Thank God for People Who Serve

Last week I had the joy of spending time with a young (younger than me) pastor from north Louisiana. We had a delightful time talking church.

I’ve done this over the years. Sometimes I am the one asking questions and sometimes I am the one answering questions. This time I answered the questions. The questions were simple in nature: “How do you do this?” Every pastor has that kind of question for other pastors.

Those questions are never asked so that you can do something the way others do, but it does help your process of thinking and planning for your own church.

As we talked, the question of deacons came up–both how we elect deacons and what our deacons do.

Somewhere in the conversation about deacons we discussed how our deacons serve. They basically serve as assistant pastors. They pray, visit, call, and generally try to give pastoral ministry and spiritual guidance to the congregation.

At that point I told my friend about a software program (Sharepoint) we use to help us keep up with the needs of the congregation. This generally consists of prayer lists and hospital and nursing home notifications. I get those notifications by email. I reached for my phone to show him one of the emails. My most recent email was a Sharepoint report made by one of our younger deacons who had made a hospital visit within the hour.

When I showed it to my pastor friend, he simply said: “wow.” He wasn’t referring to the software program; he was referring to the serious way our deacons understand their ministry.

We are blessed to have deacons who take their service seriously and who seek to provide for the spiritual needs of the congregation.

Deacons are servants. I thank God for those who serve well.

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7 Responses

  1. “We are blessed to have deacons who take their service seriously and who seek to provide for the spiritual needs of the congregation.
    Deacons are servants. I thank God for those who serve well.”
    AMEN!

  2. Our Model in Acts is indeed the Model of the Covenant: One surrounded by Many working for the One Who Called them All. It is serious business. So serious is it, that your sermon series are Words spoken directly to the “People of God” that heard the Shuma (Call to Worship)and sought to follow the Mitzvot (The Torah or Law).

    It was to such an audience Philippians 1:27 & 28 is written —
    “Just one thing: live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit (shoulder to shoulder with shields locked, Ephesians 6:16), with one mind, working side by side for the faith of the Gospel, not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is evidence of their destruction, but of your deliverance — and this is from God.” (Holman Christian Translation)

    Blessings

    1. David, an organization such as the one you describe must be lead gently and carefully, but we all can change if we are presented with the right guidance. I like to ask questions such as “Do you think, could we, would this help us, and what do you think? I usually suggest looking for allies. In this case, someone who looks for the opportunity to serve and who will go alongside of you.
      Hope this helps.

  3. David, is that a question directed to Dr. Bailey?
    That is 6.5 ratio attending including the deacons or 4.5 per deacon for ministry.
    I would wonder who is “handling” (leading) the group and how viewed is its Mission/Purpose.

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