Laity, get out on the playing field

Denny Wissinger, Central Bay Co-District Lay Leader, outlines the role of laity and encourages us to find our place in the church and do our part in making disciples.

DENNY WISSINGER
Central Bay Co-District Lay Leader

Laity started the church in the first century, beginning with Jesus and his disciples. However, somewhere in our early church history and tradition, laity lost sight of their role in ministry. Clergy became the leadership, and laity became the spectators. But that was not the way it was meant to be. We need to take a more active role in accepting, celebrating, and using the gifts of ministry.

Making Disciples as Laity

The mission of The United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. But the question is: Who is supposed to make disciples? Is it the pastor? Yes, but it includes all of us who consider ourselves Christian. The scripture I chose to support this is Matthew 28:18-20, often called the Great Commission, which states: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (NIV).

But what does it take to make a disciple? Here are some practical ways:

• • Share the good news of Jesus Christ — what he did for the world, what he did for you and me, and what he continues to do today.
  • Rather than preaching at people, we should share our own stories with them about how we came to Christ. In other words, we share our salvation stories. You can witness to others not only in words but also in deeds or actions. You can set the right example by how you live your life and what you do for others. You may have heard it said that the way you live your life may be the only Bible some people ever read.
  • We may wish to give our own affirmations of faith, a great example of which is the Apostles’ Creed in The United Methodist Hymnal. It is a testimony of what we, as Christians, believe.

Empowered and Equipped as Laity

As I once did, you might say to yourself, “I’m really not equipped to go out and make disciples.” You may have heard that God does not call the equipped but rather equips the called. How can we become better equipped to fulfill the Great Commission, grow spiritually, better serve God, and strengthen our support of our churches and communities? Some suggestions include:

• • Study the Scriptures, including delving into footnotes in study Bibles and studying commentaries.
  • Participate in Sunday school and Bible studies in small groups.
  • Read devotionals from places like the Upper Room and Guideposts.
  • Have a structured time of prayer and meditation.
  • Attend spiritual retreats such as the Walk to Emmaus.

We can also put into action some of the spiritual gifts God has given us. Examples include preaching, healing, helping, teaching, giving, administration, leadership, hospitality, and service. With all of us having a wide variety of spiritual gifts, we can, in turn, commit ourselves to actively serving as members of the body of Christ.

Another way you can grow spiritually is by taking Lay Servant Ministry courses offered through the conference and district websites. Additionally, you can become Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers, Certified Lay Ministers, and Certified Lay Ministers with Specializations. Click here to learn about the process for each of these certifications.

Serving God and the Church as Laity

What, then, is the role of laity in the church? When we joined The United Methodist Church, you may recall that we vowed to support our church through our prayers, presence, gifts, and service. There is a fifth vow that the 2008 General Conference added, and that is witness. Click here to learn more about these vows.

“Initiative” and “innovation” are two words that come to mind when I start thinking about laity in the church. First, are we taking the initiative to support our church by volunteering or agreeing to lead or become members of groups or one-member activities? Examples include:

• • Committees and teams
  • Prayer groups
  • United Women in Faith and United Methodist Men groups
  • Bible studies and Sunday school groups
  • Any other areas, such as ushering, becoming a liturgist to help lead worship, and getting people to sign up for coffee hour

Considering “innovation,” we must look at new and effective ways of helping our churches. I suggest that we, as laity, should take the lead and look for ways to come up with new outreach programs. We should also look for ways to support and assist our pastor. Another innovation we should consider, which our District Superintendent, Rev. John Kasper, suggested, is to form a Visitation Team to visit those in nursing homes and hospitals and those who are homebound.

We have looked at three key areas in the role of laity in ministry: understanding that we are to make disciples, becoming better equipped and empowered in our spiritual growth, and living into our role to serve God and our churches.

I want to share a parting thought with you. Recognizing that each of us is different and in a different stage of our spiritual journey, I ask this question: Are there some of us sitting in the grandstands who might need to get out on the playing field? Could we take on more active lay roles? Are we on the playing field serving God, our churches, and our communities? If so, I congratulate you. If not, pray about it, and then act!