Lay Speaking Ministries and “The Book of Discipline”

¶267 - 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.

¶268 - 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 ¶ 267.3).
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).

¶269 - 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 ¶ 259.2 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 ¶ 267.1). 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.

¶270 - Transfer of Certification by Certified Lay Speakers
A certified lay speaker who moves may transfer certification to the new district upon receipt of a letter from the previous district's committee on Lay Speaking Ministries confirming current certification and the date of completion of the most recent advanced course taken. Further renewal of certification is in accordance with ¶ 269.

¶630 - The Conference Board of Laity
3. The following membership of the board is recommended: the conference lay leader, associate conference lay leaders, the conference director of Lay Speaking Ministries...

6. Conference Committee on Lay Speaking Ministries—a) Every annual conference is encouraged to create a conference committee on Lay Speaking Ministries or other equivalent structure to fulfill the requirements of ¶¶ 267-269, 272 and to relate to the conference board of laity and the General Board of Discipleship as per ¶ 1117 and others that might apply.
b) The purpose of a conference committee on Lay Speaking Ministries is to set criteria and guidelines for district committees on Lay Speaking Ministries, to develop lay speaking courses and approve courses developed by district committees, and to organize conference-wide lay speaking events.
c) A conference committee on Lay Speaking Ministries will consist, at a minimum, of the district directors of Lay Speaking Ministries or their equivalent.
d) There will be a conference director of Lay Speaking Ministries. This position will be filled in a manner to be determined by the annual conference. The conference director will chair the committee. Other officers will be elected by the committee as the committee deems necessary.
7. Responsibilities in the area of Ministry of the Laity—a) To develop and promote programs to cultivate an adequate understanding of the theological and biblical basis for ministry of the laity among the members of the churches of the annual conference; to give special emphasis to programs and services that will enable laity of all ages to serve more effectively as leaders in both church and community.
b) To provide support and direction for such lay programs as Lay Speaking Ministries, the observance of Laity Day, and the work of lay leaders on the local and district levels.
c) To give support and direction to the conference and district program for local church leadership development, coordinating and developing training experiences that will enable persons of all ages to serve more effectively as members of local church councils on ministries, church councils, and the committees, commissions, and task forces related to these groups.
d) To organize a conference committee on Lay Speaking Ministries that will fulfill the requirements of ¶¶ 267-269 on behalf of the conference. This committee shall set guidelines and criteria to be used by district committees (see ¶ 666)

¶658 - The District Lay Leader
6. The district lay leader shall work with the District Superintendent to ensure that there is a district director of Lay Speaking Ministries and shall serve on the district committee on Lay Speaking Ministries.

¶665 - The District Committee on Lay Speaking Ministries
Districts are encouraged to create a district committee on Lay Speaking Ministries related to the annual conference through the conference committee on Lay Speaking Ministries.
1. The purpose of the district committee on Lay Speaking Ministries is to plan and supervise the program within the district.
2. The committee is chaired by the district director of Lay Speaking Ministries. In addition to the director, membership of the committee will include the district lay leader, the district superintendent, and an instructor of lay speaking courses. Other resource people may be added as needed.
3. The responsibilities of a district committee on Lay Speaking Ministries are to provide basic training for local church lay speakers and advanced courses for certified lay speakers as recommended by the General Board of Discipleship, or as approved by the conference committee on Lay Speaking Ministries; to decide who will be recognized as certified lay speakers; to help match lay speakers and certified lay ministers with service opportunities; and to support and affirm lay speakers and certified lay ministers as they serve.
4. The district committee shall plan advanced courses for lay speaking that will enable certified lay speakers to maintain that recognition.
5. The district committee will report to the pastor and charge conference of each certified lay speaker the courses that have been satisfactorily completed by the certified lay speaker.

¶1117 - GBOD: The Ministry of the Laity
6. Provide support to conference and district directors of Lay Speaking Ministries, to conference and district committees on Lay Speaking Ministries, and to the Association of Conference Directors of Lay Speaking Ministries. In consultation with the conference directors, set standards for local church, certified lay speakers, and certified lay ministers and provide teaching resources for use by annual conference and district committees.