What is Lay Ministry?

THE NEED

In future generations many in this country will have little or no knowledge of the Christian faith, of the Bible or of church life, unless they have grown up in a Christian family or attended a church school. What a challenge! The need is to make God’s love in Christ known and understood in fresh ways; to teach the faith and to encourage and nurture disciples…who may in their turn hear God’s call to proclaim, teach and make disciples!

“Since I’ve been trained I’ve had the opportunity to set up and lead an informal monthly outreach service to families in the community”.

THE MINISTRY

“To be a Reader is challenging, exciting and immensely rewarding…over ten thousand people from all walks of life m have found this for themselves…” Graham Dow, Bishop of Carlisle

Licensed Lay Ministers undertake a wide range of ministry. Some aspects of their role are central to their ministry such as preaching and leading worship. Other aspects may depend on their particular gifts and the needs of their church.

  • Preaching and leading worship
  • Teaching lay people the Christian faith and the Bible
  • Preparing candidates for baptism and confirmation
  • Leading Bible study/home groups
  • Leading All-age worship
  • Taking initiatives to reach out to those on the fringe of the church
  • Pastoral work
  • Encouraging and enabling lay people in their Christian discipleship and service
  • Taking funerals
  • Chaplaincy work
  • Work in the local community

“I feel really drawn to prison ministry and my training has encouraged me to develop this ministry”

THE FUTURE

In order for Licensed Lay Ministry in this diocese to serve the present and future ministry and mission of the church as an equal but different partner in collaborative ministry, our aim is to build on the core ministry of preaching and leading worship within a pastoral context by focusing on the distinctive contribution of Licensed Lay Ministry in three key areas:

  • Undertaking lay education in Christian faith and discipleship, and in knowledge of the Bible
  • Undertaking pioneering work in the community, and in chaplaincy work
  • Encouraging and enabling the development of lay Christian discipleship in service and ministry in the local church and in the world of work

Being a Reader is a challenging, exciting and fulfilling ministry…a partnership…a stimulus for other lay people to realise the possibilities of lay ministry that exist in the Church. The Reader can be a model of such ministry and opens the way for others to respond to the challenges and opportunities of greater participation and partnership in the mission of the Church.

Readers are part of God’s good gift to the church, in order that his people may worship, learn, receive pastoral ministry, obey God and continue in his mission.

Why do we visit the sick, take services, lead bible study groups, preach sermons…so that God may be glorified…Christina Baxter, Principle of St John’s theological College and a Reader.