1. Frameworks for Lay Leadership Series

2. What is it?
Frameworks for Lay Leadership is a series of six books that covers Scripture, Theology, Ministry, Mission, History, and Holiness.

3. What is the Purpose?
1. To faithfully fulfil The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene (paragraphs )
Ministry of Laypersons All Christians should consider themselves ministers of Christ and seek to know the will of God concerning their appropriate avenues of service.
The church recognizes the following roles of service in which a district assembly may place a layperson: pastor, evangelist, missionary, teacher, administrator, chaplain, and special service.
Lay Minister. Any member of the Church of the Nazarene who feels called to serve but who does not at the present time feel a special call to become an ordained minister, may pursue a validated course of study leading to a certificate of lay ministry.

4. What is the Purpose?
1. To faithfully fulfil The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene (paragraphs )
The local church board, upon the recommendation of the pastor, shall initially examine and approve the lay minister as to personal experience of salvation, effective involvement in church ministries, and knowledge of the work of the church.
The local church board may issue to each lay minister candidate a certificate signed by the pastor and the secretary of the church board.
The certificate of the lay minister may be renewed annually by the church board upon the recommendation of the pastor, if the lay minister has completed at least two subjects in the lay ministry educational program as outlined by the Continuing Lay Training. The lay minister shall report annually to the church board.

5. What is the Purpose?
1. To faithfully fulfil The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene (paragraphs )
For a lay minister serving under district assignment, upon completion of a validated course of study, a certificate of lay ministry may be issued by the District Advisory Board, signed by the district superintendent and the secretary of the District Advisory Board. The certificate of lay ministry may be renewed annually by the District Advisory Board upon the recommendation of the district superintendent.
The lay minister serving outside the local church where he or she is a member shall be subject to the appointment and supervision of the district superintendent and the District Advisory Board, and shall report annually to them.
After completion of a lay ministry validated course of study, a lay minister shall proceed in a specialized concentration of study according to his or her chosen ministry through the Continuing Lay Training office.
A lay minister shall not be eligible to administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and shall not officiate at marriages.

6. What is the Purpose?
1. To faithfully fulfil The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene (paragraphs )
2. To effectively grow with our Church’s growing definition of “Church”
“Any group that meets regularly for spiritual nurture, worship, or instruction at an announced time and place, with an identified leader, and aligned with the mission and message of the Church of the Nazarene can be recognized as a church and reported as such for district and general church statistics.” (Nazarene Essentials)
As the church multiplies across our Region, there is an urgent need to train up qualified Leaders who can pastor both traditional and “untraditional” churches and ministries.
Many of these leaders/pastors will not (yet) have a call to vocational ministry; instead, they will be laity who will require basic training in order to know who we are as the Church of the Nazarene and how to minister faithfully and effectively in their context

7. What is the Purpose?
1. To faithfully fulfil The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene (paragraphs )
2. To effectively grow with our Church’s growing definition of “Church”
3. To honestly embrace the truth of 1 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
A trained and empowered laity is good for the Church and good for the World!
Some who undergo such training will discover a vocational call to ministry

8. What are the Books? Exploring a Wesleyan Theology
By David McEwan
1. John Wesley as Theologian
2. The Doctrine of God
3. The Doctrine of Scripture
4. The Doctrine of Sin
5. The Doctrine of Salvation
6. The Doctrine of Entire Sanctification
7. The Doctrine of Assurance
8. The Doctrine of Last Things
9. The Doctrine of the Church
10. Conclusion

9. What are the Books? Embodying a Theology of Ministry and Leadership
By Bruce Allder
1. Introduction
2. Being in Ministry and Leadership
3. A Biblical Perspective of Ministry and Leadership
4. Doing in Ministry and Leadership
5. Incarnating Ministry and Leadership
6. Conclusion

10. What are the Books? Expressing a Nazarene Identity 1. Introduction
By Floyd Cunningham
1. Introduction
2. History and Identity of the Church of the Nazarene
3. Holiness in Thought, Word, and Deed
4. Leadership and Mission in the Church of the Nazarene
5. Education in the Church of the Nazarene
6. Communion with Christ

11. What are the Books? Entering the Mission of God 1. Introduction
By Richard Giesken
1. Introduction
2. Mission and God
3. Mission and Humanity
4. Mission and Culture
5. Mission and Communication
6. Mission and the Church
7. Mission and Justice
8. Mission and Holiness
9. Conclusion

12. What are the Books? Engaging the Story of God
By Rob Fringer
1. Introduction the Story of God
2. Understanding the Story of God
3. The Old Testament Story of God
4. The New Testament Story of God
5. Interpreting the Story of God
6. Continuing the Story of God

13. What are the Books? Embracing a Doctrine of Holiness
By David McEwan and Rob Fringer

14. How does it work? 1. Getting Started
An Ordained Pastor, DS, or Regional Leader recognises laity who have the potential to be assigned lay pastors and approaches this person/s about intentionally mentoring them through this Lay Course of Study (LCOS).
Or laity who feel led by God to undergo the LCOS approach an Ordained Pastor, DS, or Regional Leader about being mentored toward this end.
Or an Ordained Pastor chooses to lead a group of people through the LCOS in order to better equip the laity and possibly identify capable laity and/or those who may be sensing a call into vocational ministry.

15. How does it work? 1. Getting Started 2. Basic Method
Each book will take at least 2 months to work through with both the mentor and the student reading through the various chapters and meeting together regularly to discuss the content and the contextual application.
The mentor’s availability and the student’s grasp of the content and ability to contextualise and apply the material will ultimately dictate the time needed to complete each book/course.
There are questions at the end of each chapter of each book that help with the processing, contextualising, and applying of the content.

16. How does it work? 1. Getting Started 2. Basic Method
3. Upon Completion
Frameworks for Lay Leadership is designed to guide laypeople through a validated course of study in order to lead a variety of ministries in the Church of the Nazarene. This is particularly helpful in contexts where there are no ordained clergy to plant or lead new congregations or oversee existing ones. Upon completion of this course of study, under the guidance of an ordained Nazarene minister, a certificate of lay ministry may be issued by a local church board or a district advisory board.
(John Moore, Regional Education/Clergy Development Asia Pacific Region)

17. Other Important information
1. The books are printed by Global Nazarene Publications (GNP) and are available in print for the cost of printing and shipping. In Australia, that has worked out to $5 AUD a book.
2. The e-books are available for free online at WHDL:
3. (GNP) has begun translating these books into global English and the plan is to translate them into as many languages as needed. If you would like these translated into your language, you should contact John Moore and Lisa Lehman.