§765.16
WI Statute
72
Wisconsin Counties
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
3-5 wks
Credentialing
Wisconsin Ordination Through AEGA
Recognized credentials, no state registration.
Wisconsin is a "no state registration" state for marriage officiants. Wisconsin Statute §765.16 authorizes any ordained member of the clergy of any religious denomination or society to solemnize marriages. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient. Sign the marriage license, the county clerk records it.
AEGA Ordained Minister credentials in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin Statute §765.16 to solemnize marriages in any of the 72 counties. AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers.
Who AEGA Credentials in Wisconsin
Six common Wisconsin ordination pathways.
AEGA carries credentialed ministers across every region of Wisconsin, from senior pastors of established congregations to chaplains, church planters, lay-ministry workers, and wedding officiants. Six common pathways follow.
Senior pastors of Wisconsin congregations.
Lead pastors carrying ordination through AEGA across Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Appleton, and the smaller Wisconsin towns. Wisconsin carries a steady Spirit-filled ministry presence across the upper Midwest.
Wisconsin church planters and bivocational pastors.
Ministers starting new works inside Wisconsin communities. AEGA's 501(c)(3) charter pathway under the Group Exemption opens the door for new congregations to receive tax-exempt status under AEGA's covering.
Ministers transferring credentials into AEGA.
Pastors and ministers moving from another fellowship into AEGA Wisconsin. The transfer pathway preserves ordination dignity while bringing the minister under covenant covering.
Wisconsin chaplains needing the ordination prerequisite.
Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities (Oxford), Wisconsin Department of Corrections, hospital and hospice ministries, and the Wisconsin National Guard. Ordination is the gate to chaplain endorsement; AEGA carries the credential.
Wedding officiants across Wisconsin.
Ministers whose call includes officiating weddings across Wisconsin. Under §765.16, an AEGA ordination credential is sufficient to solemnize marriages in all 72 counties without state registration.
Christian workers in Wisconsin lay ministry.
Sunday school teachers, jail ministry, street evangelists, and house-to-house visitation ministers. The Christian Worker credential opens lay ministry roles under AEGA covering.
Credential Pathways for Wisconsin Ministers
Credentialing tracks under one Spirit-filled fellowship.
AEGA carries four ministerial tiers. Begin at the tier that matches your call. Wisconsin applicants follow the same credentialing pathway as all U.S. ministers.
Ministerial Apprentice.
The formation tier for ministers preparing for Licensed or Ordained credential. 12-24 months under a local pastor. 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 across the state.
Licensed Minister.
For ministers in part-time or full-time ministry with limited experience. Authorizes preaching, marriage officiation, baptism, and all sacerdotal duties under AEGA covering.
Ordained Minister.
The highest credentialing tier. Required for chaplain endorsement, charter pastorship of an AEGA congregation, and the most formal forms of ministerial standing.
Why AEGA in Wisconsin
A covenant fellowship for the long career of Wisconsin ministry.
AEGA-credentialed Wisconsin ministers receive recognition under Wisconsin Statute §765.16, regional covering through AEGA's 49 years of continuous standing, and the standing of a Spirit-filled fellowship of more than 3,000 ministers across more than 60 nations.
Wisconsin Statute §765.16.
The statute that authorizes AEGA-ordained Wisconsin ministers to solemnize marriages across all 72 counties. No state registration required.
Upper Midwest covering.
Wisconsin carries a steady Spirit-filled ministry presence across the upper Midwest. AEGA-credentialed Wisconsin ministers stand inside a covenant fellowship that reaches across more than 60 nations.
49 years of standing.
AEGA has carried Spirit-filled ministers since 1976. Wisconsin county clerks, chaplain boards, and charter agencies recognize the credential on file.
Covenant fellowship, not subscription.
AEGA is not an online ordination service. Credentialing is a sacred setting-apart act inside a covenant fellowship of more than 3,000 ministers across more than 60 nations.
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 Wisconsin, answered.
Do I need to register with Wisconsin to officiate weddings as an ordained minister?
No. Wisconsin Statute §765.16 authorizes any ordained member of the clergy of any religious denomination or society to solemnize marriages without state-level registration. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient in all 72 Wisconsin counties. The minister signs the Wisconsin marriage license after the ceremony; the county clerk records the marriage based on the signed license.
How long does AEGA ordination take in Wisconsin?
Most AEGA credentials, including ordination, are issued within three to five weeks of a complete application. The timeline is the same in Wisconsin 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 qualify as "any religious denomination or society" under Wisconsin law?
Yes. While AEGA is not a denomination, Wisconsin Statute §765.16 uses the language "denomination or society" to cover religious organizations broadly. AEGA is a Spirit-filled covenant fellowship of more than 3,000 ministers across more than 60 nations, recognized as a 501(c)(3) religious organization under U.S. law since 1976. Wisconsin county clerks accept the AEGA ordination credential under §765.16.
Can a Wisconsin-ordained AEGA minister also become a chaplain?
Yes. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for chaplain endorsement. Wisconsin hosts the Federal Correctional Institution at Oxford, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, the Wisconsin National Guard, and major medical systems where AEGA-ordained Wisconsin chaplains may serve under ecclesiastical endorsement.
How does AEGA ordination compare to online ordination services in Wisconsin?
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, references, and ministry experience, and a monthly giving commitment for Licensed and Ordained tiers. Both produce a credential a Wisconsin county clerk will accept under §765.16; 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 Wisconsin Statute §765.16 across all 72 Wisconsin counties. AEGA credentialing is the pathway for Wisconsin ministers, chaplains, and church planters.