Amish Clergy

The Amish do not have a professional group of ministers. Instead, lay ministers are chosen by lot from within the community. Ministers are not paid and add their religious duties to their farm or other work. In addition to being unpaid, those chosen for the ministry are also untrained for these roles.^[1] In an Amish community, the bishops act as community leaders. New bishops are assigned every year or two and serve one area. In general, it is not a role that is sought by Amish ministers. Ministers in the Amish community are nominated by the community from the male population, typically when a Minister dies. Ministers in the Amish community do still have the responsibility of preaching on Sunday morning as in other denominations of Christianity. However, as ministers have other jobs within the community they tend to spend most of their Saturdays preparing for Sunday service.^[1] Besides ministers and bishops, there are deacons in the Amish church as well. Amish deacons are responsible for collecting money from parishioners to help pay for members who are facing financial challenges. They are also responsible for approaching parishioners who are using forbidden technology or discussing the Amish set of rules, the Ordnung.^[1]