International Ministerial Fellowship(IMF) is a fellowship of evangelical clergy persons, lay-pastors, churches and para-church organizations emphasizing the centrality of Christ as well as the person and work of the Holy Spirit in the Church today. It was originally organized in 1958 and presently has its offices in the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul area.


IMF’s ministry partners (members) come from varied denominational backgrounds, but all endorse the IMF Statement of Faith, Apostles' Creed and our core values have been recommended to us by local churches, senior pastors, para-church organizations, and/or other Christian ministers and lay leaders who are familiar with their ministry calling and gifts.

Members of IMF have a wide variety of Biblical and theological training. Many are seminary graduates (e.g., Asbury, Covenant, Fuller, Luther, Oral Roberts Graduate School, Princeton, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Westminster, etc.); others are Bible college graduates and some have received their training through theological education by extension. All have demonstrated a level of theological proficiency and have been approved for membership by our membership and credientials Board of Review. As appropriate, some have been commissioned, licensed or ordained.

We do not believe that God always limits His call to those who have had the opportunity to attend seminary, and in some cases, there are those who choose not to go through their denominational ministerial track for a variety of reasons. Therefore, we offer an alternative ministerial track based on a careful evaluation of the candidate’s spiritual life, Biblical and theological training knowledge, ministry experience and Biblical knowledge.

Scripture admonishes, “Study to show yourself approved under God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15). Therefore, one of the services which we offer our members is that of encouragement and assistance in evaluating their continuing educational needs for present ministry as well as future ministry goals.

For example, if they desire to serve on active duty in the U.S. Military as a Chaplain, historically, the U.S. Armed Services has required them to have a 4-year undergraduate degree plus a 3-year graduate theological degree (now 72 hours of prescribed theological study or equivalence), generally from a seminary accredited by the Association of Theological Schools plus qualifying ministry experience. If, on the other hand, they are serving as a Director of a downtown mission in a large metropolitan area, their need for formal theological training may be somewhat less. Of course, there is a broad range of ministry needs and educational opportunities between these two examples.

Ministry to men and women of all denominations is often expressed through both suburban and inner city churches, as well as city missions, foreign missions, refugee camps, third world humanitarian service, and inner city youth programs. Anywhere the heart of God can be found loving people in need is a potential location for Christian ministry, expressed through the lives of IMF ministers.
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· Staff ministers who serve in community or denominational settings
(medium and larger size churches)

· Messianic Rabbis who serve in Messianic Jewish Congregations

· Certified Lay pastors in sacramental churches

· Directors of para-church organizations such as Young Life, Youth For
Christ and Youth With A Mission

· Active duty and Reserve Military Chaplains

· Veteran's Affairs Chaplains

· Prison Chaplains

· Hospital and Hospice Chaplains

· Evangelists

· Missionaries

· Ministers of music who serve in larger community and denominational
  churches

· Special licensed ministers serving in positions of christian counseling,
  chaplaincy and worship.

· Ministers who serve as directors of social service ministries including
  feeding kitchens, drug rehabilitation centers (Teen Challenge type) and
  other outreach programs.

· Members with lay ministries in prisons and hospitals

· Members serving in local churches

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· Non-denominational

· Post-denominational

· Community

· Inner-City Missions

· Specialized Christian Ministry Groups (Christian Community
  Golf Association)

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