§551.7
Michigan Marriage Law
83
Michigan Counties
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
3-5 wks
Credentialing
Michigan Ordination Through AEGA
Recognized credentials, no state registration.
Unlike Virginia or Tennessee where ministers must register with a court before officiating, Michigan Marriage Law (MCL §551.7) authorizes a minister of the gospel of any religious denomination to solemnize marriages. The AEGA ordination credential is the credential that meets the requirement. Sign the marriage license, the county clerk records it.
AEGA Ordained Minister credentials in Michigan name the holder as an ordained minister of AEGA Ministries International, a Spirit-filled fellowship recognized as a religious organization under U.S. law and chartered as a 501(c)(3) since 1976. Sufficient under MCL §551.7 to conduct marriages across Michigan. AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers.
Who AEGA Credentials in Michigan
Six common Michigan ordination pathways.
AEGA carries credentialed ministers across every region of Michigan, from senior pastors in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Flint, and the Upper Peninsula to bivocational pastors, church planters, and chaplains. Each pathway runs through the same Credential Committee review.
Senior pastors of Michigan congregations.
Lead pastors carrying ordination through AEGA across Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Flint, and the Upper Peninsula. The National Division covering reaches every region of Michigan through state and area coordinators.
Associate and youth pastors in Michigan.
Staff pastors stepping into recognized ministerial standing under MCL §551.7. AEGA credentialing covers associate, youth, worship, and discipleship pastors serving inside Michigan congregations.
Michigan church planters and bivocational pastors.
Ministers starting new works across Metro Detroit, West Michigan, mid-Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula. AEGA's 501(c)(3) charter pathway pairs with regional coverage so new Michigan churches receive both the legal covering and the relational covering from day one.
Ministers transferring credentials into AEGA.
Pastors and ministers moving from another fellowship or denomination into AEGA Michigan. Regional leaders and the Credential Committee walk the transfer through, usually within three to five weeks.
Michigan chaplains needing the ordination prerequisite.
Hospital, hospice, prison, military, and first-responder chaplains across Michigan who need AEGA Ordained Minister credentials before applying for chaplain endorsement. The credentialing path is the gate.
Wedding officiants across Michigan.
Ministers whose call includes officiating weddings across Michigan. Under MCL §551.7, AEGA ordination is recognized in every Michigan county. No state registration required.
Credential Pathways for Michigan Ministers
Credentialing tracks under one Spirit-filled fellowship.
AEGA carries four ministerial tiers plus the comparison, timeline, certificate, and chaplaincy pages Michigan applicants reference most. Begin at the tier that matches your call.
Ministerial Apprentice.
The formation tier for ministers preparing for Licensed or Ordained credential. 12-24 months under a local pastor. Michigan applicants begin here if no prior ministerial standing.
Christian Worker.
For those called to lay ministry roles: Sunday school teacher, jail or street ministry, house-to-house visitation. $50 application + $50 annual renewal. Open to ministers in any Michigan city.
Licensed Minister.
For ministers in part-time or full-time ministry with limited experience. Authorizes preaching, marriage officiation under MCL §551.7, baptism, and all sacerdotal duties.
Ordained Minister.
The highest credentialing tier. Required for chaplain endorsement, charter pastorship of an AEGA congregation, and the most formal forms of Michigan ministerial standing.
Why AEGA in Michigan
A covenant fellowship for the long career of Michigan ministry.
AEGA-credentialed Michigan ministers receive recognition under MCL §551.7, regional covering through the National Division, and the standing of a Spirit-filled fellowship that has carried ministers since 1976.
Michigan Marriage Law §551.7.
The statute that authorizes AEGA-ordained Michigan ministers to conduct marriage ceremonies across all 83 counties. No state registration required.
Recognized across 83 Michigan counties.
AEGA ordination is recognized in every Michigan county clerk's office. Ministers serving across Metro Detroit, West Michigan, mid-Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula carry the same credential.
Spirit-filled fellowship oversight.
AEGA is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers, not a denomination. Michigan ministers carry both legal standing and relational covering through regional leadership.
49 years of standing.
AEGA has carried Spirit-filled ministers since 1976. Michigan county clerks, chaplain boards, and charter agencies recognize the credential on file.
Get Ordained · By State or Nation
Become an ordained minister wherever you serve.
Every state has its own requirements for officiating weddings, performing chaplaincy, and operating a church. We’ve mapped the path for the states most of our applicants come from.
Frequently Asked
Getting ordained in Michigan, answered.
Do I need to register with Michigan to officiate weddings as an ordained minister?
No. MCL §551.7 authorizes a "minister of the gospel" of any religious denomination to solemnize marriages without separate state-level registration. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient in all 83 Michigan counties. The minister signs the Michigan marriage license after the ceremony; the county clerk records the marriage based on the signed license.
How long does AEGA ordination take in Michigan?
Most AEGA credentials, including ordination, are issued within three to five weeks of a complete application. The timeline is the same in Michigan as in any U.S. state. The credential review by the Credential Committee covers doctrinal alignment with the historic Spirit-filled stream AEGA has carried since 1976, references, and ministry experience.
Does AEGA credential ministers across all of Michigan?
Yes. AEGA-credentialed ministers serve across Metro Detroit, West Michigan, mid-Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula. The same ordination certificate is recognized in every one of the 83 Michigan counties.
Can a Michigan-ordained AEGA minister also become a chaplain?
Yes. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for chaplain endorsement. Michigan hospital, hospice, prison, military, and first-responder chaplains carry AEGA ordination as the underlying ministerial credential before applying for endorsement through their endorsing agency.
How does AEGA ordination compare to online ordination services in Michigan?
AEGA ordination is a sacred setting-apart act inside a covenant fellowship, not a same-day online certificate. AEGA credentials carry the standing of a religious organization chartered as a 501(c)(3) since 1976, recognized under MCL §551.7 and by Michigan county clerks, chaplain endorsing agencies, and charter authorities. Online certificates frequently fail recognition tests at the county-clerk counter or with endorsing agencies; AEGA credentials do not.
Learn more about ordination through AEGA.
Spirit-filled covenant fellowship. 49 years of continuous standing. Recognized under MCL §551.7 for marriage officiation across Michigan.