What is the “Life Church?” Interest rises in online ordination to officiate weddings

According to Google Trends, a lot of people are searching for the “Life Church” while researching how to get ordained online to officiate a wedding. This article clears up exactly what this church is, and isn’t, and gives advice about getting ordained online for aspiring wedding officiants.

Here at American Marriage Ministries, we’re very familiar with online ordination. We’ve ordained more than 840,000 everyday people who went on to officiate weddings for their friends and family. If that’s what you’re looking for, you can just start the process here. But we appreciate that you’re doing your research, and we want to help you make the right decision.

For starters, there are many churches that offer online ordination, but to the best of our knowledge, “Life Church” is not one of them. Here’s why…

The most visible “Life Church” today appears to be Life.Church, an evangelical Christian megachurch with at least 30 locations around the country, including their original church site in Oklahoma City. Online ordination isn’t mentioned on their website, although they do offer an ‘Internet Campus’ for folks to attend church services online. 

Online ordination doesn't have to be confusing...

‘Life Church’ or Universal Life Church? Given the similarity in their names, visitors may confuse one with the other. 

Unlike the institution featured on the website Life.Church, “Universal Life Church” is a name associated with a number of different churches, most of which trace their roots back to the Universal Life Church founded by Kirby Hensley in Modesto California, during the 1960s.

That Universal Life Church has a long history of ordaining ministers online, as well as offering church charters, and other ecclesiastical services. Their official website, associated with the founding organization, can be found here.

Although it claims to be the original one, the Modesto Universal Life Church is by no means the only church using the name, “Universal Life Church,” or its acronym, “ULC.” 

A quick online search serves up an array of “ULC” or “Universal Life Church” entities. Some of these organizations claim affiliation with the Modesto church, and others do not.  

 
American Marriage Ministries is a non-denominational church that ordains people online so that they can legally officiate weddings for friends, family, and community. We are not affiliated with any other churches, including the Universal Life Church or any of its offshoots.

To learn more about us, visit the Who We Are section of our website.

You may also like: 

• What is an Interfaith, or Non-Denominational Church?
   
• How Online Ordination Facilitates Marriage Equality in Rural America
   

Signature Wedding Officiant Package

Our Signature Wedding Officiant Package includes everything you'll need to successfully officiate a wedding ceremony!