Deacons

I’ll have much more to say about this over the next few weeks, but at our last meeting, the Session approved a plan to begin the process of electing, training, and ordaining deacons. According to the proposed plan (which requires congregational approval), we would have three deacons serving three-year terms. Once we’ve selected our first three, they will be on a rotating system so that, each year (starting in 2027), we will elect one elder and one deacon.

For some time, our church has functioned without deacons, but as time goes on and the congregation grows, it is becoming more and more difficult for the elders to manage both the spiritual and temporal matters of the church. But in God’s wisdom, that is exactly why he gave us the office of deacon. In Acts 6, as the church was growing, the apostles found that they were unable to focus on their primary duties of spiritual leadership because the physical needs of the church were growing as well. In response, seven men were appointed to care for those needs. This was the beginning of the diaconal office, and the effect was that the church was able to better fulfill her call to evangelism and discipleship. That is our goal as well.

Again, I’ll talk more about this in the coming weeks, but this is what we would like you to do. In 1 Timothy 3:8-13, Paul gives the qualifications for deacons. Consider that passage, and pray about who you think could meet those qualifications to serve in the office of deacon. Then, pass those names along to the elders so that we can make official nominations at a congregational meeting. (As always, there will be the opportunity to make nominations from the floor at the congregational meeting as well.) And finally, pray for your elders and for our church as we move into this next stage of ministry.

One additional note: if you have been attending church with us for a while, but you haven’t formally joined in membership, now is a great time to consider it. Membership benefits you by giving you a variety of privileges in the courts of the church, but it also opens up opportunities to you for service in Christ’s kingdom, like church office. If that’s something you’re interested in, I’d love to talk about it with you.

If you have any questions about this process, feel free to ask me or another elder, and we’d be happy to discuss it further.

Your friend in Christ,
Reid