BeADisciple.com is proud to host online advanced courses in Lay Servant Ministries! These courses are open to all people who want to lead well in whatever ministry context they find themselves – church, community, home, or work.

Lay Servant Ministries (LSM) courses are approved by Discipleship Ministries as required to renew UMC certification as a Certified Lay Servant, Certified Lay Speaker, or Certified Lay Minister. You’ll notice the “learning and leading” logo on all Discipleship Ministries-approved LSM courses. 

“I am so glad that I conquered my nerves and jumped into this LSM class! I love that I can interact with people around the country that I would never meet otherwise – how wonderful is that?! Being in a study with the same people locally is comfortable, but being in a class with someone from Alaska or West Texas exposes me to people with different backgrounds and experiences than I will ever encounter otherwise.” – Cheryl B.

Core Advanced Courses

These courses meet the initial educational requirements to become a Lay Speaker. 

These courses also meet the continuing education requirements for renewal of Certified Lay Servant (one advanced course every 3 years), Certified Lay Speaker (one advanced course every 3 years), or Certified Lay Minister (one advanced course every 2 years).

Click links to see the full course description and enrollment dates, or sign up for email notifications.

Polity Course:
Heritage Course:
Worship Courses:
Prayer Course:
    • Leading Public Prayer
      • August 24 – September 4, 2026
      • October 19  – 30, 2026
      • December 07 – 18, 2026
Preaching Course Alternatives:
Spiritual Gifts Course Alternatives:

Additional Advanced Courses

The courses below meet re-certification requirements.  Click on the title to see the course description, enroll, or sign up for a notification email when enrollment is available.

Questions about our Advanced LSM courses

Will these courses fulfill ALL my education requirements for certification?

Not entirely — but they do help! We don’t currently offer the BASIC Lay Servant Ministries course required to become a Certified Lay Servant in the United Methodist Church; you’ll have to take that course locally. We now offer all six courses required for initial Lay Speaker certification (listed in the first section below)!

These courses will help you renew your status as a Certified Lay Servant, Certified Lay Speaker, or Certified Lay Minister.  Although you should note: while all of our LSM advanced courses are approved by Discipleship Ministries, you are advised to check with your own district laity director and conference LSM committee to make sure this online coursework will be accepted in your area, as each district and conference has its own set of guidelines.

Can I take these courses if I'm not an LSM, Lay Speaker, CLM, or even United Methodist?

Of course!  Anyone is welcome to enroll in these courses for a great learning experience.

What happens when I complete an LSM course with BeADisciple.com?

Upon successful completion of these courses, you will receive a certificate of completion; however, it is your responsibility to self-report completion to your own district or conference system.  We do not report this on your behalf, but we will confirm your completion upon inquiry from your district or conference if requested.

Where do I find more information?

For more information on Lay Servant Ministries, we recommend the LSM Catalog from Discipleship Ministries, the LSM Brochure from Discipleship Ministries, and the BeADisciple LSM flyer.