Lay Servant Ministries BASIC Course
This course is foundational for all courses in Lay Servant Ministries. Participants are encouraged to discover and employ personal spiritual gifts as God intended and to consider the importance of exercising servant leadership, developing future leaders, remaining rooted in consistent spiritual practices, and being part of a group that holds members accountable in their discipleship.
Discover Your Spiritual Gifts
This course helps participants understand spiritual gifts and how the church can use them to fulfill its mission and ministry. Participants will also learn what it means to be a spiritual leader and will be equipped to lead others in exploring and using their spiritual gifts.
You Can Preach! or Called to Preach
You Can Preach and Called to Preach are designed for those who have not completed formal preaching training, for pastors seeking a basic refresher course, and for others who are called upon to preach in a pastor’s absence.
Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (United Methodist Heritage)
This course will explore the special gifts of theology, witness, and organization that The United Methodist Church brings to the church universal, how we got where we are today, and how our distinctive emphases are still needed in the 21st-century church.
Life Together in the United Methodist Connection (United Methodist Polity)
Why does the United Methodist Church do things the way it does? And what does any of this have to do with trying to be a place and a people that embody the Kingdom of God? This course will help participants get their bearings and consider the specific structural challenges The United Methodist Church faces in the 21st-century.
Accountable Discipleship
This course focuses on the concept of the household of God, the importance of scripture as divine revelation, Wesleyan understandings of grace, and the importance of the office of class leader in the development of the Methodist movement. You are encouraged to look at your own faith community and see how it is (or is not) a reflection of genuine Christian community
Leading Worship
This course focuses on the ministry of the Lay Servant who either regularly or occasionally leads a group or congregation in worship.
Leading in Prayer
For many people, prayer remains a mystery, and praying in public is a test of faith left to the “professionals” of the church. This course on praying in public will help the participant grow in confidence and skill in prayer, both public and personal.
Planning Worship
This course builds on the course Leading Worship, and it is grounded in principles and practices of worship planning.
Dancing with Words
Participants in the course will learn what constitutes a good story, discover storytelling styles, learn the techniques of effective storytelling, and practice creating stories from their experiences.
Leading Bible Study
This course opens a new world for many lay servants who have not had professional training in biblical interpretation. It reminds us as United Methodists that Bible study and biblical interpretation are a core part of our spiritual journey.
Lay Pastoral Care Giving
This course offers insights into the life span and the dynamics of contemporary life to help church leaders reach out with God’s love and care to others.
Teach Adults
This course is designed to help provide a basic understanding of the ways in which adults learn and grow.
Lay Servants as Christian Transformational Leaders
This course will guide lay servants seeking to be more empowered to lead their congregations toward vitality.