Licensing Process:

Welcome to the West Virginia/Western Maryland District of the United Pentecostal Church. Your ministry is our passion! As a body of ministers we collectively impact the Kingdom of God, and your ministry is an integral part of our collective effort. 
 
This page will provide the direction you need to begin the licensing process. Each new applicant will require the involvement of your pastor in order to begin the process. If you are already a pastor, seeking to upgrade your license, you can begin the process on your own, but you will need to select an ordained minister to review your application for this process (preferably your Presbyter).
 
In order to complete this online process you will need to complete the educational requirements for the level of licensure desired. You will also need to complete the application, and the accompanying forms, and submit two photos. Additionally, if there is a divorce in your past, or in your spouse’s past, there are additional documents that may be required. Please counsel with your pastor and/or presbyter for more information regarding these requirements. The directions and the video linked below will provide detailed information to assist you in this significant step forward in your ministry.

FOR THOSE NOT CURRENTLY LICENSED

For example: applying for a Local license for the first time or applying for a reinstated General license

1. Talk to your pastor or presbyter about applying.
Because a pastor or ordained minister must start the application process for new applicants, this is the required first step.

2. The pastor or sponsor will initiate the application process.
Be sure to supply your pastor with your full name and a valid email. The application invitation will be sent to this email address.

3. Applicant should complete the application and upload all required documents.
Applicants may save and continue the application later. Upon completion, you will digitally sign and submit the application.

4. Applicant is required to complete payment.
Upon submission, the applicant will receive another email with a link to complete payment. All applicants pay a $25 fee. New or reinstated applicants also pre-pay one quarter of annual dues. This can be paid by credit card.

5. The pastor or sponsor will review application.
After pastor or sponsor approval, the application will go to the Western District for review and approval, and subsequently to UPCI World Headquarters for review and approval.

FOR CURRENTLY LICENSED MINISTERS

For example: applying for General license from Local license or applying for Ordination from General License

1. As a licensed minister, the applicant should log in to wa.upci.org to initiate the application.

1. Under the tab (Ministers), select (Ministers Application), then (Start Ministers Application). If prompted, select (Ministry), then select (Continue).

2. Select an option for applicant (Myself), level (Local/General/Ordained), and type (New/Reinstated/Promotion).

3. In the field for approver’s last name, start to type your pastor’s/sponsor’s last name to populate possible accounts. Select the desired account. This will pre-fill his/her UPCI account number. You must list someone besides yourself as the approver for your application.

4. Enter a valid email address for the approver you selected.

5. Verify the information is correct. Select Create, and on the next page, select Yes to complete this step.

2. Applicant should complete the application and upload all required documents.

Upon completing step 1 in wa.upci.org, the applicant should be redirected to a new page to complete the digital application. You may save and continue later. Upon completion, digitally sign and submit the application.

3. Applicant is required to complete payment.

Upon submission, the applicant will receive another email with a link to complete payment. All applicants pay a $25 fee. Active UPCI ministers are not required to pre-pay one quarter of annual dues. This fee can be paid by credit card.

4. The pastor or sponsor will review application.

After pastor or sponsor approval, the application will go to the Western District for review and approval, and subsequently to UPCI World Headquarters for review and approval.

FOR PASTORS OR SPONSORS

For example: entering an Applicant for a Local license for the first time or upgrading an Applicant's license from Local to General. You cannot promote yourself.

1. The pastor will log in and initiate the application process for new/reinstated licenses.

The applicant should supply his/her full name and a valid email. His/Her application invitation will be sent automatically to the email provided.
If you experience difficulty when attempting to log in to wa.upci.org, try this approach:

1. If you are a credentialed minister, first try your login and password for upciministers.com.

2. If the prior step returns an invalid response, use “Forgot your password?” to reset the password.

3. Your login for wa.upci.org will be the email associated with your upciministers.com login and password.

2. The applicant should complete the application, upload all required documents, and complete payment.

Applicants may save and continue the application later. Upon completion, they will digitally sign and submit the application. Upon submission, the applicant will receive another email with a link to complete payment. All applicants pay a $25 fee. This can be paid by credit card. New or reinstated applicants also pre-pay one quarter of annual dues.

3. IMPORTANT: The pastor or sponsor must review and approve the completed application.

How do I know when an application is ready for me to review?

1. The system should email you (using the email provided by the applicant or associated with your UPCI minister account) a notification. It will include a link to go to the Pastor Review page. On this page, you should see applications pending your action.

2. You can also navigate to this page, under the tab Ministers, select Ministers Application, then Pastor/Sponsor Review.

What do I need to do to review an application?

1. In Pastor Review page, use the action buttons next to the desired application. Use the Review button (triangle icon) to view a PDF of the application. Use the Approve/Deny button (paper icon) to navigate to the decision page. On the decision page, there is a box for comment, and it will ask for your decision: Approve, Deny, or Return to Applicant.

2. If you select Approve, when you submit, the application will go to the Western District for review.

3. If you select Deny when you submit, the application will be removed from the active queue and any refund due will be processed by WHQ Church Admin.

4. If you select Return to Applicant when you submit, the application will return to the applicant to edit the application. When he/she resubmits, it will return to you for pastoral approval.

Why would I return a form to the applicant?
All questions must be answered on the application. Incomplete answers will cause delay. If an application is incomplete (including insufficient attachments), return it to the applicant to edit to provide all required information.
The UPCI requires applicants to meet certain educational requirements and uphold doctrinal beliefs. If an applicant has not met these requirements, return the application to the applicant and discuss the matter. If it can be resolved, the applicant should edit the application and resubmit. Doctrinal questions that are answered inconsistently with the UPCI Articles of Faith will be flagged for pastor review. An application cannot receive pastor approval if a flagged question exists. These questions must be resolved before proceeding to the Western District for review.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I log-in to wa.upci.org?

• If you are a credentialed minister, first try your login for upciministers.com. Your login for wa.upci.org will be the email associated with your upciministers.com login and the password you chose.

• If your login/password is invalid, use “Forgot your password?” to reset the password.

Can I start my own application if I am not currently a minister?

No. If you are not a UPCI credentialed minister, you will not be able to log in to wa.upci.org. You should work with your pastor or another ordained minister to initiate the application for you. They will provide your email and you will get a link to complete the application.

If I am a pastor applying for a promoted license, can I list myself as the pastor?

No, all applications require review from a pastor or another ordained minister prior to review by the District Board.

For Pastors/Approvers: How do I know when an application is ready for review?

The system should email you (using the email provided by the applicant or associated with your UPCI minister account) a notification. It will include a link to go to the Pastor Review page. On the Pastor Review page, you should see applications pending your action. You can also navigate to this page under the tab Ministers > Ministers Application > Pastor/Sponsor Review.

For Pastors/Approvers: What do I need to do to review an application?

1. In Pastor Review page, use the action buttons next to the desired application. Use the Review button (triangle icon) to view a PDF of the application. Use the Approve/Deny button (paper icon) to navigate to the decision page. On the decision page, there is a box for comment, and it will ask for your decision: Approve, Deny, or Return to Applicant.

2. If you select Approve, the application will go to the Western District for review.

3. If you select Deny, the application will be removed from the active queue and any refund due will be processed by WHQ Church Admin.

4. If you select Return to Applicant, the application will return to the applicant to edit the application. When he/she resubmits, it will return to you for pastoral approval.

For Pastors/Approvers: Why would I return a form to the applicant?

1. All questions must be answered on the application. Incomplete answers will cause delay. If an application is incomplete (including insufficient attachments), return it to the applicant to edit to provide all required information.

2. The UPCI requires applicants to meet certain educational requirements and uphold doctrinal beliefs. If an applicant has not met these requirements, return it to the applicant and discuss the matter. If it can be resolved, the applicant should edit the application and resubmit. Doctrinal questions that are answered inconsistently with the UPCI Articles of Faith will be flagged for pastor review. An application cannot receive pastor approval if a flagged question exists. These questions must be resolved before proceeding to the Western District for review.

UPCI LICENSING VIDEO #1

UPCI LICENSING VIDEO #2