This course is designed for any layperson who has ever considered preaching. It is a four-week course in which you will learn how to share the Bible’s message confidently, even if you feel you might not know the Bible well enough. In this course, you will learn how to have fun telling God’s story in front of others, without feeling like a failure.
You will learn how to move from Scripture to an engaging narrative that engages and transforms hearers. This may involve a new skill–you’ll learn to chunk parts of a sermon (as opposed to a traditional sermon outline) so it is easily preached without notes. Finally, you’ll discover what listeners need from the preacher to remain engaged through the entire sermon journey. You’ll also receive one-on-one feedback on preaching a sermon in a supportive environment.
This course meets the Great Plains Conference CLM requirement for preaching. However, it is intended for any layperson who wants to learn and practice preaching for transformation in their listeners’ daily lives.
Learners are required to obtain this book: Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys for Irresistible Communication by Andy Stanley.
During week five, each person’s sermon will be shared and discussed in one of three Zoom meetings. You are encouraged to attend all three sessions and required to attend at least one. Zoom sessions will be held on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 7:00pm central, Friday, May 15, 2026, at 7:00 pm central, and Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 9:00 am central.
This course is eligible for 2.0 CEU.
Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 5
Price: $125
CEUs: 2.0
Required books: Yes
Blackboard: Yes
Zoom: Yes, required
Certification or Series: No
Read course description for details.
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About the Instructor
Richard Fitzgerald has been preaching nearly every week, often multiple times a week, since 1987. An elder in the United Methodist Church, Richard has a passion for encouraging, equipping, and supporting people as they seek to live out God’s call on their lives. After serving as senior pastor of a large United Methodist Church in Salina, Kansas, Richard was named Conference Circuit Pastor for the Great Plains Conference, becoming pastor of record for most of the approximately 31 churches that do not have appointed or assigned pastors. He has taught preaching courses and workshops for the Great Plains Conference for the past 17 years and has been a trainer for the Red Cross (regionally), YMCA (national faculty), and Group Publishing.
