Ministers of the Word and Sacrament

The office of minister of word and sacrament is unique in the life of the church as to responsibility and usefulness. God calls persons and sets them apart for this ministry. The persons who fill this office should be sound in the faith, exemplary in conduct, and competent to perform the duties of the ministry. Persons who become ministers of the word and sacrament are due such respect as belongs to their office, but are not by virtue of their office more holy or righteous than other Christians. They share in the same vocation that belongs to all Christians to be witnesses to the gospel in word and deed. They differ from other Christians only with regard to the office to which they are called, which is their station in life.

The person who fills the office of the ministry has in the scriptures different titles, expressive of various duties:

• pastor--who has oversight of the people and feeds them with spiritual food and administers the sacraments as signs of God's grace; 
• minister--who serves Christ in all those ministries to people which belong to the church; 
• elder or presbyter--who shares in the leadership and government of the church; 
• evangelist--who bears the glad tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ, appealing to sinners to be reconciled to God; 
• prophet--who urges people and nations to heed the word of God, warning of the consequences of disobedience; 
• priest--who intercedes with God through prayer on behalf of others; 
• preacher--who publicly proclaims the gospel of Christ; 
• teacher--who explains the scriptures emphasizing the lessons essential to Christian growth. 

These titles do not confer privilege in the church nor designate different grades of office but indicate the scope of responsibilities that belong to the office of ministry.

A minister who is called to be the pastor of a particular church is responsible to:

• lead the people in public worship; 
• pray for and with them as their mouth to God; 
• read the scriptures to the people and proclaim to them the word of God; 
• administer the sacraments; 
• bless the people from God; 
• teach the scriptures to the children, youth, and adults; 
• visit the people, especially the poor, the sick, the dying, and those with other critical needs; 
• counsel with persons in their preparation for marriage; 
• share in the personal witness of the church to unbelievers and those out of fellowship with the church; 
• counsel with people, in light of the scriptures, about their personal needs and problems; 
• counsel with disturbed and broken families; 
• and with the elders who comprise the session, lead and govern the church in all its ministries. 

While the type of ministry most basic to the life of the church is that of a pastor, God has given different gifts to ministers of the word and sacrament and the church recognizes various types of ministry. Presbytery may authorize ministers to exercise their gifts not only as pastors of particular churches but as teachers of religion in various kinds of schools, editors of religious publications, chaplains to the military forces and to various types of institutions, missionaries, evangelists, counselors, administrators of church programs and institutions, directors of Christian education in particular churches, and as leaders in other fields of service directly related to the church. Presbytery shall authorize persons to perform such types of ministry through a service of worship in which the minister is commissioned to practice his or her ministry in one of these ways. In every type of ministry, the minister should seek appropriate ways to perform the duties as pastor, minister, presbyter, evangelist, prophet, priest, preacher, and teacher.