The Association of Christian Religious Practitioners (ACRP) is a SAQA-recognised professional body serving pastors, ministry leaders, and counsellors in South Africa and beyond.
Established in 2014, ACRP promotes the professionalisation of Christian ministry through formal recognition, ethical standards, and access to continue professional development.
We are registered with SAQA (PB0000110) and operate as a Non-Profit Company (NPC 2015/319357/08).
Our Mission
ACRP’s Mission is to support Christian religious Practitioners in fulfilling their calling and promote the provision of training to Christian religious practitioners.
Our Purpose
The purpose of the Association of Christian Religious Practitioners (ACRP) is to promote, develop, monitor and advance the professional practice of Christian ministry in South Africa by establishing and maintaining appropriate standards of professional competence, ethical conduct and continuing professional development, while protecting and serving the interests of the public and the Christian community.
ACRP seeks to strengthen the quality, credibility and professionalism of Christian ministry and to support Christian Religious Practitioners in maintaining high standards of competence, integrity, accountability and professional practice.
Our Role
ACRP is the professional body for Christian Religious Practitioners in South Africa. It promotes and upholds professional standards in Christian ministry and pastoral counselling, providing a framework through which practitioners can demonstrate competence, ethical conduct, professional standing, and commitment to ongoing development.
ACRP fulfils this role by:
- Setting and maintaining professional standards and professional designations.
- Registering and recognising qualified practitioners.
- Promoting ethical, accountable, and competent ministry practice.
- Facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and professional growth.
- Developing and maintaining relevant policies, standards, codes, and procedures.
- Providing mechanisms for professional accountability, complaints, and disciplinary processes.
- Supporting quality education, training, and stakeholder engagement.
- Advancing the recognition and professionalisation of Christian ministry and pastoral counselling.
- Providing guidance on careers and professional practice.
- Promoting public confidence in professional and ethical ministry and counselling services.
- Through these functions, ACRP serves both practitioners and the public by fostering competence, integrity, accountability, and the responsible delivery of ministry services.
Our Objectives
- Promote Professionalism in Christian Ministry
To promote Christian ministry as a recognised professional field and encourage high standards of competence, integrity, responsibility and professional conduct. - Establish Professional Standards
To develop, maintain and periodically review standards for professional competence, ethical conduct and effective practice within the field of Christian ministry. - Recognise Professional Competence
To provide a credible system for the registration and professional recognition of suitably qualified and competent Christian Religious Practitioners. - Administer Professional Designations
To administer, protect and promote SAQA-registered professional designations and provide clear pathways for professional progression within Christian ministry. - Promote Continuing Professional Development
To facilitate and promote lifelong learning and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to ensure that practitioners maintain and enhance their professional knowledge, skills and competence. - Promote Ethical and Accountable Practice
To establish and enforce appropriate codes of ethics, professional conduct and accountability mechanisms that promote responsible and trustworthy ministry practice. - Protect the Public and Ministry Recipients
To promote the protection, dignity, rights and wellbeing of individuals, families, congregations and communities who receive services or support from Christian Religious Practitioners. - Support Professional Development and Career Progression
To provide practitioners with appropriate professional development, career guidance, mentoring, resources and opportunities for progression within the field of Christian ministry and pastoral counselling. - Strengthen the Professional Community
To foster a professional community in which Christian Religious Practitioners can collaborate, share knowledge, develop professionally and contribute positively to the advancement of the profession. - Promote Transformation, Accessibility and Inclusivity
To promote fair and equitable access to professional recognition and development opportunities and to contribute to transformation within the Christian ministry profession in accordance with applicable South African requirements. - Represent and Advance the Profession
To represent the interests and professional interests of Christian Religious Practitioners and to engage with relevant stakeholders, professional bodies, education and training institutions, churches, ministries, government structures and other organisations on matters affecting professional Christian ministry. - Promote Public Confidence
To promote public awareness and confidence in professionally registered Christian Religious Practitioners and to provide mechanisms through which the public can identify practitioners who meet recognised professional standards. - Contribute to the Development of the Profession
To undertake, support and encourage research, consultation, policy development and other initiatives that contribute to the continued development and recognition of Christian ministry and pastoral counselling as a professional field.
