Certified Lay Ministry

Certified Lay Minister Training

Updated December 2023

You cannot tell the story of Methodism without emphasizing the importance of laity to the movement. As we embark on the next chapter of American Methodism, we want to continue to build upon our historic roots by raising up new leaders to serve our congregations and be a part of carrying forth the mission “to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

WHAT is a Certified Lay Minister (CLM)?

On the most basic level a Certified Lay Minister is exactly what it sounds like – a lay person that is certified to minister and build up the body of Christ. CLMs serve in a variety of volunteer and some paid roles including discipleship, age- level ministry, congregational care, pulpit supply, etc. The Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline defines a CLM as “a professing member of a local congregation who has received special training in Wesleyan doctrine and our denominational polity, and endorsement by the church in order to serve the church as laity. This category encompasses all those who were previously named certified lay servants, certified lay speakers, certified lay ministers, deaconesses, home missioners, and lay missioners. Certified lay ministers may work in any area of the church’s ministry, including leading, teaching, proclaiming/preaching, evangelizing, worship, and caring ministry...”

(Read further: https://globalmethodist.org/what-we-believe/ -> Part Four -> Paragraph 402)

WHO is CLM training for?

Anyone that is serving in a church volunteer of staff position that wishes to become more equipped as a lay minister! It is open to any professing member of a local Global Methodist congregation that has been a part of that congregation for at least two years and receives a written recommendation by the pastor and endorsement by a majority vote of the pastor-parish relations committee and the charge conference. Candidates for CLM will also need to complete the required training, pass a national background check, and be approved by the conference Board of Ministry. Other than the final step of BOM approval, the other steps do not have to be sequential.

WHEN is CLM training?

After an amazing fall class, we are launching a round of training for Spring 2024 (dates below), and then the next round will be more spread out from September 2024 to April 2025. Starting with the Spring 2024 Cohort, a total of 60 hours (5 courses at 12 hours/course) is required to complete CLM Training, which can be accomplished by completing the Foundational and Bible Courses, and three of the six Specialized Courses (see below). For those that have a CLM certification within the past three years and wish to renew their certification, they can be recertified by completing one Specialized Course. Additionally, we are making a one-time exemption for those that have completed Advanced Lay Servant training within the past three years and will allow them to be certified as a CLM if they complete the Bible Course and any two Specialized Courses this spring.

Here is the list of courses and the tentative schedule for Spring 2024:

  • Foundational Course (online) – six hours of this course will take place over three Monday nights via Zoom, and the remaining hours will come via four hours of reading/writing and two hours of engaging with video content via group discussions. This course will cover Global Methodist History, Polity, and Theology; Congregational Care and Ethics; Mission and Evangelism; and Calling and Spiritual Gifts.

  • Basic Bible Course (online) – this course will follow the exact same format as the Foundational Course (six hours on Zoom, six hours of reading, writing, and video-based group discussions).

  • Specialized Courses (in person) – There are six options for specialized courses, and participants will select which courses they will attend to reach the number of courses required for certification or recertification (1 for CLM recertification, 2 for Advanced Lay Servants wishing to become CLMs, and 3 for certification as a CLM). All Specialized Courses will meet in person in a location TBD in the middle of the state to make it feasible for both South and North Georgia participants. Participants will only be required to attend the portions of those weekends that correspond to the courses they wish to take. Additionally, each Specialized Course will have six hours of reading, writing, and video- based group discussions.

    Here is the course schedule for the in-person weekends (lunch will be provided at 11:30am for all participants, regardless of if they are a part of both courses offered that weekend):

This sounds awesome! HOW do I sign up for CLM training?

To sign up or to ask any registration related questions, please email Rev. Dr. Anthony McPhail at amcphail@valdostafmc.org. When emailing Dr. McPhail, please include the following information:

  • Your name and local church

  • Whether you are registering as a new participant, an Advanced Lay Servant wishing to become a CLM, or a CLM wishing to be recertified

  • The specialized course(s) you wish to take

Please note that there is a registration fee due by the end of January: $300 for those participating in the full program, $150 for Advanced Lay Servants wishing to become CLMs, and $50 for those wishing to be recertified.