Our newly formed training course allows you to take 6 short courses over 2 years to build up a suite of classes that cover the foundational skills in lay leadership. The courses cover Preaching, Mission, Leadership, Worship, Pastoral Care, and Biblical Studies. We believe this initiative will be transformational for those who journey through the course and be a valuable resource to churches across Scotland.
It is not designed to be a replacement for degree studies, a kind of degree-lite experience. Instead, it is specifically focused on those who are supporting ministers and church workers week-in week-out as members of a local church but whose day-to-day role is elsewhere. It’s for the worship leaders, the lay preachers, and those who are part of a pastoral care team. It’s for home group leaders and those that prepare Bible studies. We see all the hard work that is done by congregations and church members and want to help equip them through the Lay Training Award scheme. It’s a series of 6 short courses, each 6 weeks long, covering the 6 basic areas of local church life – pastoral care, preaching, biblical interpretation, worship, mission, and leadership. These will be delivered online in the evenings over the course of 2 years to make it as sustainable and accessible as possible.
While the training award is unvalidated, it is taught by our experienced team of lecturers drawing on their learning and practice across many years of church and academic life. This is a unique course of study that combines the expertise of the College, with accessible, entry level training, specifically with practice in mind for those who want to support their local church.
The LTA is awarded on completion of all 6 short courses, but you may just want to take one or two of the short courses rather than the whole award. We’re more than happy for people to come on board for one or two courses that feel most relevant to them simply as a way to upskill in that particular area.
While this is called the Scottish Baptist College Lay Training Awards, you do not need to be in Scotland or a Baptist to participate. While we’re based in the Scottish context and we’re Baptist and baptistic by conviction and practice, we think the content of these short courses will be valuable to all lay leaders.
Structure / Timetable
The short courses are all being delivered on a Tuesday night and while we know that picking one night might mean some people can’t make it, we wanted to choose a night and stick with it so that you can plan ahead. The starting date for course 1 is below and the other provisional dates for 26-27 are also below (exact dates to be confirmed year on year)
| Date | Year 1 | Year 2 |
| Mid-October – end November | Pastoral Care | Mission |
| February – Mid-March | Preaching | Worship |
| Mid-April – end May | Biblical Interpretation | Leadership* |
Pastoral Care, the first course in 2026 will begin on October 20th led by Rev Dr Steve Younger and will finish in the last week of November.
We expect the second short course, Preaching, led by Dr Graham Meiklejohn to begin on February 9th 2027 (through till March 16th) with the Biblical Interpretation short course, led by Rev Dr Alastair Cuthbert, to begin on April 20th 2027 (till May 25th).The second year will follow a similar pattern with one module in the autumn, one late winter, and one in spring (dates will be confirmed in due course).
Each short course can be taken individually but the award will only be given for those who complete all six courses.
*The exact order of short courses may change.
Delivery
There are 6 x 1.5 hour sessions per short course. The sessions will be delivered over Zoom between 7:30 and 9pm on Tuesday evenings. There will be a mix of teaching, discussion, and Q&A. Any supporting materials will be provided via email and recommended books that can be purchased. These are intended to be structured but informal learning spaces, recognising that people learn best when they are relaxed and enjoy being in the learning space!
Cost
Individual modules – £100
First 10 full LTA participants each year – £90
If you do all 6, the final short course is reduced by 50%.
Application
To apply we simply need a few details from you to get started. Please fill out the application form below.