Qualifications
The candidate must:
- Be a loyal member of the Church of God, adhering to its teachings.
- Be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
- Be faithful in tithing.
- Be a regular church attendant.
- Be one who works in harmony with the local, state, and international church’s program and one who reflects a cooperative attitude toward the progress of the church.
- Have completed at least one year of apprenticeship in local church ministry under the supervision of the pastor. The apprentice-ship should consist of successful completion of the Church of God Leadership Development Program (levels 1 and 2), formerly called The Timothy Plan.
- Have the approval of the local church governing body with a recommendation from the pastor and church council.
Responsibilities and Authorities
- The lay minister’s certificate must be renewed every two years by the local church where the lay minister is a member. Renewal requires that the individual continue to be actively engaged in one or more specialized areas of local church ministry, such as children’s ministry, youth ministry, prison ministry, elderly ministry, music ministry, and so forth.
- Whenever a lay minister transfers to another Church of God, the present certificate is terminated. The new church may approve the applicant and issue the lay minister’s certificate. Once a person has completed the leadership development program and apprenticeship at one church, it is not necessary to repeat this process in order to be certified by another local church.
- The lay minister shall serve as a helper to the pastor and shall be eligible to conduct various services and ministry activities sponsored by the local church under the supervision of the pastor.
- The lay minister shall be authorized to represent the local church in the community as a certified Christian worker.
- The lay minister shall teach and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through areas of specialized ministry.
- The lay minister shall serve as a model within the local church for the mentoring and discipling of believers.
Certificates are to be obtained from the state/region office.
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