Lay Servant Ministry has traveled many miles in the past few years – a journey that has taken laity from a dependent, minor role in the mission of the church to recognition as a major player in making disciples. Lay Servant Ministry has moved into a leadership role in making disciples that make disciples.
In order to meet the standards established by 2012 General Conference, we created and/or strengthened the district director positions and the district LSM committees in all districts in the conference. Working closely with the district superintendents has strengthened the LSM programs at the district level as well as empower laity throughout the conference. We also enacted the new standards for lay speaker certification.
Sweeping changes in the certified lay minister program in 2016 required further changes in the Lay Servant Ministry program. The new CLM requirements are now in place as well as a database for tracking lay servants at all levels. We have accomplished a great deal in a very short period of time.
Where do we go from here? The choice to maintain a status quo is not an option. Failing to continue to move forward results in moving backward. As one facet of leadership in the laity community of the Great Plains Conference, what is next in our goal of supporting the mission of the church?
Following are some possibilities for us to consider:
