Certified Lay Speakers

• A Certified Lay Speaker is a Certified Lay Servant (or equivalent as defined by his or her central conference) whose call has been affirmed by the Conference Committee on Lay Servant Ministries or equivalent structure to serve the church in pulpit supply in accordance and compliance with ¶341.1.
• The certified lay speaker serves by preaching the Word when requested by the pastor, district superintendent, or Committee on Lay Servant Ministries, in accordance and compliance with ¶341.1. 3

• Be certified as a Lay Servant (or equivalent as defined by his or her central conference).
• Obtain recommendation from the pastor and the church council or charge conference of the local church in which you hold membership.
• Complete a track of study including courses on leading worship, leading prayer, discovering spiritual gifts, preaching, United Methodist heritage and polity, and/or other courses as determined by the conference committee on Lay Servant Ministries or equivalent structure.
• Interview with and obtain recommendation from the District Committee on Lay Servant Ministries or equivalent structure, to be submitted to the Conference Committee on Lay Servant Ministries or equivalent structure for approval and certification.

» Download the application form.

Complete a track of study that includes:

• Discovering Spiritual Gifts
• Leading Worship
• Leading Prayer
• Preaching
• United Methodist Heritage
• United Methodist Polity

The Conference Committee on Lay Servant Ministries is chaired by the Conference Director of Lay Servant Ministries. The committee consists of the Director of Certified Lay Ministers, the Conference Lay Leader, and the District Directors of Lay Servant Ministries.

When you have completed the track of study, you apply to the District Committee of LSM for examination and be recommended to the Conference Committee of LSM for approval and certification.

• Submit an annual report to your local Charge Conference
• Submit an application for recertification and be examined by the district committee on Lay Servant Ministries every three years
• Receive endorsement of local church charge conference
• Complete an advanced course for Lay Servant Ministries at least once every three years for recertification

All Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers, and Certified Lay Ministers are required to submit an annual report to their Charge Conference. This is not a new requirement and is found in Section XI. Lay Servant Ministries in the 2016 Book of Discipline.

• If it has been in the past 2 years, please contact your District Director of Lay Servant Ministries for assistance in locating a new certificate of completion.
• If the course was from BEADISCIPLE.COM, check old emails.
• If the course was more than 2years ago enter the date and information you remember into the appropriate fields.

CLS and CLSp are required to take an Advanced LSM Course every three years to be recertified. CLMs are required to take a course every 2 years. These courses must be completed by Charge Conference the year they are due.

Special note:  The 2016 Book of Discipline added an application process to CLS and CLSp. Completing a course does not make you certified or recertified. When you have completed the course you are to fill out an application and submit it to your District Director of Lay Servant Ministry. This process has not been fully implemented yet across the BWC. For the 2017 Church Conference season the completion of the course will be accepted. In the 2018 Church Conference season the application process will be required. This means classes should be completed weeks, if not months, before your charge conference so the district can complete your application and you will have a certificate for charge conference.

Yes, three copies for the three signatures at your charge conference:  pastor, district superintendent, and council chair person.  These three signed copies are to be retained as follows: One copy for the church, one copy for the DS, and one for your own records.

The 2016 BOD made it a requirement for CLMs to be a Certified Lay Servant. If you have not completed the Basic LSM course or an Advanced course please type NONE in the fields for these courses. The BWC Committee on Lay Servant Ministry will be working this year to make sure all of our CLMs meet the new requirements.