Deacons In Your Church

I don't recall the requirments, I know they were taken from scripture.
No divorced deacons allowed.
No women deacons allowed.
Selected by deacons based on scripture as to which men to chose.
servant, no board of deacons.

We looked at a different church last summer, thinking we wanted to move, and what sent us back to our home church was the board of deacons, divorced deacons who serve as deacon 2 years after a divorce.

 

I do not know the requirements for each Church but being a newly elected Deacon I know that our Church follows scripture(1Tim.3) and deacons are approved by an ordination council consisting of your home pastor and three other pastors.The office of Deacon is exclusive to the man as a woman cannot be the husband of one wife. :godisgood:

 

Requirements: we use both Acts 6 and 1 Tim. 3

Divorced Deacons: we do not currently, but have and might have again

Women: No, never have, never will

Selection Process: Nominated by current deacons, examined by Pastor and Deacon Chair, then voted on by church. They serve a rotational 3 years and must stay off board for at least 1 year. (in some cases, never to return again :tonofbricks: ) New deacons are ordained by pastor and other deacons after a questioning process.

Model: Sort of a combination. They all have families they are to serve and minister to, but we also use them as a leadership counsel. Since Jesus said that leaders ought to be servants, and deacons ought to be servants, then they will make good leaders.

 

Christian for three years; member of our church for over a year; fellow at least 21 years of age.

Being divorced doesn't automatically disqualify you at our church...it does mean some questions are asked during the interview process: details of the divorce, timing, has forgiveness/restoration/etc. been made, etc.

We do not have women serving as deacons here.

All candidates are voted upon by the church; however, the slate of "finalists" are pre-nominated (by the deacons, staff, or church members at large), and then pre-interviewed by a group of deacons and the pastor--to determine eligibility, desire to serve, qualifications, etc. We do not simply "list all the men of age" and vote on them. From the list of "finalists," the ones whom receive the most votes will serve. The number elected depends on the number needed: some years, it's 7-10 deacons; others, it's 4-6.

Our decons do not function as administrators. Granted, some serve our church in an administrative capacity, but it is not the deacon role in which they serve as such (i.e., a deacon may serve as a personnel committee chairman...but that office is not tied to the deacon role). Our deacons primarily serve in a spiritual leadership role.

Our monthly deacon's meeting (sample):

6:00-6:10 Devotion, prayer
6:10-6:30 Ministers' reports
6:30-6:45 New deacon's business (from the following committees, below)
6:45-7:30 Prayer
7:30 Dismiss (unless prayer runs late, which is fine)

Deacon committees:

• Visitor Ministry
  • Phone, email, or visit those who fill out visitor cards within 24 hours of their visit.
  • Minimum 4 deacons serve on this
• Lockup and Security Ministry
  • Lockup after services on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, and Wednesday evenings
  • Also helping with other potential security issues
  • Minimum 4 deacons serve on this
  • Family Ministry
  • Doing hospital visitation and family ministry as called by the church office
  • Minimum 4 deacons serve on this
• New Member Ministry
  • Make a personal visit with new members within 3 weeks after they join
  • Attend the new member luncheon once a quarter
  • Share with the deacon body about the new members
  • Minimum 4 deacons serve on this
• Shut-in Ministry
  • Minister to the members of our church who are no longer able to attend regular services on a regularly basis. Arrange for them to partake in communion at least once per year.
  • Minimum 2 deacons serve on this
• Lord’s Supper Coordinator –
  • Lead in organizing and administering the Lord’s Supper
  • Minimum 1 deacon serves on this

 

The following is our deacon questionnaire, asked of prospective deacons. Completion of this and an interview (satisfactorily) allows said deacon to be a "finalist" to serve:

You have been nominated to serve as a deacon. To be chosen as a deacon is a great honor. The church sets these men apart as spiritual leaders that they are willing to follow. It is also a lowly position that requires humility and a servant-heart. Please read the qualities that are required for a deacon in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Then prayerfully fill out this questionnaire and return it to me as soon as possible. If you have not served as a deacon here at our church in the past, we will be in further contact with you to set up a brief interview.

The purpose of this questionnaire is to encourage a high level of commitment and to expedite our selection process. If you need amplification on any of these questions, please contact our pastor.

These first questions are basic questions:

• Are you a Christian who has had a genuine conversion experience?
• Are you committed in your job, marriage, lifestyle, language, and in all activities and behavior to exemplify Christ?
• Do you believe in the inspiration of the Bible as the Word of God and that it is our primary source for authority and instruction?
• Are you confident that the doctrinal beliefs of our church, as Baptist, are in agreement with the Bible?
• Are you in harmony with our ministerial staff and their leadership?
• Have you ever been ordained in a Baptist church? _____ If so, when ____________ and where? _____________________

]This group of questions refer to the commitment needed to serve as a deacon:

• Will you try to put down murmurings and complaints, facing them frankly, and dealing with them in love, gentleness, and humility?
• Will you attend the regular services of the church, supporting them with your prayers and participation?
• Will you dedicate yourself to ministering in one of our Deacon ministry areas?
• Will you commit to attending monthly Deacon’s meetings and serving the Lord’s Supper?
• Are you willing to serve where service is needed to the best of your ability?

This group of questions address some difficult issues. They are not designed to disqualify you, but might create the need for a further discussion with you.

• Do you tithe your income to the church?
• Do you accept your responsibility as a Christian to share Christ with others?
• Have you been divorced?
• Are you involved in gambling?
• Do you indulge at all in alcoholic beverages – drinking yourself or allowing it to be served in your home?
• If you are married, would your relationship with your wife be one that exemplifies Christ’s love for us?

 

Would you expound a little further with these if you have the knowledge of the rules of your Church and a few Bible verses to go with each. Just wondering.

 

* Requirements: They hold to a generalized form of what is in the Timothy passage and add tithing, though I know one deacon who gives but it isn't tithing.

* Divorced: None are divorced at this time.

* Do we have women? Yes. But they aren't labeled as deacons, though they are deaconing.

* How are they selected? Random blind church nomination. One guy was nominated who was having an affair with another woman. Go figure.

* They use the servant model.

 

Great post!..n/t

 

administrative

I think our deacons are pretty administrative....generally we go a few years without hearing from our deacons, LOL...every once in a while we might get a Christmas card! But then again, we have never had need for anything, so perhaps they are more involved in other people's lives, those who are more needy.

 

The requirements are as Paul's letter states.

We have no divorced deacons. In fact, for years, a man who is now serving as deacon, whom I am just a shadow of, would not take the office because his wife had been divorced.

No.

Vote of the congregation.

Servent model. Deacons are not governing authority. They are servents. They uplift and support the pastor, and serve the congregation.

 

Great comment SaggyWoman.

The church I've been a member of for the past two years is currently is going through the process of selecting and approving deacons, never had them before.

IMHO the process should be simple, there are men who serve as de facto deacons already.

No women 'deacons', although they can chair committees and run programs. :smilewinkgrin:

Rob

 

See my answers in bold above.

 

I still haven't figured out why we can't call them deaconnesses, but hey. Men are just jealous.

 

I don't have a clue on the requirements or how they are selected. They appear to be more of a board of directors. I don't know of any that are divorced. There are no women.

 

I have no problem with deaconnesses. I think that we are missing opportunities in service for women.

I do, however, qualify this with the opinion that the deacons of any gender should not be running the church. That is the job of the elders/bishops/overseers/pastors/ministers/whateveryouwanttocallthem under the authority of the church as a whole, not under a deacon board.

If the deacons function as a deacon board, IMO all of the deacons should meet the standards for pastoral ordination.