Foundations for Ministry

The Foundations for Ministry course helps people move from the pew to the pulpit and into leadership roles in the church. It is designed for lay people, Certified Lay Ministers, first time pastors, District Superintendent Assignment persons, and pastors moving to new congregations. All participants will develop best practices for serving the local church in sermon writing, developing relationships with their congregation, and building mission and vision.

This course is a blend of academic learning with practical on-the-job training. It allows the student to learn through both academic and hands-on experience.

The course focuses on a different aspect of ministry each month with all work and discussion forums taking place online, including monthly meetings.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Understand and practice the needed spiritual disciplines and Sabbath rest for their own personal growth
2. Articulate their call and gifts to ministry
3. Research, write and deliver a biblically-based sermon
4. Design and lead effective worship
5. Be equipped with skills to make home, hospital, emergency calls, lead funerals, and know when and how to make referrals
6. Appreciate church history, doctrine and structure
7. Lead the church in holistic evangelism in the Wesleyan tradition
8. Understand the importance of strong missional witness and how they and their church can participate in the mission of the church locally, on a regional level, nationally, and throughout the world.

In addition, students will:

1. Learn principles for leading and administrating the local church
2. Gain skills for guiding the congregation in the development and design of clear and attainable vision and goals for the church
3. Learn a process for developing a workable plan for studying the culture of the local church and community
4. Learn keys to team-building in the local church
5. Learn the basic roles of the pastor
6. Develop a personal vision and goals
7. Develop a weekly pattern for researching and writing the sermon

Required Texts

Please obtain your textbooks before the course begins.

Bone, David L. and Mary J. Scifres. The United Methodist Music and Worship Planner, current year edition. Nashville: Abingdon Press.

Felton, Gayle C., United Methodists and the Sacraments. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007.

Knight, Henry H. and F. Douglas Powe. Transforming Evangelism: The Wesleyan Way of Sharing Faith. Nashville: Discipleship Resources 2014.

Langford, Andy and Sally Langford. Living as United Methodist Christians: Our Story, Our Beliefs, Our Lives. Nashville: Abingdon 2011.

Parks, Lewis A. Preaching in the Small Membership Church. Nashville: Abingdon, 2009.

Weems, Lovett H. Church Leadership: Vision, Team, Culture and Integrity. Nashville: Abingdon, 1993.