Minister (Christianity)
- See also minister (government) and minister (diplomacy)
In Christian churches, a minister is a man or woman who serves a congregation or participates in a role in a parachurch ministry; such persons can minister as a Pastor, Preacher, Bishop, Chaplain, Deacon or Elder.
In Protestant churches, minister usually refers to a member of the ordained clergy who leads a congregation or participates in a role in a parachurch ministry; such a person may also be called a Pastor, Preacher, Bishop, Chaplain or Elder.
Ministers are generally seen as set apart from the community to which they minister through ordination. They are often provided a stipend rather than a wage or salary.
All denominations make some claim to finding their model of leadership (or church governance) in the New Testament. However the variety of relationships is large, ranging from the low church view of a minister as one of the people to that of the minister as priest, set apart and with special authority.
Ecclesiology is the area of theology that relates to church structures and ministry.
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Issues
There are contrasting views on the level of remuneration given to ministers relative to the religious community. There is often an expectation that they and their families will eschew ostentation. However there are situations where they are well rewarded for success, whether measured through drawing people to their religious community or enhancing the status or power of the community.
There is some disagreement between denominations and within some denominations as to whether women, and/or people who are homosexual can be ministers to their churches.
Roles
Ministers may, by themselves or with others:
- research and study religion, Scripture and theology
- plan and conduct services of public worship
- preach
- preside over the sacraments of the church. These are:
- The Lord's Supper also known as the Eucharist or Holy Communion.
- Baptism of children and/or adults
- Conducting marriages, funerals and memorial services, anointing the sick or dying, participating in the ordination of other clergy, hearing confession, and confirming young people as members of the Church. (These are considered sacraments in the Roman Catholic tradition but not in most Protestant traditions).
- provide leadership to the congregation, parish or church community, this will often be done as part of a team with lay people in roles such as elders
- build a community of faith
- work on developing relationships and networks within that community
- supervise prayer and discussion groups, retreats and seminars and provide religious instruction
- assist in co-ordinating volunteers and church community groups
- train leaders for church, community and youth leadership.
- provide pastoral care
- provide personal support to people in crises, such as illness, bereavement and family breakdown
- visit the sick and elderly.*engage in welfare and community services activities of communities
- may refer people to community support services, psychologists or doctors
- pray and promote spirituality
- keep records as required by civil or church law
Training and qualifications
Depending on the denomination the requirements for ministry vary. All denominations require that the minister has a sense of calling. As regards to training, denominations vary from those that emphasise gifts and abilities and place little emphasis on book learning to those that require advanced tertiary education qualifications for example from a seminary, theological college or university.
References to leadership roles in the New Testament
There are a range of references to leadership in the New Testament.
One of the clearest references is found in 1 Timothy 3:1-16, it outlines the requirements of a minister or bishop (Episcopay Επισκωπη (Greek), the word is interpreted as elder by some denominations.):
- (1) This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. (2) A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; (3) Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; (4) One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (5) (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) (6) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. (7) Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (8) Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; (9) Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. (10) And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. (11) Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. (12) Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. (13) For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. (14) These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: (15) But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (16) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Related titles
Priests/Vicars
The Roman Catholic, Orthodox churches and some Anglican or Episcopal churches refer to their ordained clergy as priests and bishops. Minister is not a title used by the ordained clergy (e.g. priests) nor is it a form of address for them (see Catholic minister).
The term rector (from the Latin word for ruler) or vicar may be used for priests in certain settings, especially in the Anglican and Episcopal traditions. A rector is considered higher in rank than a vicar but lower than a bishop. In the Roman Catholic tradition, the Pope is given the title Vicar of Christ.
Pastor
The term Pastor tends to be used in Lutheran, Baptist and Pentecostal churches. Pastor comes from the Latin word meaning shepherd and is a reference to Jesus' use of the title the Good Shepherd for himself. A person serving as a pastor will be assigned to a local church or congregation who may be referred to as his or her flock.
Clergyman/Clergywoman
The word clergy derives from the same English root as clerk and can be traced to the days when those in ordained ministry were among the only literate members of soceity. The term Clerk in Holy Orders is still the technical title for certain Christian clergy, and its usage is prevalent in ecclesiastical and Canon Law of some Christian denominations (particularly Anglican provinces in the United Kingdom). The word cleric is a common variation of clerk. Through common usage, the word has lost its associations with literacy and clerical work and is usually used as shorthand for any religious minister. Though Christian in origin, the terms can be applied to people in other religious traditions. For example, a rabbi can be referred to as a clergyman or clergywoman.
Parson is a similar term often applied to ordained priests or ministers. The word is a variant on the English word person and refers to the person one would see in a community when any matters involving reading and/or writing came up.
Dominie, Dom, Don
- Dominie is a specific Scottish word, equivalent to the Dutch Dominee, both from the Latin domine (vocative case of Dominus 'Lord, Master'), only used for protestant clergy or for schoolmasters.
- However in various Romanesque languages, shortened forms of Dominus (Dom, Don) are commonly used for Catholic priests (sometimes also for lay notables as well). Benedictine Monks are titled Dom, as in the style Dom Francis Brown.
Chaplain and Almoner, Padre
Chaplain as in English and/or Almoner (preferred in many other languages) or their equivalents refer to a Minister who has another type of pastoral 'target group' than a territorial parish congregation (or in addition to one), such as a military unit, school population, patients, etc.
The Spanish Padre ('father') is informally used to address them, also in English.
Elder
Elders in Christianity are involved in the collective leadership of a local church or of a denomination.
- In Presbyterianism they are ordained but not clergy, taking on no special pre-nominal, but functioning as the ruling elders of the Kirk Session or Church Session superintending the members of their parish or congregation.
- In the Assemblies of God and the Metropolitan Community Church Elders are the most senior leaders serving, leading, and supervising the world-wide denomination. In the Metropolitan Community Church an Elder can be a lay person or clergy.
Forms of address
In the majority of churches ordained ministers are titled Reverend, however as above some use the term pastor and others do not use any specific form of address, in which case it would be Mr, Ms, Miss or Mrs as the case may be.
Anglican Churches
In Anglican Churches the form address depends on the office the person holds:
- A priest is referred to as Reverend (as in the Reverend Mr Smith, or the Reverend John Brown, but not as Reverend Smith) or in High Church or Anglo-Catholic circles as Father;
- Bishops and archbishops are addressed as Your Grace or My Lord.
Roman Catholic Church
In the Roman Catholic Church the form address depends on the office the person holds:
- A priest is referred to as Reverend Father or Reverend Sir, or less formally as Father;
- A bishop is addressed as Your Grace;
- A Cardinal is addressed as Your Eminence;
- The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church can be addressed as Holy Father or Your Holiness.
Orthodox Churches
An Orthodox Church metropolitan is addressed as Your Eminence.
