EVANGELICAL CHURCH ALLIANCE

What EVANGELICAL CHURCH ALLIANCE does

The Evangelical Church Alliance (ECA International) is a private, nonprofit religious credentialing and ecclesiastical endorsing organization founded in 1887 and headquartered in Bradley, Illinois. It ordains and licenses ministers, and is authorized by the U.S. Department of Defense (Department of War) to provide ecclesiastical endorsements for military chaplains serving in the Armed Forces, Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Civil Air Patrol. ECA is described as the third largest Protestant military chaplain endorser in the United States and currently serves 1,300+ members across 45 countries, with 50,000+ ordinations delivered since inception.

Its core products include membership and ordination/licensure services, the Military Chaplain Endorsement Program, and the Bible Extension Institute (BEI), a correspondence curriculum launched in 1969 that has served 6,000+ students globally. Supporting products include the ECA Ministers Manual (hardcover printed edition) and a recurring event portfolio (International Conference plus Winter, Spring, Fall, and Year-End regional Gatherings). The technology footprint is minimal: there is no public-facing API, SDK, or AI system; operations run through a web-based membership portal at ecainternationalweb.myshelby.org.

Revenue is generated through recurring annual membership dues of $325 (plus a $125 active-duty military surcharge), non-refundable application fees ($100 membership, $25 ecclesiastical endorsement), one-time endorsement fees ($100), conference registration fees, manual sales, and donations. The organization holds ECFA financial accountability accreditation and is affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals Commission on Chaplains. Leadership includes President & CEO Dr. Robert H. Turrill, Board Chairman Dr. Samuel S. Goebel, and Military Chaplain Commission Chairman Dr. Elmon R. Krupnik. The organization employs 16 people.

Name

EVANGELICAL CHURCH ALLIANCE

Legal name

Evangelical Church Alliance

Website

https://ecainternational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Evangelical Church Alliance is a nonprofit religious credentialing organization founded in 1887 that ordains and licenses ministers and provides U.S. Department of Defense-authorized ecclesiastical endorsements for military chaplains, serving 1,300+ members across 45 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Credentialing and Ecclesiastical Endorsement Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (813110), Religious Organizations (81311), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA), Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies) (EDAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Ecclesiastical endorsement services
• Ministerial credentialing services
• Ordination and licensing
• Military chaplain endorsements
• Religious correspondence education

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Dues: Members pay annual dues of $325.00 to maintain credentials with the organization. Active duty military chaplains pay an additional $125.00 fee.
2. Application and Processing Fees: The organization charges non-refundable fees for processing membership applications ($100), ecclesiastical endorsement applications ($25), and endorsement fees ($100).
3. Conference and Event Fees: ECA generates revenue through registration fees for annual conferences and regional gatherings including the International Conference, Winter Gathering, Spring Gathering, Fall Gathering, and Year-End Gathering.
4. ECA Ministers Manual Sales: The organization sells The Evangelical Church Alliance Minister's Manual as a hardcover printed edition through its online store.
5. Endorsement Fees: New ecclesiastical endorsements for VA, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Civil Air Patrol incur a one-time $100 endorsement fee plus $25 application fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Evangelical Church Alliance provides ordination, licensing, and ecclesiastical endorsement services for ministers and chaplains in the United States and internationally. It operates as a recognized credentialing body authorized by the U.S. Department of War/Defense to endorse military chaplains, and offers the Bible Extension Institute (BEI) correspondence curriculum for theological education.

Product overview

ECA International operates as a religious organization providing a portfolio of credentialing services for ministers. The core offerings include membership services for ordination and licensure (verified since 1887), the Bible Extension Institute (BEI) correspondence curriculum since 1969, and a Military Chaplain Endorsement Program authorized by the Department of Defense. Supporting products include the ECA Ministers Manual (hardcover printed edition) and annual events/conferences including International Conferences and regional Gatherings. The organization serves over 1,300 members including military chaplains, missionaries, evangelists, and pastors across 45 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ECA International Membership Services Provides ordination and licensing services for ministers, missionaries, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and other ministry professionals. Ordained Ministers have full authority to perform all church rites including weddings, while Licensed Ministers can perform all rites except weddings. Includes membership in a global network of 1,300+ members across 45 countries.
• Military Chaplain Endorsement Program Provides ecclesiastical endorsements for chaplains seeking to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces, Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Civil Air Patrol. ECA is authorized by the Department of Defense to provide these endorsements, with 1,000+ military chaplains currently authorized.
• Bible Extension Institute (BEI) A correspondence curriculum offering biblical and theological education to students worldwide. Since 1969, it has served 6,000+ students globally and functions as a pipeline for prospective ECA members while also serving as standalone theological education.
• ECA Ministers Manual A hardcover, printed edition manual for ECA members to use when carrying out ministerial duties, providing guidance for ordination, licensure, and ecclesiastical endorsement processes.
• ECA Events and Conferences Annual gatherings including International Conference, Winter Gathering, Spring Gathering, Fall Gathering, and Year-End Gathering. Events include ordination ceremonies, oral examinations, continuing education, and networking opportunities for ministers and chaplains.

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• National Association of Evangelicals Commission on ChaplainscoreOthersECA is an affiliate member of the NAE Commission on Chaplains, which provides additional credentialing support and networking for chaplains seeking endorsement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Assemblies of God: One of the largest U.S. Protestant denominations with its own ordination process, chaplaincy endorsement commission (endorsing military chaplains via DoD), and seminary (Global University). Directly comparable to ECA as a credentialing and ecclesiastical endorsing body for ministers and chaplains.
• International Church of the Foursquare Gospel: Evangelical denomination with ordained/licensed minister credentials and chaplaincy endorsement programs, similar evangelical mission and comparable mid-sized scale to ECA.
• Free Methodist Church: Evangelical holiness denomination with ordination/licensing of ministers and chaplaincy endorsement, sharing evangelical theological commitments and similar scale to ECA.
• Wesleyan Church: Evangelical holiness denomination that ordains ministers and endorses chaplains, with a comparable structure of district-level credentialing and a DoD-endorsed chaplaincy program.
• Church of the Nazarene: Holiness/evangelical denomination that ordains and credentials ministers and endorses military chaplains through its Endorser for Military Chaplains. Closely aligned with ECA in evangelical identity, ordination pathway, and DoD endorsement activity.
• Evangelical Free Church of America: Evangelical denomination that credentials pastors and endorses chaplains through its own credentialing and endorsement process. Similar evangelical identity and comparable size and structure to ECA.
• The Christian and Missionary Alliance: Evangelical denomination with credentialing of ministers and chaplains, similar evangelical theological position, and comparable international footprint. Operates its own seminary (Nyack College) analogous to ECA's BEI.

Others

• Military Chaplains Association of the United States: Professional association supporting U.S. military chaplains across all endorsing bodies. Adjacent to ECA as the broader ecosystem organization that connects ECA-endorsed chaplains with peers across denominations.
• National Association of Evangelicals: Umbrella association of which ECA is an affiliate member through the NAE Commission on Chaplains. NAE provides broader chaplaincy networking and advocacy infrastructure that supports ECA's endorsement activities.

Broad incumbents

• Southern Baptist Convention: The largest U.S. Protestant denomination with its own North American Mission Board that endorses military chaplains and operates extensive seminary infrastructure (e.g., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary). Comparable to ECA as a major Protestant endorser with significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evangelical-church-alliance

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about EVANGELICAL CHURCH ALLIANCE