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In Christian Church es, a minister is a man or woman who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform clergy functions such as teaching of beliefs; performing services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community. The minister may serve a Congregation or participate in a role in a Parachurch ministry. A person ministering to a particular congregation or religious group is generally designated as a Pastor . Ministers performing in other roles may be referred to as a Preacher , Chaplain , Deacon , Elder , or Bishop . An increasing number of Charismatic Christians recognize the offices of the Five-fold Ministry , which they consider a Revival of original Christian practice. In Protestant Church es, "minister" generally refers to a member of the Ordained Clergy who leads a Congregation as its Pastor . A minister may also participate in a leadership role in a Parachurch or allied ministry such as a Street Ministry , reaching out to those in the community who do not attend or regularly participate in church services or activities. Such a person may also be referred to as a Preacher, Chaplain or Elder (although in some cases, an elder may be a layperson, not fully-ordained as a minister). A minister may also be designated a Bishop, but this is usually a hierarchical designation, for management or coordination of the church organization. Professional ministers in many religious affiliations are seen as set apart from the community to which they minister through Ordination . They may be provided a Stipend , a Wage or a 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 view of a minister as one of the people, to that of the minister as a Priest or church leader, set apart with special qualifications or authority. Ecclesiology is the area of theology that relates to church structures and ministry. ISSUES There are contrasting views on the level of compensation given to ministers relative to the religious community. There is often an expectation that they and their families will shun 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 disagreement between denominations and within some denominations as to whether women, and/or people who are Homosexual can be ministers to their churches. The acceptance of women in the ministry is becoming better established in many faiths, with some women now holding senior positions in the organizational hierarchy. Notable contention over the issue of ordination of practicing homosexuals, however, occurred in the 1980s within the United Church Of Canada , and in the 1990s and early 21st century within the Presbyterian Church USA . Likewise, The Episcopal Church , the American branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion , is also divided over the issue of ordination of practicing homosexuals. This conflict has severely damaged relationships between American Anglicans, and their brothers and sisters in the Third World , especially Africa and southeast Asia . ROLES Ministers may, by themselves or with others:
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, which outlines the requirements of a minister or Bishop (Episcopay Επισκωπη {Link without Title} , 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 Catholic , Orthodox and Anglican / Episcopal churches refer to their ordained clergy as Deacon s, Priest s, and Bishop s. The term ''rector'' (from the Latin word for ''ruler'') or vicar may be used for priests in certain settings, especially in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Episcopal traditions. A parish which is responsible for its own finances is overseen by a Rector. A Bishop is nominally in control of a financially-assisted parish but delegates authority to a Vicar (related to the prefix "vice-" meaning substitute/deputy). In the Catholic tradition, the Pope is given the title ''Vicar of Christ''. Pastor See Also: Pastor The term Pastor tends to be used in many Protestant 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 The English word ''clergy'' derives from the same root as ''clerk'' and can be traced to the Latin ''clericus'' which derives from the Greek word ''kleros'' meaning a "lot" or "portion" or "office". 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. Holy Orders refer to any recipient of the Sacrament of Ordination, both the Major Orders ( Bishop s, Priest s and Deacon s) and the now less known Minor Orders ( Acolyte , Lector , Exorcist and Porter ) who, save for certain reforms made at the Second Vatican Council in the Roman Catholic Church, were called clerics or ''Clerk'', which is simply a shorter form of ''Cleric''. Clerics were distinguished from laymen by having received, in a formal rite of introduction into the clerical state, the '' Tonsure '' or ''corona'' (crown) which involved cutting hair from the top and side of the head leaving a circlet of hair which symbolised the ''Crown of Thorns'' worn by Christ at His crucifixion. Though Christian in origin, the term can be applied by analogy to functions in other religious traditions. For example, a Rabbi can be referred to as a clergyman. ''Parson'' is a similar term often applied to ordained priests or ministers. The word is a variant on the English word ''person'' from the Latin ''persona'' used as a legal term for one having jurisdiction. Dominie, Dom, Don
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 Elder s in Christianity are involved in the collective leadership of a local church or of a denomination.
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:
Roman Catholic Church In the Roman Catholic Church the form of address depends on the office the person holds, and the country in which he is being addressed as they are usually identical to the titles used by their feudal or governmental equals. In most English-speaking countries the forms of address are:
In France, a secular priest (i.e. Diocesan priest) is addressed "Monsieur l'Abbé" or, if he is Parish Priest, "Monsieur le Curé", in Germany and Austria he is addressed "Hochwurden" (meaning "very worthy"), in Italy he is addressed "Don" followed by his name (e.g. "Don Luigi Perrone"). Religious priests (i.e. members of religious orders) are addressed "Father" in all countries (Père, Pater, Padre etc). Up until the 19th century, secular clergy in English-speaking countries were addressed as "Mr" (which was, in those days, a title reserved for gentleman, those outside the gentry being called by name and surname only) and only religious priests were called "Father". In the early 19th century the English-speaking custom of calling all priests "Father" came into being. In the Middle Ages, before the Reformation, secular priests were entitled as knights, with the prefix "Sir". See e.g. examples in Shakespeare's plays like Sir Christopher Urswick in Richard III. This is closer to the Italian and Spanish "Don" which derives from the Latin "Dominus" meaning "Lord". The French "Monsieur" (like the German "Mein Herr", the Italian "Signor" and the Spanish "Señor") also signifies "My Lord", a title commonly used in times past for any person of rank, clerical or lay. In the Greek-Catholic Church, all clergy are called "Father" including Deacons, who are titled "Father Deacon," "Deacon Father," or simply "Father." Depending on the ethnicity and institution, seminarians may be titled "Brother," "Brother Seminarian," "Father Seminarian," or simply "Father." Their wives are never titled "Mother" or anything of that sort, and usually titled "presvytera," "matrushka," or "khourriyye," as in the Orthodox world, and addressed by first name. Greek-Catholic Patriarchs are addressed ''Your Beatitude''. Never are Eastern clergy called by their last name; the Christian name or ordinational name is used instead. Orthodox Churches An Orthodox Church metropolitan or patriarch is addressed as ''Your Beatitude''. SEE ALSO
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