Having just completed the eight required courses for CLP (Commissioned Lay Pastor) through the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary Distance Learning Program, just what did I learn?

To start with the required courses are: Pastoral Care & Counseling, Fundamentals of Christian Education, Reformed Theology, Introduction to New Testament, Introduction to Old Testament, Introduction to Preaching, Reformed Worship & Sacraments and Presbyterian Polity.

These courses are done on-line through the Internet. To access the site go to: www.udtslearning.net. To gain acceptance into the classes, you have to first register and sign up for a one month On Line Certification Class. This class is designed to show you how to use the system. There is a fee for this class and is mandatory. Payment can be by credit card or check. You will have to enter a user name and password to gain access to the class. After completion of the mandatory class, you can select which course you want to enroll in. The current fee is $250 per course. There is no required order to the courses. You will be asked to submit a short biography. They also like a picture if available.

Each course required text books which are listed and can be purchased for a reasonable fee from Amazon.com.

Each required class is 12 weeks long. You will be able to read the biographies of your class mates as well as see their picture, if they submitted one. You will also read about and see your assigned instructor.

The instructor will post just one week’s assignment at a time. It will identify the reading materials and questions you must respond to. You not only have to respond to the questions but also to the submissions of at least two of your classmates. You will also find areas where you can request prayers or share joys. You can also find an area where you can just chat with classmates. The instructor will post responses to your answers throughout the week.

Class structures will vary depending on the subject. In some cases you will look up the answers in the text books. In other cases you will provide your own answer. In either case you are encouraged to challenge your classmates responses, provided you do so in a gentlemanly manner. I found, however, that in most instances, the responses were favorable and encouraging.

Attendance in the classes in required. If for some reason, you are unable to participate for a week, they ask that you communicate your concerns with the instructor. Each instructor provides his/her e-mail address for this purpose. There are no second chances. If you fail to complete any class, you are removed from the entire program.

You will not be graded. Active participation is necessary for completion. You will receive a letter of completion from the school. They do offer a certificate on fancy paper for an additional fee.

I found the instructors to be highly qualified, highly motivated, honest, compassionate, caring, fun, and of course helpful.

As to be expected, they cram a lot of information into a short period. You will get out of the program only what you put into it. You can just scratch the surface or you can dive deeply into the program. You have the option of taking more than one class at a time. While this may shorten the number of months you are enrolled, I strongly urge the taking of only one class at a time. My actual class time was around 20-30 hours per week. This included reading, submitting and responding. There were many occasions where there was a lot of humor going back and forth. Even the instructors would get involved.

To answer my own question…..What did I get out of it? First let me say that I have no regrets in getting involved. I know that God knew me while I was in the womb. He elected me, and in spite of my sinful nature, He gave me the gift of grace. My acceptance of his offer was my enrollment in the CLP program. I learned that the only reason I exist is to glorify God. I learned that the church is not a building with walls and floors but it is us, the very Body of Christ. I learned about the governing of a church, its structure and where I fit into that structure. I learned to prepare a worship service, how it is structured, and how to prepare sermons. I learned about different methods of providing Christian Education. The most valuable lesson came to me in the form of faith. Because of this program, my faith has grown and I have become a better Christian. I found out that God’s plan for me was being fulfilled.

I am thankful for being called, and that I am surrounded by family and friends who believe in me. I learned that it was my destiny to serve Jesus, and this CLP course has given me the tools to go forth with His gospel.

The ages of my classmates varied from early 30’s to Senior Citizens. For your information, I am 71 years old.

I highly recommend that anyone who feels the call consider this great opportunity.

Having completed the courses, am I now a Lay Pastor? No. I now have to go before the Committee on Ministry for final approval. I have to demonstrate to the committee that I am worthy of being commissioned, and ready to accept the responsibility that goes with the title of Lay Pastor.

I would be most happy to answer any questions you may have. I hope I have piqued your interest in following the Lord. When you leave the pew take the words of the Bible with you, for therin lies the truth. Winnebago Presbytery can provide you with a means to contact me personally.

Your Brother in Christ,

Richard Kreager
First Presbyterian Church of Winneconne