What is Lay Speaking Ministries?

Leading, Caring, Communicating:  these words characterize what lay speakers do in ministry as The United Methodist Church engages the world of the twenty-first century!

LEADING:  Lay speakers combine words and actions in leadership roles within their churches and communities.  

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CARING:  As lay speakers combine words with deeds, they find ways to care for others.  Some are involved in crisis ministries, such as visiting grieving families.  Lay speakers share a ministry of caring one-on-one with people in times of need and in times of joy, and show their faith by responding to others with care--giving love and service.

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COMMUNICATING:  Both the Bible and Christian experience point to the importance of proclaiming God's transforming love for a broken world.  Lay speakers often fill pulpits, lead Bible studies, or speak in youth and children's groups, healthcare centers, retirement centers, prison ministries, and more. 

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Lay Speaking Ministries is a program  to provide training opportunities and experiences to equip disciples of Jesus Christ to realize and respond to their personal call to ministry. Since each disciple is ‘gifted’ with one or more spiritual gifts (skills given by the Holy Spirit for the express purpose of serving the body of believers and thereby God),  Lay Speaking Ministries strives to help disciples become aware of their particular gift or gifts by offering educational events to enhance and develop the skill level necessary for the full fruition of these gifts. It is an excellent vehicle for servant ministry skill development and has aided thousands of church members to be better servants of Jesus Christ, to become stronger church family leaders, and to more capably assist their pastors.

What is a Lay Speaker?

A United Methodist Lay Speaker is a member of a local church or charge who is ready and desirous to serve the Church and who is well informed on and committed to the Scriptures and the doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of The United Methodist Church and who has received specific training to develop skills in witnessing to the Christian faith through spoken communications, church and community leadership, and care-giving ministries.  This person must be active in the support of the local church or charge.

A Lay Speaker is:
An active supportive member of the United Methodist Church;

1. Eager to serve through the church;

2. Well-informed on the Scripture and the doctrine, heritage, organization and the life of The United Methodist Church;

3. Committed to witnessing through church and community leadership, care-giving ministries, and spoken communication; and 

4. Willing to improve his or her skills for service.
    

Lay Speaking Ministries offers training opportunities for laity who would like to use their witness, leadership, and service to inspire others to a deeper commitment to Christ and more effective discipleship.  This may include the interpretation of the Scriptures, doctrine, organization, and ministries of the church.

What is expected of a Lay Speaker?

          Local Church Lay Speakers

1. Support and minister to the local church

2. Look for leadership opportunities in the local church

3. Must file a report with their Charge Conference every year

4. Take a refresher course every three years
   
   Certified Lay Speakers
    

5. Support and minister to the local church and beyond

6. Can be utilized by other congregations

7. Look for leadership opportunities in the local church and beyond

8. Must file a report with their Charge Conference every year

9. Must take at least one Advanced Course every three years to maintain certification.

Lay Speaking Ministries and The Book of Discipline

¶266 - Lay Speaking Ministries
1. A lay speaker (local church or certified) is a professing member of a local church or charge who is ready and desirous to serve the Church and who is well informed on and committed to the Scriptures and the doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of The United Methodist Church and who has received specific training to develop skills in witnessing to the Christian faith through spoken communication, church and community leadership, and care-giving ministries. An applicant must be active in the support of the local church or charge.
2. Lay speakers are to serve the local church or charge (or beyond the local church or charge) in any way in which their witness or leadership and service inspires the laity to deeper commitment to Christ and more effective discipleship, including the interpretation of the Scriptures, doctrine, organization, and ministries of the church.
3. Through continued study and training a lay speaker should prepare to undertake one or more of the following functions, giving primary attention to service within the local church or charge.
a) To take initiative in giving leadership, assistance, and support to the program emphases of the church.
b) To lead meetings for prayer, training, study, and discussion when requested by the pastor, district superintendent, or committee on lay speaking.
c) To conduct, or assist in conducting, services of worship, and present sermons and addresses when requested by the pastor, district superintendent, or committee on lay speaking.
d) To relate to appropriate committees and ministry areas in providing leadership for congregational and community life and fostering care-giving ministries.
4. Lay speaker training courses shall be those recommended by the General Board of Discipleship or alternates approved by the conference committee on lay speaking. Such training should enable ministries with all language and cultural groups as appropriate.
5. It is recommended that a service of commitment be held for persons recognized as local church or certified lay speakers.

¶267 - Local Church Lay Speaker
1. A candidate may be recognized as a local church lay speaker by the district or conference committee on lay speaking after the candidate has:
a) Made application in writing to the appropriate committee and has been recommended by the pastor and the church council or the charge conference of the local church in which membership is held. The district superintendent shall be responsible for reporting the names of applicants to the appropriate committee.
b) Completed the basic course for lay speaking.
2. The local church lay speaker shall serve the local church in which membership is held by witness of the spoken word, vital leadership service, and care-giving ministry (See ¶ 266.3).
3. To maintain status, a report and reapplication with recommendations must be submitted annually and a refresher course approved by the Conference Committee on Lay Speaking Ministries must be completed once in every three years. (See ¶ 247.11).

¶268 - Certified Lay Speaker
1. A candidate may be recognized as a certified lay speaker by the district or conference committee on Lay Speaking Ministries after the candidate has:
a) Made application in writing to the appropriate committee and has been recommended by the pastor and the church council or the charge conference of the local church in which he or she holds membership.
b) Completed both basic and one advanced training courses for lay speaking.
c) Had his or her qualifications reviewed and approved by the appropriate committee (See ¶ 258.2 f [9]).
2. The certified lay speaker shall continue to serve the local church in the witness of the spoken word, vital leadership service, and care-giving ministry (See ¶ 266.1). In addition, the certified lay speaker may serve in the district and conference and in local churches other than the local church in which membership is held.
3. Recognition as a certified lay speaker shall be renewed annually by the district or conference committee on Lay Speaking Ministries after the certified lay speaker has:
a) Requested in writing the renewal of certification.
b) Submitted an annual report to the charge conference and the committee on Lay Speaking Ministries, giving evidence of the satisfactory performance of lay speaking service.
c) Been recommended for renewal by the pastor and the church council or charge conference.
d) Completed at least once in every three years an advanced course for lay speakers.