Church Organization

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church, in order to meet the needs of all its members, is comprised of regional units of various sizes. The most basic organizational unit is known as a ward and is placed under the direction of the local bishop, who has been delegated the authority to preside over that particular ward. A group of wards is known as a stake and is lead by a stake president. Above the stake level are regions, followed by areas, which have their own appointed leaders. The world is also divided into units known as missions which are under the direction of mission presidents. A geographical mission is the area to which Mormon missionaries are called and where they will serve. Missions can be so large that they contain a number of countries, or so small they include only a portion of a city. (Santiago, Chile, is made up of four separate missions.) Additionally, there are a number of auxiliary programs which operate at ward, stake, and Church-wide levels. These include the women's Relief Society, Young Women's Organizations, and the Primary for children under age 12.

Church-Wide Leadership

• First Presidency
• Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
• Seventy
• Presiding Bishopric
• Auxiliary Presidencies: Auxiliaries include the Sunday School, Relief Society, Young Women's, Young Men's, and Primary programs, each of which have their own presidencies

Local Leadership

• Stake President
• High Council
• Stake Auxiliary Leaders
• Bishopric
• High Priest's Quorum
• Elder's Quorum
• Young Men's Presidency
• Relief Society Presidency
• Young Women's Presidency
• Primary Presidency

Because the Church has a lay clergy, all of the leadership and service functions of the Church are performed by lay members who are called to serve in various capacities. The Prophet (President) of the Church, the Apostles, and members of the First Quorum of the Seventies serve for the duration of their lifetimes. Other callings are temporary. The head of the Church is Jesus Christ, who directs the Church through revelation to His prophets and apostles, just as He did in ancient times. This gospel and Church are not new, but a restoration of the ancient order. Thus, except for callings that especially relate to life in modernity (like Scouting, activities for teens, etc.), the callings in the Church are the same as they were when Christ organized His Church during His earthly ministry, with a prophet, apostles, seventies, etc.

More information can be found on the official Church Website

• A podcast by a UC Irvine professor praising the lay clergy organization of the LDS Church