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Mormonism - A Lay Ministry? - Page 2

Mark Conkie's comment "Not taking a salary "protects us from the sin of greed, the temptation to bend to popular causes" its ridiculous. So is he suggesting that the general authorities of the church who they're paid for their service are in danger of becoming greedy? (not like anyone else havent suggested you know what I am saying specially with their books dealings) but I think the issue isnt really about money but about training and personality. In my ward here in UT some leaders speak to others like they're hiring them for a regular job and expect them to attend every single meeting dont you dare to miss one!

Ministry Lay - Mormonism

I think that these are always the tensions with a lay ministry, and the church will always be dealing with them especially as it grows into new places. First we do have a mix of lay and proffessional ministry. Remember the church does employ a lot of CES teachers and educators, and mental health proffessionals. They not only teach in institutes and seminaries but they also council, and do a lot of pastoral work, even though they do not preside at any Sunday meetings. Also there is a lot of church committees and genealogical personnel who do instruct and do a lot of the work of the church.
I think that these are real issues, and the church is responding to them. I think the whole correlation is a response to these issues. Now with the said, like any volunteer orgainization, you have to work with many different personalities, perceptions, ideas, education and experiences. To some extent the church has to be able to accept people for what they do, who they are, and how they dress and etc. That is the nature of having such a orgainization. Because ultimately one has to remember that people are doing this out of love, and devotion, so how much can you constrain and push others to be a certain way.
I think that training is a good thing, but because of a lay ministry you have limitations, like Bishop's not being proffessional councilors, not professionally trained to deal with such issues as suicide, marriage therapy, legal issues of confidentality, mediation, mental health and financial counseling. This also implies them knowing when problems are too much to handle for them and turning over to a proffessional.
I did my graduate work thesis on LDS Bishop's abilities and skill sets for dealing with conflict, and these are some of the issues that I saw. They only had skill sets that came from life, and their profession. Even their ideas and definitions about conflict varied greatly. However what I did fine is that they seemed to get the job done.
Finally I think some of these questions get at fundamental questions of what it means to be a Mormon. Does one have to dress professionally, wearing a white shirt for example to be Mormon? Does one have to be certified to be a Mormon? Or are we sometimes pushing our ideas of what is a Mormon onto others?

I think this will be more of an issue as the church grows as we begin to see different Mormonisms spring across the world as an LDS BYU anthropologist David Knowlton argues is slowly happening. Would a proffessional ministry help to curve this?

Mormonism - A Lay Ministry? Studies Doctrine Mormon

Good points I am disgusted when I see the white shirt thing becoming an issue for some members for me we should look at whether our hearts are in the right place or not you know what am I saying? a nice shirt and a tie doesnt make you a good "mormon" neither the constant water down doctrine we hear from the pulpit and members sometimes we have become almost evangelical in nature you know what am I saying?

Page 2 Ministry Lay - Mormonism

Having a "lay" ministry shouldn't mean that the ministry shouldn't be professional, what I mean is that Church Leaders should be taught how to do their Church jobs, I know there is training for Mission Presidents, and I think there is video training for various Church jobs. One of the posts may have answered this but is there at least SOME training for Bishops, or is it where the Stake President will just give the Church Handbook of Instructions to the new Bishop and say "Memorize this by next week", and that is it?

Ministry Lay - Mormonism

I think that so long as the priesthood is all about heart then everything will be very good for the soul. Professional doesn't mean you care. You could give perfect talks, have great meetings and lack the spirit.

Mormonism - A Lay Ministry?

Mormon Lay Leadership

The following outline is intended to help journalists, opinion leaders and the public better understand the structure of local ministration and leadership within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church functions in large measure because of the unpaid volunteer ministry of its members. In fact, this lay ministry is one of the Church's most defining characteristics Ref. Source 9

Mormonism - Lay Ministry - Page 2

On another forum, a Pastor that is paid, pointed out that not to confuse them with those television preachers that always are requesting money. He said that he only gets around $40,000 a year, for a job that is 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Not quite a wage that would make one greedy.

I wish I could remember who, but one of the General Authorities did express his concern for Bishops lack of training, especially in areas where the Church is new, and so are the leaders.

There is a new poll out that asked members questions about their religion, when the poll was over, it said that roughly 10% of members believe in reincarnation. This shouldn't be surprising as the church goes into areas where the majority of the people believe in reincarnation, add to that the fact that all throughout the scriptures it talks about receiving a new body, at baptism, and even after death, so I can see how it can be confusing to someone that doesn't know the difference. I just hope that the church leaders in those areas are taught correctly, and are told of ways to make the difference between local beliefs and what the church believes, made clear.

Mormonism - Lay Ministry Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

A lay ministry is one where people volunteer their time to Church without being paid or formally trained. So my question is: How does this affect us as a Church? (Not having formally trained ministers)