Single Men Can Now Serve in Bishoprics and Other Leadership Positions

As part of the ongoing changes to the General Handbook of the church, the First Presidency has broadened policies to allow single adult men to serve in more leadership positions.

In the historic change to the policy, Elder Quentin L. Cook explained:

“In recent months, our minds have been drawn with particular focus to Latter-day Saints who are single adults. We want you to know that you are loved—and so very needed in building the kingdom of God. For this reason, we felt to search carefully for policies and misperceptions that might limit the Church service of single members. What we found was that Church policy already allows for broad service by single adults—and it could be even broader. We feel today’s policy adjustments can make a big difference. We hope your leaders know to put you to work—including as counselors in bishoprics, on high councils, and as organization presidents and counselors.”

Single men can now serve as councilors in both ward and stake presidencies. They may also serve as high councilors in the stake. All men serving in a bishopric, either married or single, must be high priests.

In the updated handbook, it says that “if a man called as a counselor in a bishopric is not a high priest, the stake president ensures that he is ordained a high priest before setting him apart.”