What Is the Role of an Ordained Reverend?

A reverend performs many duties.

The role of an ordained reverend includes many duties, some inside the church and some outside. Before becoming ordained and taking on the role of a clergyperson, you should consider the responsibilities.

1 Preaching

One of the primary goals of an ordained reverend is to preach weekly sermons to the church congregation. Sermons are usually based on spiritual or biblical texts. The reverend is regarded as the spiritual guide or "shepherd" of the congregation.

An ordained reverend may preach to other congregations; a reverend who is not ordained may preach only to her church.

2 Counseling

An ordained reverend often serves as a counselor for the members of the church. He might be called upon to provide premarital and marital counseling, or to counsel members who are battling problems such as depression or substance abuse.

3 Officiate Ceremonies

An ordained reverend is often called upon to oversee religious ceremonies. These can include weddings, funerals, baptisms and christenings. Some reverends are "licensed" only to perform weddings and cannot perform a full range of ceremonies.

4 Prayer

The reverend is often asked to pray for members of the church as well as for their friends and their family. Congregants can call her to pray even when she is not at the church.

5 Community Outreach

An ordained reverend is expected to reach out to members of the community who are unable to attend the church. This includes visiting the sick and ministering to the homeless.

Based in Los Angeles, Bridgett Michele Lawrence began working as a freelance writer in 2008. She is an accomplished screenwriter, teacher and blogger. Her articles appear on the Sixth Wall and other websites. Lawrence holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in screenwriting from New York University and a Master of Science in childhood education from Brooklyn College.

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