BeADisciple.com is proud to host online advanced courses in Lay Servant Ministries! LSM advanced courses are required to renew your recognition as a Certified Lay Servant, Certified Lay Speaker, or Certified Lay Minister.
These courses are approved by Discipleship Ministries (formerly the General Board of Discipleship). You’ll notice the “learning and leading” logo on all Discipleship Ministries-approved LSM courses.
“I was a little daunted to take one of these lay servant courses online but I feel like I’ve actually spent more quality time with the book and my fellow students than I usually do with a regular, live course!”
— student Marshall Murphy
Will these courses fulfill all my education requirements for certification?
Not entirely — but they do help! We don’t currently offer the BASIC Lay Servant Ministries course required to become a Certified Lay Servant in the United Methodist Church; you’ll have to take that course locally. And while we offer five of the six courses required for initial Lay Speaker certification (listed in the first section below), we don’t offer the preaching course online — we think that’s best done in person!
These courses will help you renew your status as a Certified Lay Servant, Certified Lay Speaker, or Certified Lay Minister. Although you should note: while all of our LSM advanced courses are approved by Discipleship Ministries, you are advised to check with your own district laity director and conference LSM committee to make sure this online coursework will be accepted in your area, as each district and conference has its own set of guidelines.
Can I take these courses if I’m not an LSM, Lay Speaker, CLM, or even United Methodist?
Of course! Anyone is welcome to enroll in these courses for a great learning experience.
Advanced LSM courses
These courses meet the continuing education requirements for renewal of Certified Lay Servant (one advanced course every 3 years), Certified Lay Speaker (one advanced course every 3 years), or Certified Lay Minister (one advanced course every 2 years).
These first 5 courses meet the initial educational requirements to become a Lay Speaker (but don’t forget preaching! You’ll have to take that locally).
- Leading Public Prayer (Leading Prayer course) – November 9 – 20, 2020 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Life Together in the United Methodist Connection (Polity course) – February 1 – 20, 2021 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (Heritage course) – January 11 – 30, 2021 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Rediscovering Our Spiritual Gifts (Spiritual Gifts course) – November 30 – December 11, 2020 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Your Ministry of Leading Worship (Leading Worship course) – Not currently enrolling | Notify me when new dates are set
The courses below meet re-certification requirements (but do not count toward initial lay speaker certification requirements).
- Afire With God: Becoming Spirited Stewards – Not currently enrolling | Notify me when new dates are set
- Becoming Accountable Disciples – April 19 – 30, 2021 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Biblical Storytelling I – November 2 – 14, 2020 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Biblical Storytelling II – January 25 – February 13, 2021 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Children of Abraham – February 22 – March 26, 2021 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Come to the Table – Not currently enrolling | Notify me when new dates are set
- Come to the Waters – Not currently enrolling | Notify me when new dates are set
- Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition – November 30 – December 11, 2020 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Leading Bible Study: Biblical Interpretation – February 1 – 12, 2021 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Leading Missional Small Groups – Not currently enrolling | Notify me when new dates are set
- Patterned by Grace: How Liturgy Shapes Us – Not currently enrolling | Notify me when new dates are set
- Teach Adults – November 9 – 20, 2020 | Notify me when new dates are set
- Transforming Evangelism – November 9 – 20, 2020 | Notify me when new dates are set
Upon successful completion of these courses, you will receive a certificate of completion; however, it is your responsibility to self-report completion to your own district or conference system. We do not report this on your behalf, but we will confirm your completion upon inquiry from your district or conference if requested.
For more information on Lay Servant Ministries, we recommend the LSM Catalog from Discipleship Ministries, the LSM Brochure from Discipleship Ministries, and the BeADisciple LSM flyer.