Stick typifying authority for faithful initially ... (5)
I believe the answer is:
staff
'stick' is the definition.
(staff is a kind of stick)
'typifying authority for faithful initially' is the wordplay.
'typifying' becomes 'st' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'initially' says to take the initial letters.
The initial letters of 'authority for faithful' is 'aff'.
'st'+'aff'='STAFF'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for staff that I've seen before include "Rod - workforce" , "teachers employed in school" , "Take a rod to the personnel?" , "Rod of authority" , "Employees; spindle in watch" .)