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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Minister

Most of the time minister is used in the Bible it is as a verb. It’s a action that people, usually priests, do to serve or worship God. Often these actions are commanded, or prescribed, by God in the Law of Moses.

Read in the Bible about this use of minister, which is primarily in the Old Testament.

Much less often the Bible uses minister as a noun in an appointed or approved capacity. It refers to a person who serves God.

Though sometimes, such as for Timothy, a minister oversees one church or area, usually the application is as a missionary who travels from town to town telling people the good news of Jesus. See pastor.

Read in the Bible about this use of minister, which is primarily in the New Testament.

Key verse about Minister: He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6, NIV).

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

By Peter DeHaan

Peter writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and make a faith that matters. Learn more at https://peterdehaan.com.