Service times:  Sundays at 9am French service & 11am English service 

Biblical foundations for Deaconship

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Diakonos,  “servant” or “minister” 

 Some Scriptures before we begin

  • Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops (Elders) and deacons”
  • Rom 16:1 “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant [diakonos] of the church in Cenchrea”
  • 1 Tim 3:8-13 Amplified Version “In like manner the deacons [must be] worthy of respect, not shifty and double-talkers but sincere in what they say, not given to much wine, not greedy for base gain [craving wealth and resorting to ignoble and dishonest methods of getting it].They must possess the mystic secret of the faith [Christian truth as hidden from ungodly men] with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tried and investigated and proved first; then, if they turn out to be above reproach, let them serve [as deacons].11 [a][The] women likewise must be worthy of respect and serious, not gossipers, but temperate and self-controlled, [thoroughly] trustworthy in all things.12 Let deacons be the husbands of but one wife, and let them manage [their] children and their own households well.13 For those who perform well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and also gain much confidence and freedom and boldness in the faith which is [founded on and centers] in Christ Jesus.

 

Intro:

It is the responsibility of the church to recognize the emergence of those whom the Holy Spirit has prepared and appointed by the qualities of their lives from the standpoint of (a) their character, (b) their giftedness, and (c) their burden and concern for the body of Christ.

 

  1. WHY DEACONS?

 

  • Because it is an honorable recognition:
  • Tim 3:13 For those who perform well as deacons “Acquire a good standing for themselves”
  • A divine enablement and propulsion of their calling:
  • Tim 3:13 “gain much confidenceand freedom and boldness in the faith which is [founded on and centers] in Christ Jesus”
  • To free the elders to:
    1. Minister the Word,
    2. Build up the saints
    3. Devote themselves to prayer
    4. Oversee (“Episkopos - ἐπίσκοπος” literally to bishop) the church
  • Because of the need to identify key leaders in our church, especially during our season of growth
  • To empower their sense of purpose and calling
  • In some cases, it may be a stepping stone to Eldership

 

 2. THE QUALIFICATIONS OF DEACONS

 Worthy of Respect - Reverent - 1 Tim 3:8

  • Not double-tongued, Sincere - 1 Tim 3:8
  • Not given to wine – 1 Tim 3:8
  • Not greedy of filthy lucre – 1 Tim 3:8
  • Committed and holding to the Word of God with a pure conscious – 1 Tim 3:9
  • Need to be Proved & Examined - 1 Tim 3:10
  • Be found above reproach & exercise self-control – 1 Tim 3:10
  • Faithful to their spouse, and they must manage their children and household well – 1 Time 3:12

 

Resurrection Center specific qualifications

  • Has to be serving & demonstrating potential in our teams (Diakonos – To serve, minister). Deacons will be assigned to a team leader role within the Resurrection Center teams.
  • Must show initiative to manage the affairs of God's house and who step up to the plate in times of need.
  • Core Values - Act with Excellence, Integrity, Compassion & Innovation
  • Knowledge of the process and the core beliefs of the Resurrection Center and attends Monthly Dream Team meetings.
  • Deacons should have gone through the 5 steps of Resurrection Center Process

 

Summary of the qualifications:

 

  • TESTED BEYOND REPROACH 1 Tim. 3:10).

Before one is released to serve as a deacon, they are to be observed over a period of time to see if they are qualified for that ministry. If they are found to be beyond reproach (if there are no violations in the qualities needed to serve), they may then be chosen to serve as a deacon. This is a warning against hastily choosing those for ministry for whatever reason (the pressure of needs, to fill a quota, etc.). Time is needed so their qualifications can become clearly apparent.

 

  • AS TO GOD AND HIS WORD

Holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience (1 Tim. 3:8). “The mystery of the faith” refers to the body of Christian doctrine to which we hold (believe and live by) through faith. “With a clear conscience” means a deacon seeks to honestly live by the truths of Scripture. They keep accountable to their relationship with God and His Word.

  • AS TO SELF
  1. Persons of dignity (1 Tim. 3:8). They are those who takes their life and work seriously as a part of their devotion to the Lord. They have a vision for their life’s purpose.
  2. Not double tongued (1 Tim. 3:8). They are not a hypocrite who say one thing to one person and something contradictory to another. They speak the truth, are honest. They do not destroy their credibility by words that are contradictory.

 

  • AS TO THINGS
  1. Not addicted to wine (1 Tim. 3:8). The Deacon is free from any form of substance abuse (alcohol, drugs, etc.) or any kind of addiction which might take control of their lives, cause belligerent and irresponsible behavior, and cause weaker Christians to stumble (Rom. 14:13-21)

 

  1. Not fond of sordid gain (1 Tim. 3:8). As with an elder, they must not use the office for personal gain, or be controlled by the desire for material wealth. Wrong motives kill a person’s ability to serve the Lord and love others. They cannot serve God and mammon or self-seeking goals.

 

  • AS TO FAMILY
  1. A husband of one wife (Literally, “a one-woman man” or “a one-man woman”) (1 Tim. 3:12).
  2. Good managers of their children and their own households (1 Tim. 3:12).

 

  • A SERVANT

There is one word which truly summarizes these qualifications. It’s the word SERVANT. A deacon, as with an elder, is to be a servant of God and a servant of men (Mark 10:43-45).

 

 

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