lay preacher
Volunteer pulpit speaker
A lay preacher is someone who preaches or leads religious services without being ordained clergy.
The term appears across Christian denominations where congregations may lack full-time ministers or where tradition values participation by ordinary members: Her grandfather was a lay preacher in the Methodist church.
Lay here means nonprofessional or not of the clergy.
Church speaking platform
- homilyReligious discourse on scripture
- sermonClergy's worship address
- exhortationUrgent persuasive appeal
- scriptureSacred religious writings
gospel · testimony · message · congregation · parishioners · worship · doctrine · theology
Assembled group of worshippers
- flockAnimals gathered together
- parishionersMembers of local congregation
- believersThose having faith
- faithfulConsistently loyal and true
worshipers · assembly · fellowship · brotherhood · sisterhood · churchgoers · gathering · adherents
Religious outreach worker
- revivalReturn after decline
- conversionAct of changing states
- proselytizeAdvocate one's beliefs
- outreachProactive community assistance
witness · testimony · gospel · salvation · redemption · faith · devotion · piety
Non-ordained church members
- volunteerUnpaid willing participant
- unofficialNot formally recognized
- unlicensedWithout official permit
- self-taughtEducated without instructors
informal · amateur · congregant · secular · unordained · tentmaker · commissioned · licensed
Source of creative impulse
- encouragementSupport spurring continued effort
- upliftingEmotionally encouraging
- exhortationUrgent persuasive appeal
- convictionFirmly held belief
eloquence · passion · charisma · persuasion · guidance · mentorship · edification · empowerment
pulpit
Church speaking platform
- homilyReligious discourse on scripture
- sermonClergy's worship address
- exhortationUrgent persuasive appeal
scripture · gospel · testimony · message · congregation · parishioners · worship · doctrine · theology · discourse
congregation
Assembled group of worshippers
- flockAnimals gathered together
- parishionersMembers of local congregation
- believersThose having faith
faithful · worshipers · assembly · fellowship · brotherhood · sisterhood · churchgoers · gathering · adherents · disciples
missionary
Religious outreach worker
- revivalReturn after decline
- conversionAct of changing states
- proselytizeAdvocate one's beliefs
outreach · witness · testimony · gospel · salvation · redemption · faith · devotion · piety · holiness
laity
Non-ordained church members
- volunteerUnpaid willing participant
- unofficialNot formally recognized
- unlicensedWithout official permit
self-taught · informal · amateur · congregant · secular · unordained · tentmaker · commissioned · licensed · certified
inspiration
Source of creative impulse
- encouragementSupport spurring continued effort
- upliftingEmotionally encouraging
- exhortationUrgent persuasive appeal
conviction · eloquence · passion · charisma · persuasion · guidance · mentorship · edification · empowerment · influence
- clergypriest, bishop, pope, nun, monk
- preachersevangelist, minister, revivalist, parson, homilist
- Protestant clergyreverend, parson, ordained minister, pastor, senior pastor
- Lay Ministerslay reader, lector, catechist
- lay ministrycatechist, apostolate
- Methodist LeadersGeorge Whitefield, circuit rider, class leader, ordained minister, superintendent
lay preacheratheist
One denying gods exist
unchurched · congregant · nonbeliever · parishioner · secularist
preach, preacher, preaching, layman, layperson, preached, preachers, laymen, laypeople