Florida-Bahamas Synod's School of Lay Ministry Courses

Students will be introduced to key themes and issues in the study of the New Testament.  They will focus on interpreting New Testament texts using a variety of strategies and tools for understanding the message of the New Testament in their ancient, social and religious contexts with a view to relating them to contemporary ministry contexts.

Students will see how the drama of the early ( first 400 years) church's formation has direct connections to their life of faith today.

This practical theology course will explore the meaning of Christian discipleship in everyday experiences. Students will explore connecting faith to daily life. How do we live with our faith at the center?

This course surveys significant aspects of the Sacraments, Lutheran liturgical worship, and the seasons of the church year, emphasizing the cultural settings in which worship occurs. 

The course provides a practical understanding of the words, actions, and items involved in the services by closely examining what is in our service books and ties the content of the services to their Biblical roots. This course also explores the diversity of Christian worship practices within the ELCA.

New Course coming in early 2025

Students will be introduced to key themes and issues in the study of the Old Testament.  They will focus on interpreting Old Testament texts using a variety of strategies and tools for understanding the message of the Old Testament in their ancient, social and religious contexts with a view to relating them to contemporary ministry contexts. Special attention will be given to the covenant theology and to relating Old Testament theology and history to our understanding of the New Testament. 

The Lutheran story characterized by the tension between honoring the European roots of the church and adapting to the new realities of American life. The Lutheran church, from its earliest days, faced religious pluralism, intolerance, racism, war, lack of state support and diversity of languages and traditions.  It wasn't easy then, and it isn't easy now. Understanding American Lutheran history can change the way we see ourselves and our future.

This course will help identify foundational doctrines, give an understanding of orthodoxy and heresy, gain an understanding of the communal and historic nature of doctrines and their spiritual foundations, and to help students understand and express why disciplined thought and faithful confession is crucial for church leaders. 

In the Lutheran tradition, Christian doctrine is mostly a question of how to interpret the Bible and what arises from that, although Lutherans arrive at different results than some other protestant traditions that claim to do the same thing. What gets complex is what is at stake in these doctrines, the assumptions that we bring as modern learners, and the needs and issues that we must address today. 

These six sessions are in no particular order. You may watch them in any order. They are all about 5 minutes in length and each session is focused around the question posed in the title. 

• Session One: Devotional
• Session Two: What Is Prayer?
• Session Three: How Do We Pray?
• Session Four: Why Do We Pray?
• Session Five: Does God Answer Prayer?
• Session Six: When Do We Pray?

This course has two components. First, students will be provided the opportunity to make at least one supervised visit in an institution and/or to the homebound. Class sessions will deal with understanding the needs of patients and loved ones, as well as issues such as grieving and patients’ rights.  Second, besides a sharing of practical issues relating to this ministry, this course will also provide opportunities to relate visitation ministry to the theology and worship life of the Church.

The focus of this course is to look at opportunities within the parish for communicating the gospel (Bible studies, teaching, youth ministries, preaching, etc) as well as in the community (various forms of evangelism, welcoming visitors and new members, etc).  The course will help students explore a Christian way of doing functional theology and ministry, “at that exciting point where Word, world, and baptized servant converge.” 

* Foundational Course for Faith and Service Path

** Foundational Course for Faith and Service Path  and Faith Formation Path

*** Practical Ministry Series 

• Introduction to the New Testament
• By What Authority
• Connecting Sunday to Monday
• Liturgical Worship
• Ethics in a Lutheran Perspective
• Introduction to the Old Testament
• We Must Plant the Church
• Creeds and Confessions
• Christian Doctrine
• Meeting God in Prayer
• Practical Ministry II - Visitation
• Practical Ministry III - Communicating the Gospel

• Introduction to the New Testament
• Introduction to the Old Testament
• Liturgical Worship
• Creeds and Confessions
• Plus two electives

diakonia or other program graduates may take any/all Foundational Courses for a one-time registration of $35 fee.

Continuing Education Courses (Non-Foundational) are $60 each