Wesley’s Method Part X: How Lay Servant Ministry Can Grow the Catholic Church

John Wesley was hesitant to utilize lay preachers, but eventually out of necessity he began to use lay “helpers” with the authority to preach in Methodist Societies. There is a story of Wesley quietly sneaking into a service to listen to one of his lay preachers preach because there were complaints that the man was too illiterate. The sermon was on the Parable of the Talents and the man had only ever heard the Scripture read out loud since he couldn’t read. He mistook the word “austere” from Luke 19:21 for “oyster.” He then preached how Christ was an “oyster man” who bravely plunged into dark and cold waters to cut his hand sharply against rocks to ply up oysters and bring them to the surface. Twelve people decided to embrace Christianity after the sermon. When the complainant spoke to Wesley about this proof of his illiteracy, Wesley responded “never mind, the Lord caught a dozen oysters today.”

This story demonstrates a lesson in how God can utilize us to bring out new perspectives about His greatness that we might not otherwise hear of. Lay Servant Ministry has continued on strongly in Methodism and today exists in several different forms. An example is the basic form in the United Methodist Church of Lay Servant, Lay Speaker, and Lay Minister. They each do what their title is. Lay Servants serve in whatever capacities are needed for their congregation. Lay Speakers are akin to Lay Preachers and can be used to fill in the pulpit at other congregations. Lay Ministers act essentially as non-sacramental deacons or assistant pastors and often take roles in pastoral care for things like hospital visits or even funerals.

The Ordinariate can make use of this system thanks to the Instituted Lay Ministries in the Catholic Church: Lector (or Reader), Acolyte, and Catechist. I would like to suggest that we think of Lectors as “Exhorters,” and consider an old tradition of reading pre-written sermons. The practice of reading pre-written sermons was common in previous centuries, and it is part of the reason why we have so many written sermons that exist today from figures like John Wesley. Beyond reading the Scriptures at Catholic worship services, Lectors might also be tasked to read a traditional sermon, perhaps one of St. John Henry Newman’s for example, at an Evensong service.

Instituted Acolytes could utilize their skills or receive training in leading prayer like the Daily Office. Beyond their duties assisting at Mass, they can then begin true acolytes for the parish by assisting in prayer and leading non-Eucharistic worship. They can bring the Eucharist to the sick and homebound, and tend to the parish’s works of charity under the supervision of the deacon or priest.

We also now have the new position of Instituted Lay Catechist. This position could also involve more than just teaching the faith, but it could be applied toward lay preaching as a function in non-Eucharistic worship. Just as the Catechist is allowed to teach, they can also be trained to preach. The Lay Catechist could also be entrusted overseeing the pastoral life of a mission community in the absence of a priest or until it can support a priest, as is commonly done in Catholic dioceses in Africa. The Lay Catechist is considered a major part of the reason why the Catholic faith in Africa is spreading fast.  

Modern Methodism has moved on from simply having Lay Preachers, because it realizes that everyone is given different spiritual gifts. Someone may be a Lay Speaker but rarely preach. Instead, their gift may be in leading children’s Sunday School, for example. They use that their training to inform their beliefs and approach. Likewise, a Lay Minister may not “minister” in any standard Catholic sense. They might be a music minister or lead a group in prison ministry. Nevertheless, there is value in the training and certification process. We see this in our Instituted Lay Ministries. We could now create a system of curriculum and certification to train catechists, and then request the bishop or ordinary to institute them as lay catechists for the parish. It may be that they don’t lead a catechism class at their parish, but instead they oversee a church outreach project or assist in a nursing home ministry. Acolytes and Catechists, not just Lectors, might also lead small groups and Bible study, using their various gifts to the benefit of each other. We can trust that their training has helped form them to accomplish their mission and that their Institution gives them an authentic legitimacy as leaders in their community.

We should start to encourage our Ordinariate parish communities to request the bishop or ordinary institute Lectors, Acolytes, and Catechists rather than perpetual “deputized” helpers. In order to accomplish that, we can benefit from the Methodist patrimony of “Holy Conferencing” to provide regular training to develop these lay ministries and lay ministers, remembering that we are all called to ministry of some form through Christ’s universal priesthood of all believers. In this way we help fulfil the universal call to holiness and role of the laity that Lumen Gentium called for, and we can help the laity to lead in sharing the Word of God and growing devotion to Sacred Scripture as Dei Verbum called for.

Paul Caleb Roland is an Ordinariate Catholic who writes from Oklahoma.

Related articles by this author:
What Methodist Patrimony Brings to the Ordinariate Mission

Wesley’s Method Part I: Frequent Reception of Communion and the Love Feast

Wesley’s Method Part II: Frequent Prayer and the Daily Office

Wesley’s Method Part III: Form a Bible Study, Go Make Disciples

Wesley’s Method Part IV: Fasting Wednesdays, Fridays & Other Times for Sanctification

Wesley’s Method Part V: Forming Small Groups for Discipleship

Wesley’s Method Part VI: Following Christ by Works of Mercy

Wesley’s Method Part VII: Singing and a Hymnal in Every Home

Wesley’s Method Part VIII: How Field Preaching Equips the Laity to Proclaim Jesus Christ

Wesley’s Method Part IX: Holy Conferencing, Revivals, and their Ordinariate Potential

Wesley’s Method Part X: How Lay Servant Ministry Can Grow the Catholic Church