Inspired by Bishop Bard’s listening tour, Denny Wissinger, the Michigan Conference’s Co-Lay Leader, encourages local churches to challenge the laity within their congregations to dive into discipleship, the call Christ has given us all.
DENNY WISSINGER
Co-Lay Leader, Michigan Conference
During Bishop David Bard’s listening tour he conducted in November, December, and January, one of the topics he addressed was making disciples as part of the mission of The United Methodist Church as specified in the Book of Discipline, which states: “The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Paragraph 120 continues: “Local churches and extension ministries of the Church provide the most significant arenas through which disciple-making occurs.” Our mission is consistent with the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mathew 28:19, NRSVUE).
Later, Paragraph 122 addresses the process for carrying out our disciple-making mission:
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- Proclaim the gospel, seek, welcome, and gather persons into the body of Christ;
- Lead persons to commit their lives to God through baptism by water and the spirit and profession of faith in Jesus Christ;
- Nurture persons in Christian living through worship, the sacraments, spiritual disciplines, and other means of grace, such as Wesley’s Christian conferencing;
- Send persons into the world to live lovingly and justly as servants of Christ by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger, freeing the oppressed, being and becoming a compassionate, caring presence, and working to develop social structures that are consistent with the gospel; and
- Continue the mission of seeking, welcoming, and gathering persons into the community of the body of Christ.
In recognizing that it is within local churches where disciples are primarily made, I believe it is incumbent upon pastors and laity in leadership positions to encourage and equip their congregants. Here are some ways we can accomplish equipping:
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- Bible studies
- Sunday school classes and small groups
- Prayer teams
- Walks to Emmaus (learn more)
- Camps and retreats
- Mission trips
- Outreach programs
Another excellent way local churches can equip laity is by encouraging them to take advantage of Lay Servant Ministry (LSM) courses at the district level. These courses, some in-person and some online, can lead participants to become Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers, and Certified Lay Ministers. Click to learn more about these lay roles. This not only helps energize churches to fulfill their missions and ministries, but it also helps laity to continue growing in their spiritual journeys.
Additionally, laity are encouraged to subscribe to MiConnect and MiFaith, two weekly e-newsletters published by the Michigan Conference, to stay informed on what is happening throughout the conference and to be enlightened by faith and spiritual topics that help them grow in their faith. Click here to subscribe.
What a blessing it was for me that my church in Virginia had enough interest in me that the pastor and senior laity encouraged me to become involved in the church shortly after I joined. Before I knew it, I was teaching junior high Sunday school and was elected as the church treasurer. I joined the United Methodist Men and other small groups, including Sunday school, Bible study, and the church choir. My involvement helped me feel that I was a part of a wonderful, close-knit fellowship and a part of the body of Christ.
I pray that local churches strive to encourage and equip their laity to become more passionate about being more involved as devoted and committed disciples. Discipleship is not a part-time job. The benefits are numerous, and they contribute to individuals continuing to grow in their spiritual journeys and helping bring more souls to their churches and to Christ.
Last Updated on March 24, 2025