Popular Places for Non Denominational Ordination Certificates Online

Decide Which Non-Denominational Ordination is Right For You

 

Maybe you’ve been asked to officiate a wedding, or to conduct another type of important ceremony such as a funeral service, baby blessing, or name changing ceremony. Now, you’re looking into your options for non denominational ordination certificates. You’re in the right spot – we’ll help you find the best places to get ordained online for your unique needs. 

 

Non denominational ordination offers both practical and spiritual benefits. As an ordained minister, you provide guidance and leadership in your community. And as a non denominational minister, your ordination isn’t tied to a specific religious denomination or set of beliefs. This prepares you to serve diverse groups of people from many cultural and spiritual backgrounds. 

 

What does it mean when someone gets ordained?

 

Ordination (or 'getting ordained') is an agreement between a religious organization and one of its members that grants that member the right to lead certain ceremonies as a representative of that church. For most people, the easiest way to make this happen is to get ordained online through a reputable online church. 

 

People choose to get ordained for many reasons – often to fulfil a spiritual calling, to serve their community, and to perform meaningful rites and rituals for others, to name a few. Today, many people choose to become ordained in part to conduct marriage ceremonies for their loved ones, and play an integral role in their wedding day. 

 

If all this sounds good to you, keep reading! 

Become a minister today!

 For most people, the easiest way to get ordained is online, through a reputable online church like American Marriage Ministries. (Photo: ASphotowed / iStock)

 

 

Where to Become a Non Denominational Ordained Minister Online?

 

Below, we’ve put together a list of popular and reputable online ordination options to consider. Each of the organizations in this list are considered non denominational (or are non mainstream denominations) and may allow their ministers more flexibility in their spiritual beliefs and values than most traditional brick-and-mortar churches. While some of these churches take themselves more seriously than others, they all provide legal online ordination and are therefore worth mentioning. 

 

Since we’re obviously invested in this space as an online church, we want to be clear that the article below is solely based on our research, is subjective, and doesn't reflect the official positions of any of the other organizations included. This list is for general informational purposes only, and we encourage you to do your own research when choosing where to become ordained.

 

Now, let’s jump into a list of online churches where you can get ordained online to perform weddings, funerals, and other meaningful ceremonies!

 

 

Reputable Online Ordination Options for Non Denominational Ministers 

 

 

1. AMM Minister Ordination through American Marriage Ministries 

 

We’re going to give ourselves the number-one spot on this list because we think American Marriage Ministries (AMM) provides the most robust non denominational ordination certificate on the internet, backed by the best training for wedding officiants. (You can see all our free online training materials in our Wedding Officiant Training pages.)

GET ORDAINED WITH AMM HERE

At AMM, we believe that everyone has the right to get married, to perform marriage, and to have their wedding conducted by someone who shares their values. Our free online ordination grants full legal authority to conduct marriage ceremonies all across the US! 

 

It’s really that simple, and there’s no hidden ideology or specific spiritual beliefs that you have to subscribe to. We proudly ordain people from all backgrounds and walks of life, including atheist and agnostic individuals. Just be yourself, and be ready to serve your community by officiating weddings. 

 

 

2. Dudeism Ordination through The Church of The Latter-Day Dude

 

If you're asking yourself, "How can I get ordained without taking the church too seriously," then this might be your answer. This modern religion, which was inspired by the film The Big Lebowski, bills itself as “the slowest growing religion in the world.” Founded in 2005, this religion promotes a modern interpretation of Chinese Taoism (a 6th century BC philosophy) and borrows from Greek Philosophy to promote “going with the flow” and “taking it easy” in the face of adversity. 

 

Dudeism Ordination is free, and presumably grants ordained “Dudeist Priests” the right to carry out religious ceremonies as representatives of the Church of The Latter-Day Dude. 

 

 

3. Pastafarian Ordination through The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

 

This church offers a non mainstream ordination certificate with the title “Pastafarian Minister.” Although there aren’t a lot of specifics on what this church believes, Pastafarianism seems to be based in the inclusive view that all people are equal in the eyes of “the LORD our Almighty Flying Spaghetti Monster." Their intentions seem to be to make the world a better place, and that’s something we can get on board with!

 

Pastafarian ordinations appear to cost around $35, but have held up to legal challenges, so if you want to perform a wedding wearing a sieve over your head (which is something some Pastafarian ministers wear during ceremonies) then this online ordination is perfect for you!

 

 

Choose an online church that aligns with your values, budget, and goals. (Photo: Marc Dufresne / iStock)

 

4. ULC Minister Ordination through The Universal Life Church

 

This church has been around since the 1960s, when Kirby J. Hensley started his church under the doctrine, “Do that which is right.” Also known as “The ULC” or simply “ULC,” The Universal Life Church has spawned dozens of offshoots over the years, which is why we’re just going to focus on the original church, based out of Modesto, California. 

 

The ULC has no traditional doctrine and promotes individual determinism, on the condition that doing so does not infringe on the rights of others. Their website says that, “We do not stand between you and your God.”

 

 

5. PCO Minister Ordination through The Provenance Center for Ordination

 

The Provenance Center for Ordination is a brand new religious corporation founded by the same folks who started an AI-powered wedding writing tool in 2021, called Provenance. The center has been around for about a year or less at the time of writing, but they seem to offer a modern and legal option for online ordination.

 

We checked out their website (not to be confused with their sister-site, the for-profit Provenance.co; this one is just for ordinations); we were pleased to see that they offer officiant training, although you have to sign up ahead of time for their options – not as convenient as the online wedding officiant training offered by AMM, and not nearly as big a library. Our take: they’re worth checking out if you’re interested in an inclusive online church, and we look forward to seeing what they do as they establish themselves in this space!

 

 

6. AFC Minister Ordination through American Fellowship Church

 

The American Fellowship Church was established in 1975 and offers a simple process for nondenominational online ordination, although they seem reluctant to call it an online ordination. The church is “dedicated to the enhancement of each person's spiritual growth and development and thus to the worth, dignity, well-being, and unique potential of each individual.” 

 

Members of The American Fellowship Church can purchase an ordination (which they call a minister license) for a specific amount of time, for example 1 year, 5 years, or a lifetime license. These packages range in price from around $45 to $260.  

 

 

7. CLI Ordained Minister through Christian Leaders Institute

 

The Christian Leaders Institute is a strongly Christian organization that offers both free and paid online education and various non denominational ordination certificates that are “grounded in biblical education.” To become an ordained minister, members must complete 21 educational credits and seven online courses. Based on the website, it appears this program costs between $150 and $350, depending on the specific package you purchase.

 

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To find out more about AMM's values, read our Philosophy on Marriage. 
 

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More Tips for Wedding Officiants & New Ministers

 

• How to Officiate a Wedding For the First Time
   
• What Does a Wedding Officiant Do After the Wedding Ceremony?
   
• What to Wear (and Not Wear) as a Wedding Officiant
   
• How to Conduct an Ordination Service for a New AMM Minister
   

 

Click the article linked above to learn how to conduct an ordination service for new AMM Ministers! Gather with loved ones to honor your new role as marriage officiant. (Photo: fizkes / iStock)

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