be in writing and signed by the pastor and church secretary.
2. The applicant must be certain of a definite call to Christian work and must complete the prescribed study program.
3. Those with a local church minister’s license are amenable to the local church where they hold their membership and shall tithe their income to the local church treasury.
4. They shall report to the conference office monthly. Failure to do so for a period of two quarters will result in the forfeiture of their license.
5. Any person with a local church minister’s license pastoring a church, shall be amenable to that respective conference, tithe monthly into the conference treasury, report to the conference monthly, and shall be granted a vote in the conference.
6. The training requirements for the Local Church Minister’s License, as specified in the Ministerial Credentials Program established by the General Board of Administration, may be satisfied through:

• A conference administered IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program, or
• A conference administered ETS Basic Level program which incorporates the IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program, or
• A local church ETS Basic Level program which incorporates the IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program and is recognized by the conference

2) A prescribed course of study in a Pentecostal Holiness college or its equivalent in another church-related college, or
3) For transferees credentialed by another denomination, other training programs which are equivalent to any of the above options in addition to the course of study and tests on the IPHC Manual and A Brief History of the Pentecostal Holiness Church.

1. For those pursuing pastoral/evangelistic ministry, the Minister’s License is the entry-level credential for the purpose of training and maturing as a minister. For those with a ministry focus of Church Education (Church Education, Youth, Children, Singles, Senior Adults, etc.) or Music, the Minister of Church Education License and the Minister of Music License are the credentials that recognize their ministry specialty.
2. Quadrennial, midterm, and inspirational conferences shall have the authority to grant the Minister’s License.
3. In order to qualify for Minister’s License, a candidate shall be a member of a local church and recommended by that local church. This recommendation must be in writing and signed by the pastor and church secretary.
4. The training requirements for the Minister’s License, as specified in the Ministerial Credentials Program established by the General Board of Administration, may be satisfied through:

1) The IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program course of study. This course of study may be completed through:

• 1) A conference administered IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program, or
• A conference administered ETS Basic and Leadership Level program which incorporates the IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program including a specialty module, or
• With the addition of a specialty module administered by the conference, a local church ETS Basic and Leadership Level program which incorporates the IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program and is recognized by the conference

2) A prescribed course of study in a Pentecostal Holiness college or its equivalent in another church-related college, or

3) For transferees credentialed by another denomination, other training programs which are equivalent to any of the above options in addition to the course of study and tests on the IPHC Manual and A Brief History of the Pentecostal Holiness Church.

e.

The General Executive Board shall provide a standard list of questions. This list of questions shall be sent to every conference, and all conference credentials committees shall be requested to ask these questions in an oral interview with every candidate for Minister’s License.

Licensed ministers pursuing pastoral/evangelistic ministry are encouraged to seek ordination. Other licensed ministers (Ministers of Church Education and Ministers of Music) may or may not choose to be ordained.

Licensed Ministers shall be eligible to participate in all conference benefits in the quadrennial conference in which they have been issued a Minister’s License.

1. Quadrennial, midterm, and inspirational conferences shall have the authority to grant the Certificate of Ordination.
2. Candidates for ordination shall have been licensed for at least two years. (The conference board may waive this regulation in exceptional circumstances with the approval of the General Superintendent.)
3. In order to qualify for a Certificate of Ordination, a candidate shall be a member of a local church and recommended by that local church. This recommendation must be in writing and signed by the pastor and church secretary.
4. The training requirements for the Certificate of Ordination, as specified in the Ministerial Credentials Program established by the General Board of Administration, may be satisfied through:

1) The IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program course of study. This course of study may be completed through:

• A conference administered IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program, or
• A conference administered Minister’s License course of study plus a conference sponsored or recognized ETS School of Ministry Level program which incorporates the IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program, or
• A Minister’s License course of study plus a Local Church ETS School of Ministry Level program which incorporates the IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program and is recognized by the conference.

2) A prescribed course of study in a Pentecostal Holiness college or its equivalent in another church-related college, or
3) For transferees credentialed by another denomination, other training programs which are equivalent to any of the above options in addition to the course of study and tests on the IPHC Manual and A Brief History of the Pentecostal Holiness Church.

Certificate of Ordination for Missionaries The World Missions Board shall grant certificates of ordination for missionaries in consultation with the conference board to which the applicant is amenable.

Transfer of Credentials from Other Denominations The conference board has authority, with the approval of the General Superintendent, to grant credentials to ministers from other denominations who meet the ministerial requirements of the IPHC Ministerial Credentials Program.

International Pentecostal Holiness Church Ministerial Credential Certificates All ministerial credential certificates should be uniform in size and include the words "Valid with current I.D. card."

Continuing Education Program

1. The General Superintendent, in consultation with our church schools and General Executive Board, shall provide a continuing education program for licensed and ordained ministers and missionaries in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. The conference superintendent shall be responsible for implementation and supervision of the CEU (Continuing Education Units) Program.
2. All Licensed and Ordained Ministers must participate annually in a continuing education program provided or approved by the general conference or quadrennial conference (2 Timothy 2:15). Any minister failing to meet this requirement will forfeit his credentials. This excludes retired ministers.

Certificate of Recognition A local church may issue a certificate of recognition to their minister of Church Education, Youth, Music, Children’s Ministries, Visitation, Evangelism, etc. This certificate is to be signed by the pastor and church secretary and shall be recognized by all International Pentecostal Holiness churches.