The Lay Servant Ministries are covered by Paragraphs 266-269 of the UMC Book of Discipline and fall under the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD).

Lay Servants receive specialized training and provide support for clergy as well as serving in their local church or beyond.

Essentially, there are three categories of individuals within the Lay Servant Ministries:

• Certified Lay Servant,
• Certified Lay Speaker, or
• Certified Lay Minister.

The current Book of Discipline eliminated the previous category of Local Church Lay Servant.

CERTIFIED LAY SERVANT

A Certified Lay Servant (Paragraph 266) is a professing member of a local church or recognized UMC ministry, who desires to serve the church and is committed to scripture and the UMC, and has received specialized training to be a more effective disciple. Among the activities commonly performed by Certified Lay Servants are providing leadership and support to church programs and ministries, preaching or assisting in worship services, leading small groups or missional groups, and leading or assisting in programs in the local church or beyond. Certified Lay Servants participate in many diverse areas!

To become a Certified Lay Servant, you must obtain the recommendation of your pastor or church council or charge conference, and complete the Basic Course and an Advanced Course. A Certified Lay Servant submits an annual report and is renewed as an Advanced Lay Servant with the approval of the pastor, District Superintendent, District Director of Lay Servant Ministries, and the charge conference or church council. To maintain certification, the Certified Lay Servant must apply annually and complete an Advanced Course every three (3) years.

BASIC AND ADVANCED COURSES

The Basic Course is the course approved by GBOD. Advanced Courses are offered by the various districts, and are courses approved by GBOD or the Conference Committee of Lay Servant Ministries, which consists of the Conference Director and the eight (8) District Directors. On a one-time basis only, participation in Mission U, taking three (3) Seminary Lite courses (Seminary Lite courses are no longer available), and the EQUIP Course are counted as Advanced Courses. Advanced Course credit is also allowed for teaching a Lay Servant Course with District approval. Courses may be taken in any district, and not just the district where the Certified Lay Servant’s local church is located. A Certified Lay Servant may transfer to another District or Conference and with a letter confirming his or her qualification from the previous District Committee, maintain standing as a Certified Lay Servant.

You are not required to be a Certified Lay Servant to take a Basic or Certified Lay Servant Course. Anybody with a desire to receive training in an area of interest to them may take the course and receive a Certificate of Completion. Additionally, it is not necessary to take the Basic Course before taking an Advanced Course; Certified Lay Servants simply need to have completed both courses. Should a Certified Lay Servant lose his or her standing by failing to take an Advanced Course within a three (3) year period, that individual may regain standing as a Certified Lay Servant by taking an Advanced Course and repeating the application process to renew as a Certified Lay Servant. The Book of Discipline does not mandate repeating the Basic Course.

CERTIFIED LAY SPEAKER

A Certified Lay Speaker (Paragraph 267) is a Certified Lay Servant who feels a call to preach and provide regular pulpit supply. A Certified Lay Speaker may preach outside his local church at the direction of the District Superintendent or District Committee.

To become a Certified Lay Speaker, you must complete the Basic Course and Advanced Courses in:

1. Leading Worship,
2. Leading Prayer,
3. Discovering Spiritual Gifts,
4. Preaching,
5. UMC Heritage, and
6. UMC Polity.

A prospective Certified Lay Speaker is then interviewed by the District Committee on Lay Servant Ministries and granted approval by the Conference Committee. Like the Certified Lay Servant, a Certified Lay Speaker must submit an annual report and be approved by his or her Pastor, District Superintendent, District Committee, and charge conference or church council.

To maintain certification, a Certified Lay Speaker must take a Lay Servant Advanced Course every three (3) years and is interviewed for renewal every three (3) years by the District Committee and approved by the Conference Committee.

A Certified Lay Speaker may transfer to another District or Conference, and with a letter confirming his or her qualifications from the prior District Committee, maintain his or her standing as a Certified Lay Speaker.

CERTIFIED LAY MINISTER

Look interesting? Contact your local church pastor, lay leader, or District Director of Lay Servant Ministries today!