Over these two weeks, you will join your instructor and fellow learners for a journey of discovery. Together, you will read, discuss, and dive into practical activities to explore spiritual grace gifts. You will see how these gifts help you serve in your own unique way, and how combining your gifts with others can make a real difference for everyone. Spiritual grace gifts aren’t just about personal growth—they are also key to the mission and ministry of the church. Whether you are just starting to learn about spiritual gifts or you have been using them for a while and want to go deeper, this course will help you better understand the special abilities God gives us to love and serve others. This session will be taught by Barbara Justis.
Learners will need to obtain this book: For the Common Good: Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts by Christine Harman
This class has been approved by Discipleship Ministries as an advanced course in Lay Servant Ministries. It is the “spiritual gifts” class required for Lay Speaker certification. (You are advised to contact your conference or district LSM office to make sure this course is approved for you.)
This course is eligible for 1.0 CEU.
Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 2
Price: $105
CEUs: 1.0
Required books: Yes
Blackboard: Yes
Zoom: No
Certification or Series: Yes (Lay Servant Ministries)
Read course description for details.
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Past Learners Said…
“I enjoyed this being a small class, with people from all over and not just in my district. I appreciated the knowledge of others and sharing and giving feedback. I wish I had had this class a long time ago.”
“What I liked best is the fact that the instructor was open, communicative, nurturing, and encouraging!! I never felt pressured in any way, only encouraged and blessed. That made learning fun, exciting, and thoroughly worth the time and effort.”
“I now have a bigger understanding of our gifts: how we get them, how we are to use them, how they affect the entire congregation. I learned how my gifts, talents, passions, personality, resources, and experience all come together for God to use me in the best way for everyone.”
“This course really enlightened me on what spiritual gifts I possess. I am so thankful to our instructor for making all the learning material and instructions easy and simple to understand.”
“Our church can do a better job of placing volunteers in roles where they can excel, based on their gifts and talents. I will use course learnings to influence positive change.”
Meet the Instructors
Barbara Justis
Barbara Justis is a dedicated, administratively gifted lay servant influenced by the gifts of leadership and service. She has more than two decades of service in the Eastern Shore/Coastal Virginia District of the Virginia Annual Conference, where she excelled in planning, organizing, and managing Lay Servant Ministries training and support. She has previously taught ‘For the Common Good’ in-person and via Zoom. Barbara is passionate about helping laity discover their unique giftedness that supports ministries, missions, and work methods in local congregations and beyond. Her background in military and federal civil service and God’s service, enhances her unique gifts and servanthood profile. She is a BeAD super learner who has completed 84 of her 114 lay ministry CEUs through this platform, including an IFD Ministry Certificate in Spiritual Gifts.
Elaine Pratt
A retired college professor, Elaine Lehecka Pratt is a Certified Lay Minister (CLM) currently serving the Community Church of Durham. She teaches multiple courses on BeADisciple and writes daily devotions based on lectionary Scripture. To be added to that mailing list, contact her at devotions@guidestep.org. Before retirement Elaine was program director of and taught in the graduate program in pharmaceutical manufacturing and engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. Prior to joining Stevens, Elaine spent many years in the pharmaceutical industry as a corporate middle manager and an independent industry consultant.
Beth Beaty
Beth Beaty is a certified enneagram teacher. For over a decade she has helped individuals and church leadership teams use the enneagram as a powerful tool for personal, relational, and spiritual development. Beth’s approach to the enneagram is practical, aimed at giving church leadership and staff the insight and tools to develop healthier communication, break unhealthy patterns and ease their congregations through change. Beth is a Certified Lay Minister in the Minnesota/Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Cindy Curtis
Cindy Barrineau Curtis is a master teacher, published author, and motivational speaker. Her career spans more than 30 years in education, ministry, writing, and speaking. She has designed workshops on poetry and writing memoir, and has published six books. Cindy’s nonfiction writing offers hope and empowers readers with methods to manage life’s ups and downs with confidence and grace. She offers faith building tips and motivational thoughts (Wednesday Words) through her weekly email subscription. Visit her website at cindybcurtis.com for more information.
