The What, When, Where, and Why of The Academy’s Programs

What: The Academy for Small Membership Church Ministries is Advocating, Celebrating, Teaching, and Serving to help small membership churches thrive and become like the early church in the book of Acts. Our programs are designed to inspire and motivate people to read, reflect, and share, fostering spiritual growth within themselves and helping them to lead their churches to thrive.

When: We provide classes, workshops, and seminars all year long to help build small membership churches.

Where: Most of our classes and workshops are online, which allows participants to save on travel expenses and time so they can be present with their families, communities, and church.

Why: We believe small membership churches are important to their community. While many people feel lost in the large church, they thrive in communities of faith where they are known and needed.

The Academy has a training program that helps laypersons gain confidence through study and practice in serving as ministers in the local church.

Our ten-month long lay training program begins with a 5-week course to help laypersons discover and then articulate their call and gifts to ministry. After completing the course, they are able to understand why God has called them to serve at this time and the gifts God has given them to serve the church.

Laypersons then embark on a nine-month journey where they learn about sermon writing, designing worship, leadership, pastoral care, history, theology, education, evangelism and mission. Most importantly laypersons learn how to apply what they learn when they are called to serve in ministry.

If you have members who would feel called or want to explore ministry, we invite them to sign up for the following two classes.

Discovering Your Call and Gifts / Introduction to Lay Servant Ministries – This course will help you discover your call and gifts for ministry. During the course you will take a spiritual gifts inventory, explore your gifts for ministry, read how God called those in the Bible, consider how your call might be similar to theirs, and develop a clear statement of your call and gifts for ministry. When: July 29 - August 30, 2024. Learn more about this course.

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 and focuses on a different aspect of ministry each month. When: September 3, 2024 - May 3, 2025. Learn more about this course.

The Academy also has courses to teach laypersons skills to complement the work of the pastor.

Meaningful Visitation in Hospitals and Retirement Homes – This course is designed to empower lay people and pastoral leaders to be a vital presence to parishioners during times of failing health, crisis, and grief, specifically within a hospital or nursing facility environment. When: July 8 - August 18, 2024. Learn more about this course.

Pastoral Care and Grief – This course is designed for lay people and people seeking to serve local churches as pastoral leaders including certified lay ministers and licensed local pastors. Participants will learn the basics of grief, how to be present for the griever, and how to do pastoral care in times of loss. When: July 15 - August 10, 2024. Learn more about this course.

Trauma-Informed Theology – The church is a place where folks find love, grace and community. Churches are also filled with people who have experienced different traumatic experiences and they have suffer from the lasting affects of trauma. This course will provide an understanding of trauma, trauma-informed theology and care, and help pastors prepare a trauma-informed worship. When: September 3 - October 26, 2024. Learn more about this course.

Conducting Your First Funeral – This course is designed for people seeking to serve local churches as pastoral leaders including Certified Lay Ministers, licensed local pastors, etc. Participants will gain some level of comfort with asking the right questions, preparing and delivering the funeral service. When: January 6 - February 2, 2025. Learn more about this course.

Leadership in a Small Membership Church – Being a leader in a smaller membership church can be very challenging. Whether you are in a lay leadership position, a Certified Lay Minister, or a credentialed pastor, this course will help you define your personal skills, learn team building practices, establish goals, and provide concrete ideas on how to lead you church in mission and ministry. When: February 3 - March 7, 2025. Learn more about this course.

We also have workshops to help your local church.

Hope for Small Membership Churches: Rediscovering God's Promise – Helping small membership churches move past hopelessness to HOPE! A one-day hands on workshop for rediscovering God’s promise. When: August 17, 2024. Learn more about this workshop.

Mental Health First Aid – This workshop is designed to help you identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults. When: October 5, 2024. Learn more about this workshop.

We have resources to help your church. Please pass this on to your leadership and interested lay people.