What Does an Ordained Minister Do?

The job description of an ordained minister may vary depending on the denomination and the specific church for which he works. In most cases, however, an ordained priest leads worship services and coordinates with church staff to keep things on schedule each week. Most priests perform other duties as well; an ordained minister can act as a pastor, a counselor, a ceremonial minister, a teacher or a leader, and is also often responsible for administrative and fundraising duties.

Perhaps the most well-recognized duty of an ordained pastor is to deliver sermons on a weekly basis to the church's congregation of members. Through the sermons, ordained ministers encourage, teach, admonish and exhort for the purpose of enlightening the believers individually and the church as a whole. The pastor must not only prepare a solid and relevant sermon each week, but he must also deliver it in such a way that the congregation develops and strengthens their love for and understanding of their particular religion.

An ordained minister is also often a counselor for members of the congregation who are hurting, are in mourning or are otherwise dealing with a stressful or difficult situation. He may offer comfort to his flock in times of crises or stress, or act as a long-term counselor for those dealing with relationship conflicts or debilitating health conditions. Additionally, the counseling aspect of a minister's career involves a similar level of confidentiality that one would expect to find between a licensed therapist and his patient.

Another common part of a minister's job includes performing specific ceremonies for either members of the church or for the public. An ordained minister typically performs these functions at funerals and weddings. Other ordained pastors participate in the administration of communion, a celebratory event that cannot be performed by those who are inexperienced such as the Deacons or Elders of the church.

Ordained ministers generally are the foundation of the congregation and instruct the members accordingly. An ordained priest leads the worship services and works to coordinate with the other members of the church staff to make sure that the services flow smoothly every week. In these types of minister jobs, the pastor also commonly moderates during church business meetings and acts as an intercessor who is responsible for resolving conflicts that may present themselves between members.

Ordained pastors also help to support the congregation's activities and the upkeep of the facilities by organizing and participating in fundraising activities. They may be actively involved or only handle the administrative duties of an event. Similarly, an ordained minister often is responsible for overseeing the management of the building, keeping inventory and ordering supplies when necessary, contracting for repairs or services and supervising the church's volunteers and staff members.