What do a retired heavy equipment operator, a retired attorney, a practicing nurse, a young adult, and a senior adult with a passion for prison ministry have in common? They share a love for Jesus and a desire to be equipped for the harvest. All attended the Trinity Conference School of Ministry’s Intensive Week.
Last month, the School of Ministry held its annual five-day Intensive Week. Launched in 2023, the event was designed to help participants complete the coursework for Certified Lay Ministry (CLM) certification: eight required courses and two electives. Additional certification requirements are available on the Trinity Conference website. What began as a path toward CLM certification has grown into a week of equipping people from many walks of life to serve as leaders in their local churches.
Ricky Long, from First Methodist Church in Kosse, Texas, worked for more than forty years as a heavy equipment operator. He could speak for hours about hydraulic lifts and earthmoving machinery, but these days he would rather talk about Jesus and how Christ has changed his life. He attended Intensive Week to become a better Bible study leader. “I’ve done a lot in my life and had many jobs, but these days I’m simply enjoying learning more about Jesus and I’m here so I can be a better teacher of the Bible in my local church.”
Vicky Johnson is the longtime lay leader of Bland Chapel Methodist Church in Rogers, Arkansas. After nearly three decades as a staff attorney and chief counsel for the Kansas Department of Transportation, she retired to Beaver Lake in northwest Arkansas. She has taught, preached, and served in nearly every role in the local church. She also served as a delegate to the Global Methodist Church’s 2024 Convening Conference and serves on the denomination’s Council on Appeals. Still, Vicky values lifelong learning. “I figured if I’m going to be filling the pulpit on a fairly regular basis, it might be good for me to work towards my CLM certification. If nothing else, I like to learn.”
The Trinity Conference includes churches in hundreds of small communities across Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. One is Mount Enterprise, Texas, population 505, where a Global Methodist congregation is working to spread scriptural holiness in its part of the Lord’s harvest field. Shana Burrell works as a nurse during the week and serves as the church’s assigned lay minister. “I love Jesus. I love to share Jesus and I’m here because I want to be equipped to share about Jesus and how to lead well.”
Cameryn Blades is a young adult in Lafayette, Louisiana. Her husband, Tanner, serves on staff at Covenant Methodist Church. He began his studies at Asbury Theological Seminary last year and is pursuing ordination as an elder in the Global Methodist Church. His experience has encouraged Cameryn as she responds to her own call. “I’ve sensed a calling in my life for quite some time. Seeing my husband in his classes and even accompanying him on some of his trips to Tulsa and Wilmore for classes has helped give me the confidence to take those next steps in responding to God’s call. God has called me to pursue ordination as a deacon. I enrolled in the intensive week to help give myself a ‘jump start’ on learning in community as I take these next steps. These people are wonderful.”
Jim Mouch, a longtime retiree, serves in several leadership roles at First Methodist Church in Athens, Texas. He has a deep love for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with people who are incarcerated and is active in Kairos ministry in northeast Texas. “I lead bible studies in my church and in Kairos. I’m sometimes called to bring a message. The courses offer me a way to become better equipped to lead.”
Intensive Week offers a convenient way to complete all or most of the CLM coursework, but certification is not everyone’s goal. For those unable to attend, the School of Ministry also offers courses throughout the year at hub locations and online.
These participants came from different places, with different experiences and reasons for attending. They shared a love for Jesus and a desire to be better equipped for the harvest: serving him and helping others know him.
