Good Deacons
Across a number of years I have listened as pastors complained about the men that served with them on their active body of deacons. I have listened to the stories of difficult meetings and contentious conversations. I have even observed as some moved to or attempted to move to an elder rule form of church government. While they publicly proclaimed the change was an attempt to be more biblical (I do not believe the elder rule model to be the biblical model), they privately shared that their goal was to restructure so they did not have deacons telling them what to do.
I must confess these conversations and attitudes have always been a little puzzling to me. God has been gracious to me in giving to me and the churches that I have served, Godly men whose desire was to walk along beside their pastor and assist me with the work of the ministry. Deacon meetings have been punctuated by a spirit of encouragement and desire to see God’s work go forward. Does this mean that the deacons I have served with have always been in total agreement with me? No! There have been and I suspect shall be in the future, times when one or more of the deacons I serve with have kindly told me that my suggestion or leadership direction was not wise. Upon further prayer and discernment they have been correct and their counsel saved me from future difficulties.
I have attempted to approach the relationship of pastor and deacon as one of a team working toward the same goal. Deacons have been my counselors, encouragers, confidantes, and point men. Because I believe the work of deacon to be a sharing of the ministry God has given me, the deacons I have served with have preached, led Bible studies, led prayer meetings, baptized, made soul winning visits, and made hospital and homebound visits. They have shared the work that God has called me to and made it much more fruitful.
Thank God for the men that serve in the New Testament Office of Deacon.
Attempting to connect the dots…
Wayne
Romans 1:16
Quotable:
I must confess these conversations and attitudes have always been a little puzzling to me. God has been gracious to me in giving to me and the churches that I have served, Godly men whose desire was to walk along beside their pastor and assist me with the work of the ministry. Deacon meetings have been punctuated by a spirit of encouragement and desire to see God’s work go forward. Does this mean that the deacons I have served with have always been in total agreement with me? No! There have been and I suspect shall be in the future, times when one or more of the deacons I serve with have kindly told me that my suggestion or leadership direction was not wise. Upon further prayer and discernment they have been correct and their counsel saved me from future difficulties.
I have attempted to approach the relationship of pastor and deacon as one of a team working toward the same goal. Deacons have been my counselors, encouragers, confidantes, and point men. Because I believe the work of deacon to be a sharing of the ministry God has given me, the deacons I have served with have preached, led Bible studies, led prayer meetings, baptized, made soul winning visits, and made hospital and homebound visits. They have shared the work that God has called me to and made it much more fruitful.
Thank God for the men that serve in the New Testament Office of Deacon.
Attempting to connect the dots…
Wayne
Romans 1:16
Quotable:
“Most conversations are simply monologues delivered in the presence of a witness.”
-Margaret Millar
posted by Unknown @ 10:04 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home