§15-3-5
Rhode Island General Laws
5
Rhode Island Counties
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
3-5 wks
Credentialing
Rhode Island Ordination Through AEGA
Recognized credentials, no state registration.
Rhode Island is a "no state registration" state for marriage officiants. Unlike Virginia or Tennessee where ministers must register with a court before officiating, R.I. Gen. Laws §15-3-5 authorizes every ordained clergy or elder in good standing with their church to join persons in marriage. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient. Sign the marriage license, the city or town clerk records it.
AEGA Ordained Minister credentials in Rhode Island name the holder as an ordained minister of AEGA Ministries International, a Spirit-filled covenant fellowship recognized as a religious organization under U.S. law and chartered as a 501(c)(3) since 1976. Sufficient under R.I. Gen. Laws §15-3-5 to officiate marriages in any of the 5 counties. AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers.
Who AEGA Credentials in Rhode Island
Six common Rhode Island ordination pathways.
Rhode Island is small in territory but rich in ministry. AEGA carries credentialed ministers across Providence, Newport, Warwick, and the towns of the Ocean State.
Senior pastors of Rhode Island congregations.
Lead pastors carrying ordination through AEGA across Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, Newport, and the New England Spirit-filled communities anchoring the Ocean State.
Bilingual and multicultural Rhode Island ministers.
AEGA credentials ministers serving Spanish-speaking, Portuguese, Cape Verdean, and Liberian communities across Providence and the surrounding cities. The credential carries across cultural and language contexts.
Rhode Island church planters and bivocational pastors.
Ministers starting new works inside Rhode Island cities and towns. AEGA does not require denominational membership; the covenant fellowship covering is available to planters from any background.
Ministers transferring credentials into AEGA.
Pastors and ministers moving from another fellowship or unaffiliated standing into AEGA. The credential review honors prior ordination while bringing the minister into AEGA covering.
Rhode Island chaplains needing the ordination prerequisite.
Hospital, hospice, Naval Station Newport, state-corrections, and law-enforcement chaplain candidates whose endorsing body requires denominational or fellowship ordination before endorsement.
Wedding officiants across Rhode Island.
Ministers whose call includes officiating weddings across Rhode Island cities and towns. AEGA ordination is sufficient under §15-3-5 in every city and town clerk office in the state.
Credential Pathways for Rhode Island Ministers
Four credentialing tracks under one Spirit-filled fellowship.
AEGA carries four ministerial tiers. 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. Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island city.
Licensed Minister.
For ministers in part-time or full-time ministry with limited experience. Authorizes preaching, marriage officiation under R.I. Gen. Laws §15-3-5, 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 Rhode Island ministerial standing.
Why AEGA in Rhode Island
A covenant fellowship for the long career of Rhode Island ministry.
AEGA-credentialed Rhode Island ministers receive recognition under §15-3-5, regional covering through the Presiding Bishop, and the standing of a Spirit-filled fellowship that has carried ministers since 1976.
R.I. Gen. Laws §15-3-5.
The statute that authorizes AEGA-ordained Rhode Island ministers to officiate marriage ceremonies across all 5 counties. No state registration required.
Spirit-filled fellowship covering.
AEGA-credentialed ministers in Rhode Island stand inside a covenant fellowship. The covering is relational, doctrinal, and accountable, not a piece of paper.
60+ nations of reach.
AEGA-credentialed ministers serve across more than 60 nations. Rhode Island applicants join a fellowship with international reach including New England immigrant communities.
49 years of standing.
AEGA has carried Spirit-filled ministers since 1976. Rhode Island city and town 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 Rhode Island, answered.
Do I need to register with Rhode Island to officiate weddings as an ordained minister?
No. R.I. Gen. Laws §15-3-5 authorizes every ordained clergy or elder in good standing with their church to officiate marriages without state-level registration. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient in all 5 Rhode Island counties. The minister signs the marriage license after the ceremony; the city or town clerk records the marriage based on the signed license.
How long does AEGA ordination take in Rhode Island?
Most AEGA credentials, including ordination, are issued within three to five weeks of a complete application. The timeline is the same in Rhode Island as in any U.S. state. The Credential Committee review covers doctrinal alignment with the historic Spirit-filled stream AEGA has carried since 1976, references, and ministry experience.
Does AEGA credential bilingual and immigrant-community ministers in Rhode Island?
Yes. AEGA credentials ministers serving Spanish-speaking, Portuguese, Cape Verdean, Liberian, and other immigrant-heritage communities across Rhode Island. The credential carries across cultural and language contexts, and the fellowship welcomes ministers from every people group.
Can a Rhode Island-ordained AEGA minister also become a chaplain?
Yes. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for chaplain endorsement. Rhode Island hosts Naval Station Newport, the Adult Correctional Institutions, and major medical systems including Lifespan and Care New England where AEGA-ordained Rhode Island chaplains serve.
How does AEGA ordination compare to online ordination services in Rhode Island?
AEGA ordination is a sacred setting-apart act inside a covenant fellowship, not a same-day certificate. AEGA requires an application, doctrinal review by the Credential Committee, a thorough review covering doctrinal alignment, references, and ministry experience, and a monthly giving commitment for Licensed and Ordained tiers. Both produce a credential a Rhode Island clerk will accept under §15-3-5; only one places the minister inside ongoing covering.
Learn more about ordination through AEGA.
Spirit-filled covenant fellowship. 49 years of continuous standing. Recognized under R.I. Gen. Laws §15-3-5 across all 5 counties. AEGA credentialing is the pathway for Rhode Island ministers, chaplains, and church planters.