The role of deacon

I could say you are doing Satan's job when you accuse me of being legalistic for pointing out obvious problems in the leadership in the Church.

 

No, you just didn't have enough sense to read what we wrote... bapmom and others knew what we said...

You asked why preaching wasn't a high priority over class...
I wasn't suppose to preach last night anyway... we have Bible study classes on Wednesday night... Maybe that is why you were confused...

And the trauma of an accident was higher yesterday than it was today..
The hospital is about 2 hrs away they transferred him too.
Last night it was only about 15 minutes to the local hospital..

There are other variables...
That I don't think are your business.

I am done with this subject...
Maybe we can agree together on something else some other day..

 

Let me tell you something mister. I serve in a very small church, say 60-80 attendence on Sunday morning. I am a deacon, take my seving the Lord quite seriously, and you don't know what you are talking about.

Brother Tim,
You seem to be quite an excellent pastor from reading your posts, and it would be an honor to serve with you in any church of any stripe.

 

ahhh, now we get into the subject of ecuminism. Anything goes.

 

Come out of the box and serve when and where you're needed and don't concern yourself with "it's not my role." :godisgood:

 

I have no way of knowing if you are a pastor or not. If you are, and I fixed the machines I am responsible for repairing the way you talk theology, I would be fired.

 

I preach the truth as is written in the Word of God, so if you are fired for fixing the machines right, your boss is in err.

 

Whatever you think.

 

Ok back on topic. What is the role of a Deacon? The bible tells us that a Deacon is to be a servant. So the real question is what kind of a servant?

As someone mentioned earlier that is where the constitution and bylaws come into play.

As I am about to become a Deacon I have considered the question of What Kind of Servant does God want me to be? Well after much prayer I believe that god wants me to minister to the church by assisting the pastor. This assistance can take many forms I can take over Wed. Bible Study if need be, I can contact visitors, or members who are MIA. I can visit members in the hospital. I can support the pastor if the members are wrongly against him. I can support the members if the Pastor is not preaching the Word of God and not being a Man of God.

Now where will I fit into all these things I can do? My heart tells me that I will be contacting visitors, and providing decipleship to new members. Whatever I do will be with the advise and consent of the Pastor and the church so that I can be an assest to both the Pastor and Members.

Bill

 

It was just about 6 weeks ago a deacon received a phone call concerning a critically sick woman of a some-time visitor.
He rushed out just as our morning service was beginning, leaving his wife and kids to fend for themselves.
The woman accepted Christ before she died (yes, it does happen occasionally).
The man was commended by our pastor for his caring witness to both the woman and her family.
Both pastors and deacons should be able to give an account for their faith.
But in this instance, the pastor was not able to leave the service to attend the need.

The tasks of a deacon are not defined in Scripture however the basic sense of the title means service.

The specific role should be defined by the local church body in its constitution.

Remember Jethro’s advice to Moses:

“Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.” (Exodus 18:19-23 NAS95)

How closely the qualifications given to Moses align with those given for the office of deacon in 1 Timothy.


Exodus 18:21 >>>>>>>>> 1 Timothy 3:8,10
● able men >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>These men must also first be tested
● who fear God >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>men of dignity
● men of truth >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> not double-tongued; beyond reproach
● those who hate dishonest gain >>>not fond of sordid gain

Rob

 

Rob,

Thats a very interesting comparason between Exodus and 1 Tim. It sure looks to me like they are saying the same thing.

Bill

 

Some good points have been made about the role of deacon.

Not much has been said about what the role isn't.

It is not to run the church. It is not to oversee the pastor.

I can see how the idea of a "board" of deacons, similar to Presbyterian elders came about. Since deacons are supposed to be spiritual men, and wise men as well, many times church members may look to spiritual and wise members for leadership. You can see how this leadership role can be simply be ceded to the deacons. You can also see how deacons may get used to it and down the road, new deacons may assume that that is their typical role.

Deacons may actually be the leaders of the church, but they must never forget that they are primarily servants. They are to take the load off the pastor so he may spend his time in preparing to teach and preach.

They may have to remind the church members that the pastor shouldn't have to make every hospital visit. The pastor himself may need reminding that the deacons are willing to help him.

At the very least they need to make sure the pastor knows that they work for him, and not vice versa. That the pastor's vision should get the benefit of the doubt. And that they are there to protect him from those in the church who think they ought to be pastor.

 

Uh-oh, looks like Tom is trying to wear my legalistic tag. He said the same thing I did.

 

Interesting application of this Scripture.....did it never occur to you that you could be wrong about us being in those specific "last days"?

 

Ive seen so many great responses about what a deacon's role is! One that struck me greatly was that perhaps a reason deacons get a bit power hungry is that they don't have enough service opportunities - at least ones that are specific to the role of deacon. I know in our church we assign each deacon at least 2 elderly and/or widows for them to serve. That deacon will mow their grass if needed, shovel their snow, help them get to the grocery store, fix their phones, unplug toilets, clean out gutters.......my, the list could go on! But we keep our deacons pretty busy.

Plus they act as a sounding board for our preacher on new projects he's thinking of or help with the ministries.

Every member is encouraged to do hospital visits, though our preacher and assistant pastors do alot of the actual visits in the hospital if one is needed. He especially tries to make it to those new-baby visits before mom and baby get home! :godisgood:

 

I hope it doesn't come across as legalistic, for it's certainly not meant to be.

The church I serve has had three pastors in the past 24 years. Our deacons have sought to maintain with each pastor the kind of relationship I described in my earlier post. Each of those pastors has reciprocated in kind. This has produced a level of harmony and unity in our church that is incredible.

If you have conflict in a church, you will likely find one or more deacons in the middle of it. Either that or a pastor on a power trip.

BTW, those of you whose churches have the elder system, don't think that offers any immunity from conflict. Elders on a power trip can actually be worse.

 

Surely you are joking! Take a look around you. We truly are living in the last days.

 

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

These verses are being fulfilled before our eyes right now. We are most definitely in the last days which the apostle Paul addresses in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Also in 2 Timothy 4:2-4 and 1 Timothy 4:1, Paul is addressing what will happen in the "last days". If anyone can't see that we are in the "last days", they need to do more study--because we are there now.