Q. Does the Full Gospel Churches of Australia credential women as ministers?
A. Yes! We believe women and men are equal (See Galatians 3:28; Acts 10:34; Romans 10:12) before God. We do not consider gender as either a qualifying or disqualifying element in the credential process.
Q. My church or ministry is small. Will this disqualify my application?
A. At Full Gospel we take many things into consideration before granting anyone a credential, whether their work is small or large. Whilst the size of a ministry can be an indication of validity, it is by no means the only yardstick applied when considering an application. Each application stands on its own merit. The strength of any particular application is not tied to the number of members.
Q. Is the Application Form the only thing I will need to supply in order to receive a credential?
A. Our application process starts with the receipt of an application form, together with the supporting documents outlined within the application. This allows the Credential Committee to begin to gain an understanding of the applicant, their position and work. Applications go through a fact-check process to ensure their validity. After an application is approved, further documentation is required in order to satisfy the compliance obligations all ministers have under the various State and Commonwealth Government legislation and community expectations.
Q. Do I have to possess a degree in order to be approved as a minister of the gospel?
A. Whilst education is vitally important and every minister of the gospel should be educated in ministry and theology to some extent, we do not require an applicant to hold a degree in order to obtain a credential. We do, however, expect that every minister should continue their professional education in some form, updating and improving their knowledge and skills in their ministry on a continuing basis.
Q. Will my church or ministry still be independent if I Join Full Gospel Australia?
A. Every church and ministry which has a minister or a number of ministers holding a credential with Full Gospel Australia is an independent body, which retains its own governance, identity, privileges and responsibilities to Australian governments, society and the local community in which it works.
This is an extremely important factor to understand when choosing to be a part of the family of Full Gospel Australia because it means that we do not generally “tell you what to do.”
We do issue certain directives. FGA ministers must not, for instance, engage in criminal behaviour, act in a way that endangers children, vulnerable people or the community, officiate the marriage of same-sex couples or engage in activities that bring the gospel into disrepute. We also offer advice from time to time (such as in the COVID19 situation of 2020), however these can be clearly seen as an enhancement to your local church or ministry.
Q. What are the Conferences, Pastors Days and Training Days advertised on your website and can anyone come to them?
A. Our Conferences and Pastors Days are usually for pastors who hold a credential with us as well as their key and emerging leaders, as well as emerging leaders in their churches. These days usually revolve around a keynote speaker, selected for their expertise and relevance. A primary aspect of these days is fellowship among pastors. Pastors Days are held in centralised geographical areas as we try to make them available to all our credential holders.
Training Days are more specific. These are held, each with a specific area of ministry in mind, and are mostly by invitation, as we try to keep them intimate and manageable for the guest presenters. If you see a Training Day advertised and particularly desire to attend, we encourage you to contact us and request an invitation. Of course, invitations are at the Executive’s discretion.
Q. Why is there a cost for your Conferences and Training Days?
A. We have top quality ministers who are expert in their respective fields of ministry presenting at our events. These people have significant ministry expenses, not to mention the cost of gaining their expertise: we believe a workman is worthy of their hire (1 Timothy 5:18). Also, there are other costs associated with holding such an event. These costs must be defrayed. We believe our Conferences and Training Days are the best value professional development for ministers of the Gospel, in Australia.
Q. What is Full Gospel Australia’s Child Protection Policy?
A. Full Gospel Australia strongly believes in the safety of all children within its care. To view/download a copy of the FGA Child Protection Policy and Procedures, please click this link.