Please note that there have been many edits made to this article since it was originally published in 2017 as I wanted to bring it up to date. Because of this, the article is somewhat messy. The edits in bold show the 2023 costs.
In my last post in this series, I covered the basic cost of being licensed in the United Pentecostal Church. We discovered that besides the yearly national fees of $374.00, $386.00 or $398.00, each minister must also pay money to the district in which they live. Using Indiana as an example for 2023, if one held local license it would cost them a minimum of an additional $660.00, making the total cost per year of their license $1,034.00 and it could rise to $1,454.00 depending on their age. Using South Carolina as an example, if one held local license it would cost them an additional $960.00, making the total cost per year of their license $1,334.00.
[December 5, 2024 Edit: At the General Conference in 2024, they raised the licensing fees as follows: Local: $474, General: $496, Ordained: $518. That’s a pretty high jump in costs. For all of the figures you would need to add this increase to the yearly total district and national dues.]
In addition to the above, the UPCI approved a change in processing payments of membership fees at the 2014 General Conference as mentioned by David Bernard in the October-December 2014 Forward magazine. This started to be implemented in December 2015 for the first quarter of 2016. If a minister does not pay annually, but pays quarterly or monthly, a small fee is now added to each payment. This will cost some ministers additional money, though it isn’t significant. This was also explained in the same issue of the Forward as seen in this screenshot.
We will now look at the expense of purchasing books and videos in order to obtain an initial license or to move up to the next level. (There are three levels: local, general and ordained.) Note that in addition to the prices listed below, there is also a $25.00 application fee for each level of licensing.
As of January 2017, a new reading list was released as well as implementing video requirements. Each video course costs $35.00 and ten are required per each ministerial level, thus increasing the initial licensing cost to at least $350.00. (You will find the cost and list here. A prior updated edition with all but one book price is here.) Not only does this increase the initial licensing cost, but since it also applies to each level, if an already licensed minister wishes to move up to a general or ordained license, it will cost them at least $350.00. It should be noted that these are not yearly costs, but one-time charges. [2023 Edit: Starting at some point after March 2023, the cost for each video course rose to $40.00, thus increasing the initial licensing cost to at least $400.00.]
The reading requirements are nothing new, though they periodically changed the list. In their earlier days, book reading was not always required as is evidenced in the 1969 UPCI Manual where nothing was listed, not even reading through the Bible. However, for those seeking ordination, they were required to read the Bible, “at least one church history book and at least one grammar book.” This was waived if they had completed three years in a UPCI Bible school. By 1975, a very limited reading list was mandated: The Pentecostal Home Bible Study Course, Magnifying The Ministry, United We Stand and For Preacher’s Only.
By at least 1981, reading the Bible in at least year was required, as well as at least one year in a UPCI endorsed Bible College. If the candidate did not attend a Bible college, then they had to read the same books as mentioned in 1975. The same held true through 1989. Starting in 1989 they stated that the UPCI Manual must be read. Regardless of whether a person had attended a UPCI endorsed Bible college, they had to read through the Bible and the Manual at each level of licensing.
On January 1, 1990, a new reading list was made where the specific books were no longer listed in each Manual. From here they periodically changed.
In February 2010, a new list of reading requirements was in force. You may view that here.
You may compare the current reading requirement with what was required starting in 2012. Without considering the cost of the Manual, it was $157.41 for a local license, $143.94 for general and $112.44 for ordination. So with this new change in 2017, the UPCI more than doubled the cost for each level.
One thing that has now changed is that all the reading material is produced by the UPCI and their authors, whereas years back they would include something written by those outside their group and even by non-Apostolics. The Words and Works of Jesus Christ by J. Dwight Pentecost used to be one of them. For years they also let you choose one book out of several in a category (see the 2010 requirements). With them requiring only their books and videos, one gets fully indoctrinated by the UPCI. Consider that for a local license, four of the ten courses are all the thoughts of David Bernard, the current UPCI General Superintendent. The organization also makes more money by keeping everything in house.
Each video course comes with an ebook. If someone cannot or does not wish to read books in digital format, it would cost $157.90 to purchase all the books for a local license. For a general license it is $161.90 and for ordination it would be more than $155.91 (after more than a year, one book price was still pending). [2023 Edit: You will see that they no longer show the paperback editions prices in their list of required reading. As of November 1, 2023, if you did not purchase any book on sale, it would cost $180.90 to purchase the books for a local license. For a general license it is $182.90 and for ordination it would be $200.90.]
If the individual wanted to purchase physical copies of the books, the total initial cost to attempt to receive a license would be $507.90 for a local, $511.90 for a general and more than $505.91 for ordination. Otherwise each level would be $350.00. These figures are in addition to the yearly national and district fees should the individual be granted license. They also do not include the cost of the United Pentecostal Church Manual, which must be read at the cost of $10.00 [2018 paperback price]. In addition, applicants must read the Bible through once for each level of license. [2023 Edit: If the individual wanted to purchase physical copies of the books in 2023, the total initial cost to attempt to receive a license would be $580.90 for a local, $582.90 for a general and $600.90 for ordination. There could be an additional charge for a printed copy of the Manual. If one is fine with digital copies, each level would be $400.00. In addition at each level there is the $25.00 application fee.)
What does this all mean? The applicant from Indiana going for a local license, would expect to pay $1,204.00 or $1,361.90 (if paperback books are purchased) for their first year and to satisfy the reading requirements. Ouch. [2023 Edit: The applicant from Indiana going for a local license, would expect to pay at least $1434.00 or $1614.90 (if paperback books are purchased) for their first year and to satisfy the reading requirements. South Carolina would be higher. Prices do not include the application fee.]
There is good news for the applicant who has completed at least one year of a UPCI endorsed Bible college (they only endorse their own). They do not need to complete the reading requirements, according to the 2017 UPCI Manual (Article VII, Section 2, #9). They would have already spent well over $350.00 at the college. For instance, at Indiana Bible College, tuition and activity fees for one year (without room and board) cost more than $4,000.00. [2023 Edit: The 2019 Manual removed this mention of a UPCI endorsed Bible college and it now states, “All applicants must have completed the required reading and training program established by the General Board. The reading and training requirements may be obtained from the District Board or from the office of the General Secretary-Treasurer. At each level of credentialing, all applicants must read the Bible through and must read the current Manual of the UPCI.”]
All of this can become a little more complex as each district is at liberty to impose additional requirements of any kind in order to be considered for licensing.
While the requirements and fees have changed for those whose language is English, they did not change in 2017 for those seeking a Spanish license. The reading requirements are fewer and are considerably cheaper for those who speak Spanish, plus they do not have to view videos and take the accompanying tests. The present costs are $76.01 for local, $37.53 for general and $24.30 for ordination. Compare those with it costing at least $350.00 for those whose language is English. That is not very balanced. [2023 Edit: On January 1, 2019 this changed and they now have reading and video requirements, with some differences in the material. The speakers are different since the lessons are in Spanish. See here.]
Should a minister fall behind in payment of either national or district fees, their license will be suspended or revoked and they may need to reapply and meet with the District Board to get it back.
Please note that in all of the requirements, there appears to be no mandated training on the issue of sexual abuse. This is troubling since the organization has had problems with their ministers failing to report these cases, as well as ministers and members being arrested, charged and convicted of various types of sexual crimes. [2023 Edit: There is currently available a series of ten videos that address various aspects of abuse and sexual abuse. They are listed on Ministry Central under SafeChurch. However, these are not mandated for licensing. Anyone may sign up to watch these at no charge.] Some may want to read our ongoing series of articles on sexual abuse in the United Pentecostal Church.
United Pentecostal Church Manual Part 5
United Pentecostal Church Manual Part 4
United Pentecostal Church Manual Part 3
United Pentecostal Church Manual Part 2
United Pentecostal Church Manual Part 1
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Why do pastors receive all tithing from the congregation for themselves ? Should tithes be given to the church treasury and pay the pastor a salary ?