Many churches operate with the belief that ministry is only for full-time pastors or those who have been to Bible school. This mindset has resulted in churches that rely entirely on a small number of pastors while thousands of church members remain passive spectators. The Bible, however, teaches that every believer is called to serve in some way. Dag Heward-Mills has empowered ordinary lay people to take up ministry roles, preach, teach, and lead within the church, proving that full-time ministry is not the only way to serve God.
Through his books, teachings, and structured leadership systems, he has shown that churches grow faster and stronger when laypeople are actively involved in ministry. His movement has raised thousands of lay pastors, lay ministers, and church workers who serve alongside full-time pastors, ensuring that churches remain strong, vibrant, and constantly expanding.
Mobilizing Lay People to Serve in the Church
One of the biggest challenges in many churches today is that most members do not see themselves as ministers. They attend services but do not actively serve, leaving all the work to a handful of leaders. Dag Heward-Mills has transformed this approach by emphasizing that every believer has a role to play in ministry, whether or not they are in full-time service.
His books, such as “Lay People and the Ministry,” have been instrumental in helping Christians understand their calling and responsibilities in the church. He teaches that laypeople can become pastors, evangelists, teachers, counselors, and church builders while still maintaining their regular jobs or professions. This strategy has multiplied the number of leaders within his church movement, ensuring that no single pastor carries all the responsibility alone.
Training Lay Ministers to Preach and Lead
Many churches hesitate to allow laypeople to take leadership roles because they fear a lack of training or commitment. Dag Heward-Mills has solved this issue by developing a structured training system that equips lay ministers with biblical knowledge, leadership skills, and practical ministry experience.
Through his training programs, lay ministers learn how to preach, teach the Bible, counsel believers, lead prayer meetings, and even plant new churches. Because of this, many laypeople who once saw themselves as ordinary church members have become powerful ministers who actively contribute to church growth.
Expanding Churches Through Lay Ministry
A major reason why many churches fail to grow is because they depend only on a few full-time pastors. This limits expansion because one pastor can only handle a certain number of people. Dag Heward-Mills has demonstrated that churches can grow exponentially when laypeople are empowered to take on leadership roles.
His movement has planted thousands of churches, many of which are led by trained lay ministers who serve faithfully while continuing their secular work. These churches are just as strong as those led by full-time pastors, proving that lay ministry is not a lower level of service but a powerful tool for church expansion.
Conclusion
Dag Heward-Mills has redefined ministry by proving that laypeople can be trained and empowered to serve effectively. His structured approach has allowed thousands of believers to step into leadership roles, expand the church, and fulfill their calling while still working in their careers.His work challenges churches to stop relying only on full-time pastors and instead mobilize and train lay leaders to support church growth. When laypeople are empowered, churches become stronger, more dynamic, and better equipped to fulfill the Great Commission.