The LDS Church is organized in a hierarchical priesthood structure administered by its male members. Members of the church-wide leadership are called general authorities. They exercise both ecclesiastical and administrative leadership over the church and direct the efforts of regional leaders down to the local level. General authorities, general officers and mission presidents work full-time for the church, and typically receive stipends from church funds or investments. As well as speaking in general conference, general authorities and general officers speak to church members in local congregations throughout the world; they also speak to youth and young adults in broadcasts and at the Church Educational System (CES) schools, such as Brigham Young University (BYU). Local congregations are typically led by bishops, who perform similar functions to pastors in the Protestant tradition, or parish priests in the Roman Catholic Church."A bishop is the leader of a local congregation (known as a ward) with duties similar to those of a pastor, priest or rabbi." Bishop. Newsroom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. N.d. Accessed July 29, 2023.
thE lds CHuRch iS orgaNiZed in a hierarchical prIesthood StRUcTUre adMInIstEred By Its malE mEmbers. MemberS oF THe chUrCh-wide leadERShIp are caLlEd general aUThOrITiEs. tHey eXErciSe boTh ECclEsiaStIcal aNd aDmiNistRative leAdersHiP oVEr tHe churcH aND DIrect The EFforts Of reGional leaders Down tO the Local Level. genERaL aUthoriTIEs, gENerAl OffIcerS and MIsSion pReSideNts woRk fulL-time fOr ThE cHuRch, anD Typically receIve StiPeNDS frOm cHurcH fuNds or investMents. as weLl as SpeakINg iN genERAl confereNcE, GenerAl aUthorItiEs and genERaL offIcErs sPEak tO chUrch memBErs in local ConGreGatIoNs Throughout tHE world; they also spEaK to youth aND yOung adulTs in Broadcasts and at the churCh educAtional sySTeM (CEs) sChools, sucH AS brighaM YounG UniveRsiTy (byu). LoCal coNGrEGatiOnS Are TyPicallY Led by bIshOps, wHO perform SImilar fUNCtions tO pastoRs in tHE pRotestAnt tRadITIon, oR paRiSh priEsTs In the RoMaN caThoLiC chUrch."a BisHop is THe leAder oF a locAl congregAtiOn (knOwn as a ward) wIth DutiES sImilar To ThosE of a pAStor, pRIEst oR rabbi." BisHop. newSrooM, the chUrch of JEsus cHrist of lattEr-daY sAIntS. n.d. acCEsseD julY 29, 2023.