Announcements

An updated version of this list is available at our Online Learning Opportunities page.

While children around the world are learning online, adults can also take advantage of the many online courses available for Christian education, leadership training, and spiritual growth. There are several United Methodist institutions that offer classes online.

BeADisciple.com

BeADisciple.com is a program of the Richard and Julia Wilke Institute for Discipleship at Southwestern College, a United Methodist institution in Winfield, Kansas. Students begin together, progress through materials together, and end together. Courses are conducted in small groups of about 5 – 20 with a trained facilitator or a certified instructor, so students and instructors have an opportunity to get to know one another. Individual students participate at the time of day that works best for them. Courses generally cost around $40-$70 each, but it might be more or less depending on the length of the course and whether or not the course is part of a certification program. All of the courses offer CEU credits. Course topics include:

• Bible studies
• Church leadership
• Grief
• Small groups
• Spiritual growth
• Stewardship
• United Methodism
• And more

BeADisciple.com is currently enrolling for these interesting courses and many others:

• Finding Calm in the Storm
• Planning for the Church Emergency
• Introduction to the Enneagram
• Leading Bible Study: Biblical Interpretation

Upper Room eLearning

The Upper Room is a ministry of Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church. They offer online courses in their Upper Room eLearning platform. Each course offers different features including video, audio, and textual content. These courses are self-paced with no official end date. Some of the courses earn CEU credits. Course prices range from $9 to $30. Many of these courses are based on books published by The Upper Room. Topics include:

• Lent
• Spiritual leadership
• Prayer
• And more

All of The Upper Room courses are currently enrolling because they are self-paced. Some interesting titles include:

• Freedom From Worry
• Prayer, Stress, and Our Inner Wounds
• Facing Financial Struggle
• Preparing the Way: Looking Beyond America’s Current Crisis of Faith

The Upper Room also offers an option to set up a private online classroom for your small group or congregation using their courses. There are simple instructions to do so.

Discipleship Ministries eLearning

Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church offers four eLearning courses for free. You could also choose to take the paid version of three of the courses to earn CEUs:

• See All The People: Discipleship Begins with Relationship
• How to Have a Courageous Conversation
• Disciples Living Generously
• How to Start Small Groups
• The Committee

General Commission on Religion and Race

The General Commission on Religion and Race of The United Methodist Church offers three online courses for people of all races on implicit bias and anti-racism.

• Implicit Bias: What We Don’t Think We Think
• Anti-Racism 101: Required Skills for White People Who Want to be Allies
• You Are Here: First Steps for White Christians on Race and Racism

UM History Hub

Learn alongside the General Commission on Archives and History
to understand the past, contextualize the present, and envision the future. They are currently offering the following eCourses for groups and individuals:

• Splits, Separations, and Reconciliations: Rooted in Wesleyan Grace
• Way of Wesley Workshop (for youth)
• Local Church Historian’s School

United Methodist Communications Online Training Center

The United Methodist Communications Online Training Center offers online training, both live and on your schedule, to help you be an effective church communicator. Whether you’re a pastor, a church staff member, or a lay volunteer, they will walk with you in communicating with your congregation and your community. Some interesting courses include:

• What It Means to Be United Methodist
• Sharing Your Faith Journey
• Welcoming Ministry
• Why Social Media Engagement Matters

Lewis Online Learning

The Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary offers three online courses for $49 each. Each self-paced course earns 0.5 CEUs. The courses are presented on a custom-designed web platform that integrates written content, video instruction, individual reflection, and student input submitted for review. The current offerings are:

• Maintaining Boundaries in a Digital Age
• Understanding Clergy Sexual Ethics
• The Methodist Class Leader

ClergyEducation.com

ClergyEducation.com is a division of Market Square Publishing LLC. Market Square publishes books by United Methodist leaders, and their webinars and online courses are taught by these same authors. At ClergyEducation.com, you pay $30 for a one-hour course at a specific date and time. Recorded courses are also available. Upon completion, you earn 1 hour of CEU. Some upcoming courses include:

• Getting Your Congregation Back Into the Game of Effective Ministry
• Help Your Congregation Dream Like Jesus
• Developing Effective Communication to Grow Your Congregation

We have recommended free Christian online resources for children and adults, but if you want a more robust service that provides access to lots of online content, consider signing up yourself or your church for one of these subscription services.

Amplify

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3l8sSoVEv4

Amplify is the video streaming service for United Methodists. Offered by the United Methodist Publishing House, it includes thousands of videos from United Methodist authors and publishers, as well as lots of other Christian content for adults, youth, and children. Almost all of the United Methodist DVD studies that our churches use are available on Amplify. Read more about all of the great features that Amplify offers and how you could use it in your church.

• Pricing begins at just $29.99 per month
• 60-day free trial available
• Premium subscriptions allow you to live stream your worship service, upload your own content, and more
• No contracts. Cancel anytime.

Connected Faith App

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcnhr8ZbR6A

Connected Faith is a new bible study app from United Methodist publisher, Abingdon Press. Designed for individuals, small groups, and congregations, Connected Faith offers daily devotionals and weekly lessons. The bible study is ongoing with new units available every three months. These quality readings and lessons are enhanced with lots of features including videos, discussion questions, action items, and scripture contained within the app.

• Pricing is based on the number of participants from one to unlimited
• Individual plans start at $4.99 per month
• Group plans are based on the number of users and are currently 50% off

FaithLink

FaithLink from Cokesbury offers ready-to-use lessons that connect faith to the issues and events making headlines every day. View a sample lesson or try one of the lessons that is currently being offered for free. The free lessons are on Coronavirus, Loneliness, and Vaping and Panic.

• New issues weekly for individual download at $9.99 each
• Sign up for a subscription by calling 1-844-291-7803

For Youth: LinC: Living in Christ

Much like FaithLink for adults, Cokesbury also offers LinC: Living in Christ for youth. LinC is a fresh, timely, and biblically-based resource that helps you help your teens examine relevant faith and life issues, using the latest music, movies, news, and current events. View a sample lesson or try the lesson Why Worry? that they are currently offering for free.

• New issues weekly for individual download at $9.99 each
• Sign up for a subscription by calling 1-844-291-7803

RightNow Media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSiBD1lGHfA

If your church uses teaching from other Christian authors that are not Methodist, you may want to consider offering RightNow Media. This streaming service includes popular Christian teachers such as John Ortberg, Francis Chan, Andy Stanley, Tony Evans, Jennie Allen, and many more. They also offer kids content such as Veggie Tales, Owlegories, and more. Remember that Amplify also offers videos from some teachers that are not Methodist, such as Max Lucado and N.T. Wright, so you may want to check the Amplify offerings first.

• Currently offering free access to a limited library of content
• Pricing is based on average attendance beginning at $79.99 per month

Study Gateway

Another subscription service similar to RightNowMedia is Study Gateway. From HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Study Gateway offers streaming access to video bible studies by authors such as Max Lucado, Ray Vander Laan, Lysa TerKeurst, Rick Warren, and more. Their children’s videos include series such as The Jesus Storybook Bible and the Read and Share DVD Bible. They also offer a few studies for adults in Spanish.

• Pricing is based on church membership beginning at $49.99 per month
• Individual subscriptions for $7.95 per month
• Free 7-day trial for individuals

InLighten Films

InLighten Films offers dramatic, original 3-4 minute Scripture-based films made by award-winning filmmakers from around the world. Each film comes with discussion questions making them suitable for worship, small groups, Sunday school, youth groups, retreats, devotions and more. You can search their entire catalog of films by keyword or scripture. Some InLighten Films are available on Amplify, so you may want to check there first.

• Purchase individual films for $25 each
• Purchase the entire season 1 catalog at the discounted price of $379

Master Lectures

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp-VEAQO7Co

MasterLectures is a video bible study subscription service from Zondervan Academic. These studies are taught by university professors and usually look something like a university-level course that cover a topic in-depth over many sessions. Topics include the Bible, theology, apologetics, ministry, history, and ancient languages.

• $19.99 a month or $179.88 a year
• 14-day free trial

Seminary Now

Seminary Now is a subscription-based, streaming video platform that delivers exclusive biblical, theological, and practical ministry training from a diverse group of leading educators and thought leaders. Subscribers can even earn certificates by completing courses of study in Biblical & Theological Foundations, Ministry, or Justice & Reconciliation. Seminary Now offers exclusive content from teachers and authors including Scot McKnight, Brenda Salter McNeil, Greg Boyd, Soong-Chan Rah, Tish Harrison Warren, and Nijay Gupta among many others.

• $14.99/month paid annually
• $19.99/month paid monthly
• 7-day free trial
• Church subscriptions based on attendance begin at $59.99/month

Minno for Kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HukTR6w_ijU

Minno offers 127 Christian shows and 2,335 episodes for children. It includes popular series such as Veggie Tales, Torchlighters, Superbook, and many more. Many of these series are included in the different subscription services mentioned above. Minno is different because it is only Christian children’s videos, so you can be comfortable with your child using the service on their own.

• Monthly subscription is $6.99 per month
• Pay for an annual subscription at $69.99 and get 2 free months
• 7-day free trial available

While many of us are staying home and church services have been canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic, we can still use free online resources to continue our spiritual growth. Read below for our recommendations. Also, check out our post on free Christian online resources for children and youth.

NC Conference Resources

The North Carolina Conference has a Coronavirus Response page with updates, frequently asked questions, and links to resources. Some of these resources include ideas for ministry, worship, and online connection.

Amplify Videos

• Now & Next: How the Church is Changing for Good
• The Promise of Advent: Preparing for a Season of Hope during Unparalleled Times
• Justice, Love, and Humility: Pastoring A Divided Culture

Download Online Studies

The Media Center keeps a list of online resources in our online catalog. The list includes small-group studies, websites, and ebooks. Here are a few that we recommend:

• The Way of Integrity: Living in Right Relationship with Self, Others, and God. This 4-session study from the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women is easily adaptable to a sermon series, use in spiritual formation groups, Sunday School classes, youth ministry, campus ministry, and other settings. Through deep exploration of scripture and other resources, participants will give intentional attention to core values and the development of self-awareness in all they do. Additional online studies from COSROW at this same link focus on the names for God, images of God, and women in ministry.
  
• Belton Joyner’s Bible Study. The NC Conference’s own Rev. Belton Joyner writes a weekly bible study based on the scripture lessons of Cokesbury’s Adult Bible Study series. These short lessons are posted monthly on the NC Conference website. You can also sign up to receive them through email.
  
• FaithLink. FaithLink from Cokesbury offers ready-to-use lessons that connect faith to the issues and events making headlines every day. They have posted several of these lessons for free download. Scroll down the page to find the links. Some of the free lesson titles are Coronavirus, Caring for Widows, and Loneliness.
  
• Implicit Bias: What We Don’t Think We Think. This 3-session study from The General Commission on Religion and Race can be used with individuals, groups, or as sermon prep. Each session offers reflective devotions, teaching and questions on implicit bias, possible texts with thought threads, and sermon prep. Leaders can pick and choose what works best for their context. Another option would be to enroll in the self-paced online course based on this workbook.
  
• Vital Conversations. This video series from The General Commission on Religion and Race features thought leaders, pastors, theologians, activists, authors, and scholars who share their stories, insights, and expertise on issues related to faith, culture, and fighting oppression in the church and world today. Topics include race, mission, refugees, LGBTQ persons, being the church, and much more. Reflection questions for each video are included.
  
• A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: A Faith-Based Discussion Companion. Sony Pictures invited Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church to produce the official faith-based study guide to accompany the movie, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” The film stars Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys and can currently be rented online. The study guide is designed to help groups learn to process feelings, understand forgiveness, talk about hard things, seek reconciliation, and practice positive spiritual discipline.
  
• The “E-Word” Group Study Guide. The Foundation for Evangelism offers this study guide to go along with their “Evangelism for Non-Evangelists” webinar series. The sessions have a biblical and theological grounding in the Wesleyan tradition while asking culturally relevant questions to help you look at current practices, motivation, and outcomes with exercises to challenge you to go beyond “what we’ve always done” and dream for what God is calling you to. More resources, including videos and an online course, are available on The Foundation for Evangelism website.
  
• Becoming the Church Together: Immigration, the Bible, and Our New Neighbors. The North Carolina Council of Churches offers this curriculum to study the Bible and see how it addresses the issue of modern-day immigration. Each lesson focuses on Scripture while incorporating prayer, activities, videos, and reflection questions to help everyone investigate how faith in Christ affects views on immigration. The NCCC has additional free curriculum on its website.
  
• COVID-19 Bible Studies. The World Council of Churches offers several free online Bible studies related to COVID-19. These short lessons that can be read online are perfect for a virtual small group.

Webinars

• The NC Conference Center for Leadership Excellence is offering free weekly webinars on topics relevant to our current times. You can also view recordings of their past webinars on topics such as change, conflict, innovation, resilience, and more.
  
• Learn + Lead. The Missouri Conference has been hosting these webinars that are archived on their website. Topics include small groups, prayer, missions, leadership, and more.
  
• Market Square Publishing. This United Methodist publisher has archived the webinars they have hosted with their authors. Topics include Wesleyan grace, lay ministry, communication, ministry tips, and more.
  
• Discipleship Ministries of the UMC. These archived webinars are divided into ministry areas so you are sure to find something of interest to you. The long list includes adults, children, families, lay ministry, leadership, small groups, Methodism, and more.

RedeemTV

RedeemTV is a brand new streaming service for Christian videos, and it is completely free! Redeem TV offers access to tons of new and classic Christian videos for all ages. Many of the DVDs in the NC Conference Media Center that are published by Vision Video and Christian History Institute can now be viewed on this streaming platform. It includes movies, series, documentaries, biblical dramatizations, animated children’s videos, bible studies, and more. All you have to do is sign up for a free account!

Faith Connections

The North Carolina Institute for Spiritual Direction and Formation is offering weekly “Faith Connections” through ZOOM meetings for online discussion of Richard Rohr’s free Daily Meditations. Read more about this opportunity on their Facebook events page.

Chuck Knows Church: Things WE Can Do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml8agL5wTkI

The “Chuck Knows Church” online video series has partnered with #SeeAllthePeople from Discipleship Ministries to offer Things WE Can Do to share a few simple ideas that your church can do to help your community during this time of crisis. The videos offer suggestions such as “Make a Call,” “Grocery Run,” and “Drop a Note.”

Discipleship Ministries has also posted a page full of Resources for Responding to COVID-19 Outbreak.

Daily Practices for Social Distancing

Rethink Church, a ministry of The United Methodist Church, offers this series of videos that demonstrate spiritual practices that could be helpful during social distancing. Some of the practices included are:

• Centering prayer
• Lectio Divina
• Celtic prayer of healing
• Finding the helpers
• Examen questions
• Virtual prayer stations

Finding Courage in Challenging Times Ebook

Chalice Press has compiled excerpts from 9 of their books to provide comfort, hope, and help in these anxious times. Hear from pastors, spiritual directors, professors, parents, and others about sustaining hope and creating courageous communities that can weather life’s challenges. This 85-page ebook features prayers, practical resources, curriculum ideas, conversation starters, inspiration, and hope for you and your communities in the days and weeks ahead. The books featured are: Help & Hope, Fear Not, Sustaining Hope in an Unjust World, For Such a Time as This, Dessert First, Ash & Starlight, 99 Prayers Your Church Needs (But Doesn’t Know it Yet), When Kids Ask Hard Questions, and Available Hope.

Moving Groups Online

United Methodist Communications posted this helpful article with 9 tips for starting online small groups. If your group is already established and moving to online meetings, or if you are starting new groups, you’ll find some great advice here. Another helpful article from UMCom offers 6 digital tools to build community in small groups.

Join our Facebook Community

The NC Conference Media Center hosts a Facebook group for United Methodist Small Group Leaders (and those who resource them). Join the group where we are sharing tips and ideas about online resources and hosting online groups. Also, make sure you like the NC Conference Media Center Facebook page!