Deacons - versatile servants

In the church Jesus Christ is building, we are all serving one another in many different ways. Some have through their devotion to serve been given recognition because of their particular ministry and been called to be deacons.

‘Deacon’ simply means a servant and in the New Testament is used widely of all those who serve others in one or more areas. Deacons can work on behalf of the apostles in several churches and with many tasks, they can work on behalf of the elders in a local church or they can serve the apostle and his team on behalf of a local church.

Deacons are servants and intermediaries forming a sort of bridge between a responsible leadership and the flock, between apostles and elders and between a church and an apostolic work. The possibilities are many and rich for those who have a heart to serve.

The same demands to personal character, which apply to the elder, apply also to the deacon. They are also appointed in the same way. Both men and women can be appointed as deacons.

They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. (1 Tim. 3:10)

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. (Rom. 16:1)

Examples of practical service in the church:

Administration: Strategy, planning, projects

Responsibilityforbuildings: Maintenance, putting chairs out, building work, contact with the authorities, letting. Lost property, tidying up, cleaning, decorating

Officework:Typing, copying, post, bills, telephone duty, translation, responsibility for employees, insurance, updating the membership list.

Economy: Budget, bookkeeping, contact with the authorities

Children’swork:Responsibility for different children’s groups during Sunday meetings, fellow workers, children’s clubs in the neighbourhood, children’s choirs, drama groups, pre-teen groups,

AlphaCourse:Teaching, serving food, group leader, preparation

Helpingoneanother: Housework, childminding, baking, voluntary work, redecorating, moving, etc.

Media: Cassettes - recording, editing, copying, distribution; magazine, journalism, photography, layout/design, illustration

Worship/music:Worship leader, team leader, orchestra leader, choir leader, teaching, motivating, writing of songs and music, sound technician,

Co-ordinatorforactivities:Weddings, communion, renting,church arrangements, special campaigns, conferences, co-ordinating meetings, control of lighting, video/film projecting

Information: News sheet, brochure material, advertising, P.R., entrance area, printing.

Diverse: Translation, counting the offering, book selling, reception, towels etc. for baptisms, cafeteria, first aid, transport, contact with and teaching of new people, missionary projects, intercession.

There are many activities which are necessary so that a church will function satisfactorily in modern society. We have mentioned some above but there are sure to be many others. What is necessary is to see the needs and to have a desire to serve.

House-group-leaders, regional leaders, Bible-school teachers and preachers can also be deacons, with a lot of responsibility and important functions in a church, helping the elders to look after the congregation.

These are just some few examples. There are no limits for the one who wishes to serve the Lord and the church!

Exercise:

Do you know any deacons in your church?

What is the most important about the deacons?

Practical church-life

We have seen that the church which Jesus is building is people whom he has called together just as an army was called together or a town council summoned and just as God called his people together to make a covenant with them. Church-life is the life we live together as Christian people. Church-life is what we do and what we are together. The Christian life cannot therefore, be lived in isolation from other Christians. Jesus calls us together, binds us together and gives us a common task. Therefore the Bible says that we shall not neglect to come when the church is gathered:

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10.25)

We have seen that the church of Jesus Christ is first of all a covenant community of the people of God. Fellowship, friendship and warm relationships are the hallmarks of the church which is the body of Christ. Traditional churches are normally programme-based churches or activity oriented churches. The New Testament church is a cell-based church meeting mainly in homes. These churches are oriented towards Jesus, that is, being in the presence of Jesus, sitting at his feet, receiving from him that we may be able to edify each other.

In a New Testament church we do not have as many organised meetings and gatherings as traditional program based congregations have. This is a deliberate choice as we want people to use time together to evangelise and to extend God’s kingdom. Purposeful Christian families can have a lot of fun together, go out together and have valuable fellowship including, at the same time, non-Christians who they are praying for and wanting to see become part of the fellowship.

We are called to come together, be together and do things together. But the purpose of this is always that we, in what we are and do together, shall be light and salt in the world - that together we shall be able to show people the way of salvation and set them free.

As the community of God’s people we do not go to church, - we are the church. We live church-life all week as we fellowship in our families and find practical ways of caring for one another during the week. As New Testament cell-church or house-church we encourage one another daily, we pray for one another and find ways of spending time together to strengthen our mutual commitment to one another and the Lord. We no longer live an individualistic or self-centred life for we have embraced the cross and allowed the Holy Spirit to give us a corporate identity as the family of God, the Church of God or the covenant community. The Holy Spirit will make us creative in expressing the corporate life of the body of Christ in practical terms in the close relationships of the house-churches.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2.44-47)

Exercise:

What function would you like to have in the church?

How would you like to serve?

Continue to memorise Bible verses and add this one:

You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. (Eph. 2:20)