Christian pastors are responsible for managing the fellowship.
A pastor is a man or woman who has been given the responsibility of leading and managing a Christian church and congregation. The requirements to become a pastor vary, depending on the rules designated by church doctrine. Most religious groups require the pastor to have completed a seminary or earned a theology degree, while other doctrines do not require education for your church leaders. Pastors are normally responsible for teaching doctrine, administering the affairs of the church, and managing the needs of their congregation.
Pastors lead Christian congregations in worship.
Seminaries are types of colleges that focus on teaching the religious doctrines of a specific religion or religious group. A pastor who has completed seminary is sometimes called an ordained minister. Catholic priests attend the seminary, as do many pastors from other church denominations, such as Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians. Almost all recognized church groups offer seminary training for pastors. In most cases, to attend a seminar, the candidate must first receive sponsorship from the church group involved.
A pastor is usually assigned to a congregation after completing seminary training.
Receiving church sponsorship to attend a seminar can be a difficult and time-consuming process. The candidate is usually required to appear before the church board, where he may be asked to answer questions relating to his faith, character, and personal conduct. The church board may require a psychological evaluation and may even do background checks to determine if the candidate has faced criminal charges.
A pastor can perform wedding ceremonies.
Once seminary training is completed, the church will normally assign the newly ordained pastor to a church congregation. Depending on the needs of a specific church, new pastors are sometimes assigned assistant roles, operating under the guidance of a senior pastor. They may also be asked to serve as temporary pastors, replacing pastors who are on mission. If the church lacks ministers, recent seminary graduates are sometimes assigned their own churches shortly after graduation.
Pastors may lead Bible study groups.
Some churches do not require their pastors to attend seminary or earn a college degree. Instead, they believe that pastors receive their calling and instruction directly from God. In some cases, they may actually believe that religious education can be harmful and interfere with the calling. This type of pastor is considered more common in the evangelical movement.
In addition to the daily needs of a church and congregation, some of the common duties that pastors undertake include officiating at weddings, baptisms, and funerals. During difficult times, such as illness or disaster, pastors often host community prayer services. A pastor also frequently conducts outside ministries at local hospitals, prisons, and nursing homes.