Deacons

DEACON //ˈdēkən// ~ dirt worker for Jesus.

Covenant

The Doctrine of deacon

ACTS 6:3

“3Therefore, 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.”

1 TIM. 3:10

“10And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.”

1 TIM. 3:8-13

“8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

PRACTICAL SYNOPSIS

rest Church will be served by a leadership team with their positions biblically defaulting to Deacon and Deaconesses. A Deacon/Deaconess is to help lead and serve the Church through administration, pastoral care, praying for the sick, discipleship, and other ministry fitted to their calling. Candidates for Deacon/Deaconess will be nominated by the Lead Team and voted on by Family Partners. A Deacon/Deaconess submits to the authority of the Pastors. Deacon’s/Deaconesses roles are not limited to what was previously mentioned. DEACONS/DEACONESSES can all be elected to a 1 year term and then reelected indefinitely year over year. We want to get rid of bad hires quickly and keep good ones forever. Family Partners vote (NOT anonymously) “YES” or “NO” for Deacons. If a “NO” vote is taken from Family Partner an explanation must be given to the Lead Team. At rest, Deacons/Deaconesses may be asked to give advice, council, and wisdom to our Pastors, but they do not operate as a board who votes on Church orthopraxy. Theologically deacons are from the Greek “diakonos”, which translates as: servants, ministers, dirt workers, waiters, one who runs errands to serve the Church and kicks up dust (meaning it’s done quickly).

CULTURE GUIDE

Here at rest, we know that culture either happens by default or by design. Rather than allowing our feelings, upbringing, or the standards of our society take the lead, our goal is to intentionally and consistently create the culture we want to see.

We don’t have to do this, we get to do this!

WHO

My purpose of being a Deacon at rest is to be the model lead servant. I am deployed to assist the Pastors/Elders by: protecting Church unity, organizing practical service, meeting tangible needs, and helping the Church grow in their relationship with Jesus.

WHY

A Church without effective deacons might look healthy for a while, but over time its health will suffer. We rob ourselves of the benefits of God’s revealed wisdom when we either elevate the role of deacons (say, to a pseudo-elder) or unduly reduce their role (say, to a glorified janitor). Biblically understood, deacons are a cavalry of servants, deputized to execute the Pastors/Elders’ vision by coordinating various ministries. When deacons flourish, our whole congregation will win as the benefactors.

HOW

We will succeed as Deacons through a strategic divison of labor and coordination amongst our deacon team.

uBUNTU

Ubuntu /ˈew-BUN-too’/ ~ the better you are, the better I am.

Our Lens

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is our hope in life and death, also sets the agenda for how we live, relate and lead between our conversion and our final destination with Christ. Ephesians 4 helps us understand the gospel lens of how we are to view and handle our relationships: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”~Ephesians 4:1-3

These truths form the way we think about ourselves and also our relationships with one another.

LEADERSHIP MOTTO

I am a leader.
I am a person of influence.
Today I choose to be a blessing.
With God’s help there is nothing I can’t do.
Instead of being reactive, I will be proactive.
I know the answer.
I am the solution.

HEART CHECKLIST - THE SUNDAY 7

#1 - You have no idea how one conversation, one word of encouragement, or one expression of love might change someone's life.
#2 - Everyone is facing a battle you know nothing about.
#3 - Positive words are difficult to remember. Negative words are difficult to forget.
#4 - Never trust your tongue when your heart is bitter.
#5 - Everything you say must be true, but not everything that's true must be said.
#6 - When you serve others, you are serving Christ.
#7 - We don't always have to agree, but we can always be loving.

Deacons

Doctrine

Culture Guide