LDS Callings and Lay Ministry: How the Church Works Without Paid Clergy

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a "calling" is a volunteer assignment given to a member by a leader — to teach a Sunday School class, serve as a bishop, lead the youth program, play the piano, or hundreds of other roles. The Church operates almost entirely on lay (unpaid) ministry, meaning there are no professional pastors, no paid local clergy, and no distinction between clergy and laity. Every member, without exception, is expected to hold some calling and to participate actively in the work of the Church.

This unique structure reflects a core LDS belief: that all members are entitled to revelation from God for their own lives and areas of responsibility, that the Church is built on the participation of all members rather than a professional class, and that serving others is fundamental to spiritual development. Unlike many Christian churches where ministry is the domain of trained, paid professionals, the LDS Church believes that ordinary members — teachers, accountants, nurses, students, and retirees — are called by God to lead and serve.

What Is a Calling?

A calling is a formal assignment from a Church leader (typically the bishop of a ward) to serve in a specific role within the congregation. Callings range from high-profile leadership positions like bishop, stake president, or Young Women president, to behind-the-scenes roles like chapel janitor, primary music teacher, or data entry volunteer. Some callings are visible and public; others are quiet and serve specific individuals or families.

When you receive a calling, a leader meets with you, extends the calling, and explains the responsibilities. You are then asked if you will accept. While members are taught to view callings as revelation from God (communicated through their leaders) and to seek to accept them, technically you can decline. However, declining a calling is rare because members understand that accepting is a way of showing faith in God and serving His kingdom.

Once you accept a calling, you are "sustained" by the congregation (members raise their hands in a sustaining vote during sacrament meeting), and you are "set apart" for the calling (a leader places hands on your head and gives you a blessing specific to your assignment, asking for divine help in fulfilling the calling).

How Callings Are Extended

The process of extending a calling is deeply spiritual in LDS theology. A leader (usually the bishop) prays and feels inspired about who should receive a particular calling. The bishop consults with his counselors and other leaders to ensure the member has the necessary skills, spiritual maturity, and capacity to take on the responsibility. The leader then meets with the member, explains the calling, and asks them to accept.

This process is based on the belief that Church leaders are guided by the Holy Ghost to select the right person for each role. Members accept callings with the understanding that God, through His chosen leaders, has directed them into this service. Even if the calling feels difficult or beyond their abilities, members are taught to trust that God will provide what is needed.

Once accepted, the calling typically lasts months to years, depending on the role and needs of the ward. After a period of service, the member is released from that calling (often at a sacrament meeting) and may be given a new calling. This cycle of calling, service, and release continues throughout a member's life, ensuring that many members have opportunities to serve in various capacities.

No Paid Local Clergy

One of the most distinctive features of the LDS Church is that local clergy are unpaid. The bishop of a ward holds a full-time secular job — he might be a lawyer, a construction worker, a teacher, a nurse, or an accountant. He receives no salary from the Church. He serves his congregation entirely as a volunteer, managing finances, conducting meetings, extending callings, providing counseling, and performing other pastoral duties after work hours and on weekends.

The same is true for stake presidents, ward choir directors, Sunday School teachers, Young Men and Young Women leaders, and virtually every other local Church leader. Only a small number of Church leaders — those who serve in the Church's highest leadership positions (General Authorities, some area authorities) and those employed in Church-owned businesses or institutions — receive compensation. But the vast majority of the Church's leadership and ministry is volunteer.

This practice has profound implications. It ensures that leaders are not motivated by money or professional advancement, but by genuine love for their members and commitment to the gospel. It also keeps the Church lean and focused on its spiritual mission rather than becoming an institution primarily concerned with financial sustainability. Members know that their bishop sacrifices evenings and weekends to serve them, which deepens both gratitude and accountability.

Common Callings in a Ward

A typical ward includes dozens of callings, providing leadership roles for dozens of members. The bishop and his two counselors form the bishopric and oversee the entire ward. Below them are the Primary president and her counselors (overseeing the children's program for ages 3-11), the Relief Society president and counselors (leading the women's organization), the Young Men president and counselors (overseeing boys ages 12-17), the Young Women president and counselors (overseeing girls ages 12-17), and the Sunday School president and counselors (coordinating religious education).

Below these presidencies are numerous other callings: Primary teachers for different age groups, youth group leaders, Sunday School teachers, nursery leaders, choir director and choir members, organist, ward clerk, financial clerk, missionaries (members preparing for or serving missionary service), home teaching coordinators, and many others. Essentially, every adult member holds some calling, and many members hold multiple callings simultaneously.

Being Released from a Calling

When a member has served in a calling long enough, or when circumstances change, the bishop may release them from the calling. This typically happens during sacrament meeting, when the bishop announces that the member is being released and thanks them for their service. Being released is celebrated as honorable completion of service and gives the member a break before potentially accepting a new calling.

Sometimes members request to be released early because of health, work, or family circumstances that make the calling difficult. The bishop can grant such requests, understanding that members need balance in their lives. But generally, members are encouraged to fulfill their callings faithfully, viewing the difficulties and growth that come from service as spiritually valuable.