Service Times8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 11:00 a.m. 1920 Northwestern AveWest Lafayette, IN 47906, Biblical Counseling in Winter Break Childcare, The Hope of Avoiding Poisonous Responses to Trials. Make me fertile ground for your inspiration and love. Steve is the author, co-author, or contributor to six books and numerous booklets. Grant me grace as I age so I may share your wisdom. After almost three decades of deacons . What is Paul? 1 Timothy 3:11 Verse Concepts Inspire me with Your wisdom so that my wife and I can work together as a team so I can faithfully fulfill my duties to the church. Paul identifies nine qualifications for deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8-12: Dignified (v. 8): This term normally refers to something that is honorable, respectable, esteemed, or worthy, and is closely related to "respectable," which is given as a qualification for elders (1 Tim. 7. Bonus points if they get connected in the Young . Prayer should be biblically informed. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Acts 6:1-7 1 Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Deacon Campbell opened the meeting in prayer promptly at 8:15am. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Help us to share Your word and Your truth with all who enter our presence. Ready us to make every moment count. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. All rights reserved. Amen. 2. We ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. c. What warnings do we find here, both for pastors and church members? A chair who signals to her group that she really values them and respects them, is on the way to a good meeting. We humbly ask that You make us worthy to be Your servants. The really good chair will know which agenda item is going to push a particular persons button. Make the agenda so it can be distributed ahead of time. And they were accompanying him to the ship. But qualifications for a deacon's character are clearly outlined in Scripture. Shift our perspective to seek Your peace above all else. Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. You have called us to the office of deacon in this congregation, and we are now assembled in your name to deal with the matters pertaining to our office. #4 - Use simple parliamentary rules. b. Pour your heart before Him. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you. 2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the Trust the merit of His blood, the power of His arm, and the love of His heart. They are to hold to correct doctrine (v. 9). Nothing is ever in vain, for even mistakes and missteps are used for good. Honor widows who are truly widows. O His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you.. While being dispersed across various locations, our teams can use these meetings as a time to come together and build unity. 11 In the same way, their wives are to be Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. and social character. Not only could this devotional resource keep our vision fresh, but it also will invite us to explore the meaning of the phrases in the charge of deacons - encouraging us to search for ways to make this come alive in our own contexts. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Having a time of devotions and prayer at your deacon's meetings is meant to facilitate a sharing of the living Word. Do it by email, or do it by snail mail, or do it by using church mailboxes. It's important that God be sought at the beginning of the meeting. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. "I will still be the same when you are old and gray, and I will take care of you." Isaiah 46:4 As we grow older, our bodies begin to change. Strengthen our confidence in who You have made us to be. Let me put my fears of public speaking and meeting new people behind me and allow me to be all that I can for You. b. Help me to devote my life to best supporting the elders of the church and the congregation. You are God's field, God's building. Psalm 32:8 2. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 1. Do not wait for that to happen in the meeting. So they gave a dinner for him there. June 2022 - Called to Serve. If you are not the chair, offer to help; this business of having better meetings involves taking responsibility stepping up to the tasks. OK, you are on your way to consistently great meetings. Required fields . We surrender completely to You. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Take what we have prepared and multiply our efforts as only You can. Thank you for helping us uphold the Community Guidelines to make this an encouraging and respectful community for everyone. Acts 6: The First Deacons. Humble us in our servanthood and use us for Your will. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.). Read through the biblical references of Deacons to learn more about its meaning and significance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. Praise You for this event, and Your purpose for it. You and I must be diligent and watchful so that we are not deceived. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. I will tend to the poor and the hungry, the sick and the discarded. Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money" (1 Timothy 3:8). Call that person before the meeting and say, Harv, I want to give you a heads up that were going to be talking about the budget item for a new keyboard. For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. Help us plant seeds of hope and faith in eternal life with You. Make [their] heart[s] like yours so [they] may love your people. Many pastors like to have a list of devotions that they can give to others as well as use in their own personal life. Here are 10 powerful prayers for deacons. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. A Purposeful Pastor/Deacons Meeting. Because the Bible is God's word, it will not contradict itself. When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Having a good agenda in hand 2 or 3 days before the meeting is important. #5 - Set a quorum of deacons to be present. Call it Personal Time, and make it part of opening devotions. 1. It lists the order of business and topics of discussion that address the overall goals of the meeting. To help focus on the TASK at hand, each agenda item should be labeled clearly, so that the group knows exactly what it needs to do with that agenda item. However, only You can see in perfect detail the end of every beginning. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. Comfort [them] when [they] question [themselves and their] ministry. I am so blessed to have Your mercy, grace, and love. 3. Give [them] health of body so [they] may serve with strength. 1 Peter 5:1-11 1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. It is rooted in the Greek word diakanos, which is translated as deacon, minister, or servant (1). Remind me that though I fall short of the glory of God, I am Your handiwork and I am enough. Give me peace of mind in obedience and service. For things to be done decently and in order, we must have a rule of order. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. What are the implications to us? But it does include specifics on the roles and duties of church leaders. 4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God? As I continue the path of being a deacon in my church, I ask that You give me the words I need to help those who come to me. . Tell Him your troubles. Give me health of body so I may serve with strength. Christ is the Head, Elders are the physical leaders of the church, deacons fall under the . of Not double-tongued (v. 8): Those who are double-tongued say one thing to certain people but then say something . Amen. We humbly implore you to dwell among us with the Spirit of discretion. Reset our agendas, as we sit in Your presence. T Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Help us to work together and encourage Support us daily as we wear our full suits of armor for You, and when we go into battle, give us the words to say and the tools we need. Amen. rather than doing business as usual, using a meeting or a part of a retreat to have a foot-washing service together. Their family lives prove that they apply the truth of Scripture in all areas of their lives. We ask that we would challenge each other to reach higher and farther to be the best we can be. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 2.2 Short Devotions for Advent and Christmas. And these also must be tested first and then let them serve as deacons if they are found blameless. Father, We might even want to call someone to check something out before the meeting. Your will for our lives does not always reflect our plans. Let us marvel at your good gifts and your wise provision. Pray through a passage of Scripture. 2.7 Short Funny Devotionals for Essential Oils Users. A Deacon's Relationship to the Church Membership at Large The deacons are to be active in ministry to the church family, promoting peace, harmony and a spirit of cooperation among the membership. Robert's Rules Of Orderis a handy reference to have on hand, but it is somewhat too detailed for the typical business meeting in a small, Baptist church. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. OpenBible.info Every meeting begins with prayer. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faiththat you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, Who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. W Grant [them] grace as [they] age so [they] may share your wisdom. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.". Read Chapter All Versions 1 Timothy 3:8-13 8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. The last thing Ill mention here is the ounce of prevention step. And Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. His point here is that deacons are to have an upright character which is an example to people in the church. Give [them] a generous spirit when [they are] tired but needed. Work in and through me, Jesus. Give us your grace to relieve needs by means of material gifts and to instill the comfort of your holy Word into the hearts of the afflicted, that they may put their trust in you alone. Give [them] eyes to see the needs of your people. Finally, they are to be faithful to their spouse and manage their children and home with integrity (v. 12). Meeting people around the church and helping them get connected! Recalibrate our intentions and refocus our hearts. Read Steve Viars Journey to Faith for the full account of how the Lord led Pastor Viars to Faith Church. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. So each agenda item will be labeled one of three ways: for information, for discussion or advice (to someone, for example the pastor or a deaconal subcommittee), or for decision. Merciful God and Father, you have not only declared that we will always have the poor with us, but have also commanded us to support them in their need. I want to do my best for You, and I need Your help to do that. First, theres just no getting around it, somebody has to do some good preparation, and that usually falls to the chair. A Diaconate that PRAYS Together, Stays Together! They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Allow us to work together as a team to confront struggles of every kind, at home, in the church, and in our community. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Ladies' Dinner and Bible 0 Comments Add a Comment Cancel. Agenda Templates 10+ Church Meeting Agenda Templates in PDF | DOC. 1 Timothy 3:1-13 - 1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. Amen. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. A church meeting agenda is an outlined plan for a church administrative meeting. 35 In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. 36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 1 Timothy 3:13 Here Paul explains the function of the deacon, and two things will result when the service of a deacon is done correctly. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 6 And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. Never leave my side. Bless, we pray, our work of mercy that we all may praise and thank you, while we await the blessed appearance of your Son, Jesus Christ, who became poor for our sakes that he might enrich us with eternal treasures. They are to pass the test of public scrutiny (v. 10). These readings are available for both lectionary cyclesdaily readings and Sunday/Festival readings. But this is your time. It is seen in several places in Scripture, most often describing someone who is a domestic servant that is subordinate to their superior. I am Yours. B.S. Kindle fervent love for the needy in the hearts of your people, that they may generously contribute to them as your stewards. Let us bring love where there is hatred, healing where there is injury, faith where there is doubt, and hope where there is despair. Amen. What does the Bible say about Deacons? Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. May we discharge the duties of our office as Christ's ministers of mercy.