Provinces

A province is defined as (1) a jurisdiction of churches, ministries and five-fold functionaries located within an assigned geographic region or (2) an ecclesiastical work (fellowship, organization, ministry, etc.) of fifteen or more churches without regard to geography. The actual number of churches and/or qualifications in borderline or unique situations will be at the discretion of the Presiding Apostolic Bishop.

Each province is governed by an Apostolic Bishop, who is the jurisdictional prelate responsible for ecclesiastical and administrative oversight and acts as a direct ambassador of the Presiding Apostolic Bishop to that province. Administrators will be appointed as necessary to operate as assistants to the Apostolic Bishop for the successful oversight, administration and operation of the province. The Administrators would be ranked from first to the number necessary, 1st Administrator, 2nd Administrator and so on.

Before appointment to the office of Apostolic Bishop, an individual must satisfactorily meet all EIF requirements and perform the duties of the position under a period of observation. During this period, the individual will act as 1st Administrator to the Presiding Apostolic Bishop with shared responsibility for the ecclesiastical headship in that province until such time the Presiding Apostolic Bishop makes the appointment of Apostolic Bishop. Technically, the Presiding Apostolic Bishop is also the Apostolic Bishop until the appointment of an Apostolic Bishop is made for a province.