Mountain Sky Conference: Lay Planter Training (Basic)

The goal of this course is to equip lay people to make disciples in the formation of new faith communities.

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The Lay Planter Training trains laity to create new faith communities and new churches!

The Basic Tract of this course qualifies you to receive 2 CEU credits, and for Certified Lay Ministers, a CLM re-certification.

Class Topics:

  • Christology
  • Missiology
  • Ecclesiology
  • Discerning
  • Visioning
  • Gathering
  • Discipling
  • Worshiping
  • Maturing
  • Multiplying
As an added bonus for registering for the course, you’ll receive a Digital Bundle of Resources to enrich you and your ministry! You’ll have access to several books, booklets, valuable articles and other online courses!




CEU Accredited Course Offering

Discipleship Ministries eLearning offers continuing education units (CEU) upon successful course completion. Available to clergy and lay leadership of all denominations, you receive high-quality information that will enrich your faith life and ministry. This course is a CEU accredited course offering. Learn more about CEU offerings

CEUs: 2.0


Your Instructors


Rev. Doug Ruffle

Rev. Doug Ruffle was born in New York and grew up in New Jersey, Doug served churches in New Jersey and Argentina, where he worked with the Methodist Church of that country as a missionary of The United Methodist Church. For ten years he served as Director of Congregational Development for the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. Currently, he works at Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, as Director of Community Engagement and Church Planting Resources. He also serves as liaison with The Upper Room and Discipleship Resources International.

Rev. Dr. Bener Baysa Agtarap

Rev. Dr. Bener Baysa Agtarap is Executive Director, Community Engagement & Church Planting / Path1, and Director, Connectional Mobilization. His life and ministry began in the Philippines, continuing to the United States in the upper midwest, the deep south, and on to the west coast. Bener has church planting in his blood and plants some kind of new faith community everywhere he moves. Bener is a pastor, church planter, and a disciple-making movement multiplier that makes him uniquely qualified to lead our denomination’s efforts to create new places for new people in Jesus’ name.

Bener is an ordained elder of the California Nevada Annual Conference. He graduated from Philippines School of Business & Administration (PSBA) with a B.S. in Business Administration, Management & Accounting, received a Master’s in Business Administration & Organizational Behavior from PSBA, an MDiv from Union Theological Seminary (cum laude), and a Doctorate of Philosophy & Development Administration from Philippines Christian University.


Course Moderators

  • Tiffany Keith
  • Bryson Lillie
  • Patti Agnew
  • Susan Otey
  • Jeff Rainwater
  • Emily Reece
  • Doug Ruffle



CEU Accredited Course Offering

Discipleship Ministries eLearning offers continuing education units (CEU) upon successful course completion. Available to clergy and lay leadership of all denominations, you receive high-quality information that will enrich your faith life and ministry. This course is a CEU accredited course offering. Learn more about CEU offerings

CEUs: 2.0