Selections from the General Handbook

Contents
Title Page
Using Selections from the General Handbook
Doctrinal Foundation
- 0. Introductory Overview
- 1. God’s Plan and Your Role in His Work of Salvation and Exaltation
- 2. Supporting Individuals and Families in God’s Work of Salvation and Exaltation
- 3. Priesthood Principles
- 4. Leadership and Councils in the Church of Jesus Christ
Church Organization
- 5. General and Area Leadership
- 6. Stake Leadership
- 7. The Bishopric
- 8. Elders Quorum
- 9. Relief Society
- 10. Aaronic Priesthood Quorums
- 11. Young Women
- 12. Primary
- 13. Sunday School
- 14. Single Members
- 15. Seminaries and Institutes of Religion
The Work of Salvation and Exaltation
- Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ
  - 16. Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ
  - 17. Teaching the Gospel
  - 18. Performing Priesthood Ordinances and Blessings
  - 19. Music
  - 20. Activities
- Caring for Those in Need
  - 21. Ministering
  - 22. Providing for Temporal Needs and Building Self-Reliance
- Inviting All to Receive the Gospel
  - 23. Sharing the Gospel and Strengthening New and Returning Members
  - 24. Missionary Recommendations and Service
- Uniting Families for Eternity
  - 25. Temple and Family History Work in the Ward and Stake
  - 26. Temple Recommends
  - 27. Temple Ordinances for the Living
  - 28. Temple Ordinances for the Deceased
Church Administration
- 29. Meetings in the Church
- 30. Callings in the Church
- 31. Interviews and Other Meetings with Members
- 32. Repentance and Church Membership Councils
- 33. Records and Reports
- 34. Finances and Audits
- 35. Care and Use of Meetinghouses
- 36. Creating, Changing, and Naming New Units
  - 36.0. Introduction
- 37. Specialized Stakes, Wards, and Branches
- 38. Church Policies and Guidelines

7. The Bishopric

“7. The Bishopric,” Selections from the General Handbook (2023).

“7. The Bishopric,” Selections from the General Handbook.

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man speaking at pulpit

The Bishopric

7.1

The Bishop and His Counselors

The bishop holds the priesthood keys to lead the work of the Church in the ward (see 3.4.1). He and his counselors form a bishopric.

The bishop has five principal responsibilities:

He is the presiding high priest in the ward.
He is president of the Aaronic Priesthood.
He is a common judge.
He coordinates God’s work of salvation and exaltation, including caring for those in need.
He oversees records, finances, and the use of the meetinghouse.

The bishop’s foremost responsibility is to the rising generation in the ward (the children, youth, and young single adults). To enable him to concentrate on this responsibility, he delegates many assignments (see 4.2.5).

7.1.1

Presiding High Priest

The bishop is the ward’s primary spiritual leader.

7.1.1.1

Ward Organizations and Priesthood Quorums

The bishop has responsibility for the ward Relief Society and Young Women organizations. He assigns his counselors responsibility for the Sunday School and Primary organizations and other ward programs.

The bishop’s responsibilities for Aaronic Priesthood quorums are outlined in 7.1.2. His responsibilities for elders quorums are outlined in 8.3.1.

7.1.1.2

Ordinances and Blessings

The bishop directs the administration of the following ordinances and blessings in the ward:

The sacrament
Naming and blessing of children
Baptism and confirmation of 8-year-old children of record (for converts, see 31.2.3.2)
Conferral of the Aaronic Priesthood and ordination to the offices of deacon, teacher, and priest

7.1.1.3

Councils and Meetings

The bishop leads the ward council and the ward youth council (see 29.2.5 and 29.2.6).

The bishopric plans sacrament meetings and other ward meetings listed in chapter 29.

7.1.1.4

Callings and Releases

The bishop’s responsibilities for callings and releases are outlined in chapter 30.

7.1.2

President of the Aaronic Priesthood

The bishop has the following responsibilities as the president of the Aaronic Priesthood in the ward. His counselors assist him.

Support parents in teaching youth.
Oversee Aaronic Priesthood quorums and Young Women classes. The bishop is president of the priests quorum (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:87–88). His first counselor has responsibility for the teachers quorum. His second counselor has responsibility for the deacons quorum.
Counsel with the ward Young Women president.
Meet regularly with each youth.

7.1.3

Common Judge

The bishop is the common judge in the ward (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:71–74). He has the following responsibilities:

Help youth and adults qualify for and be worthy of a temple recommend.
Conduct interviews as outlined in 31.2.
Meet with ward members who seek spiritual guidance, who have weighty personal problems, or who have committed serious sins, helping them draw on the healing power of Jesus Christ.
Under the direction of the stake president, hold membership councils as needed. For guidelines, see chapter 32.

7.1.4

Meet with the bishopric and prepare agendas as assigned.
Serve as a member of the ward council and attend ward council meetings.
Schedule appointments for the bishopric.

7.4

Ward Clerk and Assistant Ward Clerks

The responsibilities of the ward clerk and assistant ward clerks are outlined in 33.4.2.