Getting Started
Christ Servant Ministries
Perhaps you have felt God calling you to become more involved in your local church and community. Or perhaps you have discerned the need to develop your leadership skills. If so, Christ Servant Ministries courses can help you. Lay servants can serve in their local churches and beyond the local church.
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Christ Servant Ministries courses can help in preparing you for a multitude of missions and ministries, or improve your teaching and leadership skills, guide you in improving your devotional time. They help you become an accountable disciple and assist in developing confidence in leading prayer.
Each person seeking Christ Servant Minister status must first be a professing member of the United Methodist Church. The process then requires the written approval of your pastor and charge conference (or Church Council).
After approval is given... the journey starts with a course entitled Introduction to Christ Servant Ministry. Following successful completion of this course, individuals are recognized in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference as Local Church Servants. To be recognized in the Conference Journal as a Christ Servant Minister, a 10 hour Advanced Course must also be completed. Advanced courses can be selected from a wide variety of on-line and in-person topics.
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Some individuals complete advanced courses to start their CSM Journey when the Introductory Course is not available at a convenient time or place. However Christ Servant Minister recognition is only conferred on individuals who take both the Introductory Course and a minimum of 10 hours of Advanced Course work.
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Following successful completion of the Introductory Course and the additional 10 hours of Advanced Work, our UMC Discipline requires a minimum of 10 hours of continued study in order to maintain the status of Christ Servant Minister.
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If you choose to commit to the development of your leadership and ministry skills by becoming a Christ Servant Minister, you will be enriched and encouraged by the network of other Lay Servants. If you choose to take the courses but not complete the requirements for Christ Servant Minister status, you will still develop your skills for leadership, mission and ministry in order to serve God both in the church and beyond to the community around you and the world.
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