A minister is a person who is an ordained member of the clergy and leads a church or religious community. Ministers also serve as pastoral care providers, helping their congregants through major life events such as marriage, birth, death, and one-on-one counseling sessions. Those who are called to this role often pursue theological education and professional certification to prepare for their specialized areas of ministry, such as biblical studies, leadership skills, counseling techniques, and theology.
A government minister, on the other hand, is a senior political official who heads a specific department or portfolio within a cabinet, such as foreign affairs or education. A politician who is a minister of state is generally considered to be the highest-ranking member of the cabinet, though there are some instances where ministers are designated with different titles such as the prime minister or the chief minister.
The minister’s primary responsibility is to lead the congregation in worshiping the Lord. This includes preaching, leading prayers, administering the sacraments, and participating in church discipline. A minister is also tasked with “seeing to it that everything is done decently and in order,” which means keeping matters in the consistory, the church’s ruling body, in proper perspective. Ministers are also encouraged, along with other elders, to participate in the work of caring for their people, ranging from hospital visits to assisting families through funerals. They should not, however, allow their involvement in these duties to interfere with or replace their primary responsibilities of leading the congregation in its worship and service to God.
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