Generally speaking, a Minister is a religious leader. While the word Minister is Christian in origin, it can be used to describe religious leaders from other traditions as well. In the Nazarene Church, it is important that a minister is well educated, as he or she needs to be able to understand the spiritual and intellectual aspects of our faith, as well as apply them to today’s society.
A minister’s main duty is preaching the gospel. It is this that Scripture calls “the ministry of the word.” The other duties of a minister are merely related to and subservient to this one.
Another of the minister’s duties is “to watch over his brethren, the elders and deacons.” This means to oversee them and to ensure that they are faithful to their office. While it is important to note that this supervision is not because ministers have a greater authority over the other officebearers, but rather because their office requires them to watch over them to see that they are carrying out their duties well.
Lastly, a minister is “to devote himself unto prayer and to the public worship of God.” It is this that Scripture calls “the ministry in the house of the Lord.” Moreover, it is in this duty that ministers are to “minister the word in season and out of season, in private and in public, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (I Timothy 2:1-5). In some jurisdictions, including those in the Commonwealth realm that use the Westminster system of government, Ministers serve as members of Parliament or other legislative bodies. They are often heads of a government department, and may be members of the Cabinet or at least part of a cabinet committee.