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Have you always felt called? Called to serve others in time of crisis? As an Ordained Minister you can legally give spiritual counseling, readings, and all other religious services, including performing weddings. You can legally accept money for your services, file taxes as a clergy member, and get tax exempt status. With the credentials you receive from our incorporated non-profit Church and Seminary you may set up your own counseling and/or healing practice or even start your own church or wedding chapel. Feel good about what you do. Make a living doing what you were born to do, what you love to do. A November, 2008 study listed clergy and ministry as one of the top 10 careers to prosper during economic hardtimes.  People are turning to clergy now more than ever, and alternative non-denominational ministers are in high demand.

MINISTERS NEEDED Religion in the Workplace  Businesses Benefit from Spirituality Articles describe growing job opportunities for spiritual & metaphysical practitioners. The corporate world is realizing its need for ministers and "chaplains" of ALL spiritual traditions.

One of our Ordained ministers and alumni, Dr. Lauri, pictured right, has been on CNN and Good Morning America where she discussed her dream interpretation healing /counseling practice.  Dr. Lauri used her Interfaith Minister ordination from us to perform her sister's wedding in Tennessee. Her website is www.thedreamzone.com where you can view her TV appearances (she also appeared on ABC's The View & CNN's Anderson Cooper).

INTERFAITH MINISTER  

The Interfaith Minister  is our most popular title.  The Interfaith Minister is often called upon to heal gaps between the many disparate religious faiths. This title is a good choice if you plan to perform weddings, work in prison or hospital ministry.  To be ordained as an Interfaith minister means you recognize all positive spiritual paths regardless of denomination, including healing and earth-based traditions and make no judgements against other valid spiritual faiths.  It is also an excellent choice if you consider yourself a multi-faith minister.

ESOTERIC MINISTER

The Esoteric Minister serves humanity by studying and expounding the inner core of the world's religions and spiritual wisdom traditions. S/he ministers to the esoteric and alternative communities -- other souls turning within for spirituality instead of to mainstream. The word esoteric is Greek and means "inner", denoting inner gnosis, wisdom, and knowledge pursued only by the "chosen few." All Esoteric Minister candidates should consider ordering the book, Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition, as described in our tenets of faith page, and take the mini-course based on the book.

SPIRITUAL MINISTER

Spiritual Minister is a good title for mystics -- people who attempt to directly connect with the Divine on some level. If you recognize that spirit is just as important in every human's life as mind and body, and if you want to minister to folks to correct that imbalance, this is the title for you.  This title is also somewhat "generic" and therefore versatile and can be used by any minister.

PSYCHIC MINISTER

The Psychic Minister serves the Divine and his or her community by use of extra-sensory skills and conscious interaction with the multi-verse (universe).  This is a good title if you plan to do divination in your pastoral counseling practice.  Remember that the word psychic comes from the Greek word for "soul."  So this designation has a deeper layer of meaning -- a minister of souls. It is not required, but you may wish to take our Psychic Counselors Homestudy Course (as a minister applicant you may order the course at half price).

PRIESTLY ORDERS

Priestly ordination is available for both men and women. Priestly Orders are administered by a Bishop of the Esoteric Rite with Apostolic Succession. You do not receive a Certificate of Ordination as a minister, (unless you also want to order that)-- you receive instead very beautiful Priestly Orders on parchment, very suitable for framing. Wallet-card Orders available as well.

OTHER MINISTER TITLES

 The four titles above are the most popular, but we allow you to design your own. Here are a few of the other minister titles we've ordained over the years:  Healing Touch Minister, Youth Minister, Ordained Rabbi, Gnostic Minister, Priest, Shaman, Reiki Healer, Ordained Celtic Druid Minister, Teutonic Chaplain, Interfaith Chaplain, Pastoral Counseling Minister, etc.  Don't hesitate to design your own ministerial title.  As long as it's positive and the intent is to help humanity, it is acceptable.

You may also combine titles such as Spiritual-Interfaith Minister or Esoteric-Spiritual, Psychic-Interfaith, Interfaith-Mystic etc.

All of these titles enable you to legally perform weddings, funerals, baptisms, Mass (give Communion), and offer pastoral counseling, including intuitive readings. You may legally attach Reverend, Pastor, Chaplain, etc. to your name, and accept money for your services. You will also have the option of filing your taxes as a clergy-member and applying for tax-exempt status with IRS.  You can even start your own church and order a legal Church Charter founding document from us. You name the church whatever you choose to suit your specific ministry.

If you want more than one title, additional ministerial titles with separate certificates are available to you for a minimal paperwork fee. You will be able to order them when filling out your application.

Esoteric Interfaith Church, Inc. (legally incorporated non-profit) The Esoteric Theological Seminary is the educational institution of the Esoteric Interfaith Church (which has under its umbrella also the Metaphysical Interfaith Church). The E.I.C. is an incorporated non-profit and non-denominational church that accepts, acknowledges and respects all faiths of the world that are dedicated to the service of the Divine.  Our Ministers come from all walks of life and educational backgrounds. Many start their own branches of the E.I.C., or start their own totally independent churches. The Minister may serve a congregation or have a pastoral counseling practice. His or her emphasis may be on teaching or healing or on performing the sacraments and religious ceremonies.  Our Ordinations are legal in all 50 States, unlike ordinations from other organizations such as ULC (Universal Life Church and its affiliates) who ordain you online without screening, without collecting written work from the minister candidate.  Therefore ULC ministers cannot officiate weddings in dozens of States and cities such as NYC, but our ministers are perfectly legal and officiate weddings, being legal in all 50 states and all cities.  Our by-laws specifically allow the Church to ordain ministers as the need arises, as we have screened them, trained them, seen their work and judged their spiritual commitment.

How to Receive Ordination as a Minister:

Step 1: Write a one-page or more biography of your spiritual history from childhood to the present. Submit to OrdainCouncil.

Step 2: Write a paragraph or two describing your current work as an un-ordained Minister telling the Ordaining Council how ordination will help you in your work as a healer or counselor or whatever it is you do. Submit to OrdainCouncil.

Step 3: Submit completed application and $150 one-time tuition fee (you will be sent to the payment page automatically after you complete the application).

Step 4: We send you (via US Mail) your official, beautiful Ordination Certificate with gold raised seal, suitable for framing.

If you have a question, feel free to ask.  And be sure to check out our FAQ page to see what others have asked.

FEES

Minister tuition is $150. This is a one-time only cost. We accept Paypal, major credit cards and money orders. Personal checks are accepted but take 10 extra days to clear. The $150 tuition fee covers the record keeping (we must keep a permanent file on each minister to document and validate your credentials) legal certificate with beautiful gold raised seal. We also provide a lifetime reference service for our Ministers / Practitioners and Alumni. Any time you need a reference---occupational, credit or personal----you may use one of our officers or our organization (or both). We also verify your credentials to Keen.com if you have (or want to start) an online counseling practice with them, thus enabling you to make more money doing what you love -- helping and guiding others on the spiritual path.

Practitioner's Directory You are also entitled to place your entry in our online Practitioner's Directory for free. This gets your church and/or practice some needed exposure and gives people in your area a way of contacting you by email or telephone.

Please keep in mind that we are a legally incorporated non-profit organization. We are not here to make money which is why our costs are so low.  We've never raised them in fact since we started ordaining ministers in 1987.  It is worth pointing out that organizations offering to ordain you for free online are usually not recognized.  In other words, you will not be able to perform weddings or get any kind of legitimate recognition for your ministry, not be able to get tax exempt status, etc. as you can with us in all 50 States. ULC ordinations for instance are not accepted in 32 States and counting.  When you go to the Courthouse to prove you are a minister, you want to have a bonafide Ordination Certificate with a raised seal, signed in person by the ordaining body.  We are recognized in all 50 States and many countries around the world. Our ministers perform weddings and legally provide pastoral counseling, readings, healings, etc. all over the world.

Wallet Minister ID Cards
We also offer laminated wallet-size credential cards which declare your credentials for $10. For an additional $5 we can add your photo to the ID card. (Please email or snail mail a passport photo, or similar photo of you).

Interfaith Minister Manual
You may also order our beautiful hard-cover Interfaith Minister's Manual with ceremonies (everything from weddings, funerals, christenings/namings, mass/eucharist to traditional Catholic exorcisms), rituals and blessings (for houses, people, altars and even how to bless musical instruments!) spanning all faiths from Roman Catholicism to Native American. $31

If you have a question, feel free to ask.  And be sure to check our FAQ page to see what others have asked. Refund Policy

Once ordained, you may wish join to the ETS Ordained Minister Forum & Newsletter

Read this inspiring adaptation of Isaiah 61, the Universal Ministry as you answer the Call to ordination.

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