The Education and Nurture Department last month launched a new course replacing the former Head Minister Qualification Course One. Called “Lay Minister Preparatory Course,” it consists of three five-day sessions, which if attended consecutively take 15 days to complete but which can be spread out over a longer period of time.
Those who complete the three sessions will be qualified to be registered as “lay minister.” Please note that the term “kyoto,” formerly translated as “minister,” will now be translated as “lay minister.” Thus, those who have registered with Church Headquarters as “kyoto” will be called a “lay minister” in English.
Other recent changes include the following: The former Head Minister Qualification Course Two has been renamed “Minister Qualification Course.” The former Head Minister Qualifying Examination is now called “Minister Qualifying Examination.” Those who have completed the Minister Qualification Course and passed the Minister Qualifying Examination can be referred to as “minister candidate.”
The new course is part of the instructional system that was launched in 2003 with the introduction of the Basics Course. Another component of the system, the Three Day Course, began the following year.