Resource Browser Page
Date |
Average Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| January 11, 2011 |
Deacons in LeadershipRoles Have you ever heard someone say that elders are to rule, and deacons are to serve? What in the world do you make of this odd separation of functions in the body of Christ? You may be asking, “What does leadership have to do with my ministry as a deacon? Isn't it the elders and the pastors who lead by ruling?” The more common portrayal of deacons is... |
|
| September 14, 2010 |
Money and Ministries of MercyDeacons In the past two years’ flurry of news headlines about the world’s financial meltdown, little attention was given to the work of deacons in the church. But their work is exactly what our world needs. In many ways the meltdown was caused by a lack of biblical imagination about what money is, and how it should be used (and not used). In their intervention and prevention work, deacons offer exactly the ministry and message our world needs... |
|
| August 17, 2010 |
Overture 16 Task Force on Office of DeaconDeacons ... encourage revitalization of the diaconate and its role in the community. ...to encourage, empower, and educate churches and broader assemblies to structure their diaconal ministry in ways that.... |
|
| April 6, 2010 |
The Deacon in Today's ChurchGetting Started The office of deacon is a unique and divine calling within the church. Although you were chosen by members of your church, you have been called and appointed by God himself to this role. The Christian Reformed Church regards the office of deacon as being of equal standing with the offices of elder and pastor. Although serving... |
|
| January 26, 2010 |
The Power of a Mission-Focused ChurchCommunity, Congregation A mission-focused church is always looking for ways to reach beyond its own needs and spread the Good News wherever God gives the opportunity. Mission-focused ministry flourishes in a church culture that says, “We are here to serve.” That sounds simple, but it becomes more complex in situations where the needs of the church conflict with the needs of those outside your church. |
|
| January 26, 2010 |
You Have Gifts!Congregation, Roles Understanding your particular giftedness will allow you to focus your primary energy on using the gifts you have in effective ministry while permitting yourself—without guilt!—to say no to other opportunities that may take you away from deploying your gifts. The key to determining whether you are using your spiritual gifts effectively is to assess if you are being fruitful and feeling fulfilled in your ministry. |
|
| January 26, 2010 |
Stewardship 101Stewardship The question you want people in your congregation to be asking themselves is “How can my whole life show that Jesus is my Lord?” That’s different than asking, “How much money do I have to give to the church?” Learning to be a good steward of all God has entrusted to us is part of our sanctification and reflects our spiritual walk with God. Your goal is to... |
|
| January 26, 2010 |
How's Your Spiritual Health?Spiritual Health Prayer and Bible study – of course! But time management? Setting boundaries? Staying healthy spiritually and emotionally is vital for those who serve. Here’s brief but golden advice to help you with this top priority in your diaconal life. |
|
| January 22, 2010 |
So Now You're a DeaconGetting Started You got roped in. Or maybe you are now a deacon as a result of a prayer you’ve been praying for years. Are you feeling just a bit uncertain? Doubtful? Skeptical? Are you wondering if missing three dozen evenings with your family over the next three years will be worth it? |
|
| January 22, 2010 |
Working with VolunteersCongregation, Getting Started Volunteers to help you! Yes, you need to think about how to identify and harness the gifts of the congregation to help the deacons do their work. This is very important both for the deacons (who will need help!), AND for the members of the congregation who need to use their gifts in ministry as we’ll discover in this excerpt from the Deacon’s Handbook. |
|
| January 22, 2010 |
Handling the MoneyRoles Of course there’s the job of handling the money. How to do that, not just efficiently, but also responsibly? What to record? How to ensure accuracy? How to ensure accountability? You’ll find clear and simple procedures in this excerpt from the Deacon’s Handbook. |
|
| January 22, 2010 |
Deacons' MeetingsRoles So, what do I do first? Go to meetings; make a plan; schedule offerings. The Deacon’s Handbook gives you enough in these two-and-a-half pages to get you started. It’ll show you the big picture in clear and practical steps. |
|
| January 22, 2010 |
The Diaconate StructureRoles Advice for Experienced Deacons: provide a good orientation to new deacons. You’ll reduce stress and increase job satisfaction if you provide new deacons with clarity about structure, roles, and responsibilities. Be sure to look for gifts of service AND administration as the following excerpt from the Deacon’s Handbook explains. |
|
| January 20, 2010 |
Kill the Deacons First!Roles It’s said that during the persecution of the church by the Roman empire, the soldiers often would kill the deacons of the church first. They did this because the deacons were so powerful in bringing new members into the church through their compassionate witness. |
|
| January 18, 2010 |
8 Responses Deacons Use in Weak EconomyCommunity It’s a harsh fact of life that when the economy tanks, many people get pitched out of work through no fault of their own. The consequences for them and their families can be devastating: economic hardship, loss of self-respect, emotional upheaval, overstressed and overstretched relationships, hopelessness, and despair. |
|
| January 12, 2010 |
In Tough Times, Ministry Remains FocusCommunity Like many churches, Imlay City Christian Reformed Church, about 25 miles (40 kilometres) northeast of Detroit, Mich., is not exempt from these difficult financial times. Come the New Year, things may get even tougher, since several of its members are connected to the auto manufacturing industry, which is struggling. Layoffs are looming.
|
|
| January 12, 2010 |
Stephen Ministers Expand Pastoral CareCongregation A group settles into a meeting room at Fleetwood Christian Reformed Church on a Tuesday evening. They greet each other warmly. They are the Stephen Ministers of Fleetwood CRC in Surrey, British Columbia. |
|
Date |
Average Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2013 |
Hey Canadian Churches - Grant Money Available!Community If you are a Canadian CRC church seeking to engage your community you may qualify for an Operation Manna grant to help your congregation complete a Community Opportunity Scan, develop a new or grown an existing community ministry! Applications are due by August 15th. |
|
| April 30, 2013 |
All I Learned From Church Is How To Do AdministrationCongregation, Spiritual Health In the middle of a poorly run meeting a question I didn't want to answer bubbled up: "Have I learned more about how to be a good administrator than I have about how to be a faithful disciple through my congregation?" |
|
| April 22, 2013 |
Lead Like Christ By Knowing HimSpiritual Health There are many ways God is revealed in our lives - however, we must be careful not to confuse God revealed with God himself! Too often we forget that things like the confessions and creeds were created to point us to a person, Christ, not to replace that person! As leaders we need to continually draw near to God, to know him more, so that we may lead his people as he would. |
|
| April 21, 2013 |
Deacon Webinars - April 24th and May 1st!Roles There are two webinars coming up which you might enjoy - Be An Effective Deacon in Today's Church (April 24th) and Diakonia Remixed: Preparing the Church For Larger Ministry (May 1st) - you can find the details here! |
|
| March 19, 2013 |
The Stewardship Series: What Kind Of People Do We Want To Become?Stewardship Every day we make decisions that draw us near to God or move us away from him - how do we ensure that the choices we may with our finances are ones that honour God and help us to become more like him? |
|
| March 5, 2013 |
The Stewardship Series - Where Should I Give?Stewardship With so many options about where we can give our financial resources it can become overwhelming to decide. Today the church is just one of many charitable organizations. With so many specialized charities and dying congregations, is giving to the church really the best option? |
|
| February 19, 2013 |
The Stewardship Series: I'm In Debt And I Can't Afford To GiveSpiritual Health, Stewardship Most of us have debt. Student Loans. Car Loans. Mortgages. Credit cards. Lines of Credit. With all these regular payments our income is quickly depleted. Add to it regular living expenses and it's clear we just can't afford to give. Giving is not a priority. But should it be? |
|
| February 12, 2013 |
The Stewardship Series: How Much Should I Give?Spiritual Health, Stewardship When it comes to financial stewardship many of us would like to have a clear answer to the question "How much should I give". Unfortunately the Bible does not give us a straight-forward answer which is why there are differing opinions about how much we are supposed to give, resulting in many confused people. |
|
| February 11, 2013 |
The Joy of GenerosityLeadership, Stewardship It was recently observed that although our weekly worship service attendance had increased steadily over the last few years—thanks be to God!—our weekly giving had not. Why? My mentor reminded me this isn’t necessarily a bad sign, as our church does bring in people with little if any church background. For some of those folks, giving to the church is a new thing, and must be taught. So that’s what I set out to do... |
|
| February 5, 2013 |
The Stewardship SeriesSpiritual Health, Stewardship Financial stewardship is a topic we don't touch on frequently in the church, yet we deal with money daily! This week we're starting our journey into the questions related to tithing, giving and money in general. It's open season on financial stewardship - so bring your thoughts and questions to the table as we discuss this topic together. |
|
| January 28, 2013 |
Diakonia Remixed Report To SynodDenomination The Diakonia Remixed report goes to Synod in a few months - have you read it? Been talking about it at your council or classis meetings? It's a good time to start preparing so that when it's time for the discussion! |
|
| January 15, 2013 |
Prayers For The PeopleCongregation, Spiritual Health We're called to devote ourselves to prayer. This year let's take that call seriously and intentionally pray for our communities knowing that God is moving, his kingdom is coming, and we have a calling to fulfill. |
|
| December 25, 2012 |
Christmastime!Community, Congregation It's Christmas Day! How did your deacon team share the joy and hope of Christ's birth with those in your congregation and community? What did you try to do to make this season reflect more truly the greatest gift we've ever received - Jesus - God become man? |
|
| December 11, 2012 |
How Young Is Too Young For Council?Denomination We talk about losing youth in our congregations. We talk about having less and less people wanting to be part of council. I wonder - why don't we start talking about youth on council. How young is too young? |
|
| November 20, 2012 |
The Poverty LineCommunity, Congregation We, as deacons, are called to a ministry of mercy. With the recent economy financial poverty has become more prevalent. The movie "The Line" shares the stories of people living at or below the poverty line in the US, and inspires us to rid ourselves of wrong assumptions and judgements. |
|
| November 5, 2012 |
Musical? Remix "Everybody Get Diakonian!" and WIN $200!Denomination The Diakonia Remixed: Office of the Deacon Task Force commissioned a diaconally-themed song "Everybody Get Diakonian!" and it is now available for you to listen to OR to remix for the chance to WIN $200 and a Deacon's Handbook! |
|
| November 3, 2012 |
Diakonia Remixed - The Final ReportThe final report from Diakonia Remixed: Office of the Deacon Task Force is available for reading! Want the link? It's here! |
|
| October 23, 2012 |
The Deacon Network Under Review - Top Blogs To Read!Getting Started Wondering what some of the hot reads have been on the Deacon Network? Wonder no more - here's a list of the top blogs based on interest and rating! |
|
| October 15, 2012 |
Need Encouragement?Spiritual Health Our diaconal responsibilities may sometimes feel repetitive or the nature of needs we're facing may be daunting. There comes a time when a break from the typical is helpful to refocus our energies and inspire us in new ways. Diaconal Ministires of Canada is hosting two "Day of Encouragement" events - and it could be exactly what you're looking for right now! |
|
| October 2, 2012 |
Deacon Related Webinar Alert!Getting Started, Roles On October 17th at 9am EST there is a webinar feature for deacons (or anyone really)! This is a great opportunity to gain practical information about what a deacon is, does and how to partner and serve well in your community! All the information is here... |
|
Date |
Average Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| February 1, 2011 |
The Church as Community AssetCommunity The Kingdom has already begun to break in - Jesus said so. The church is called and empowered to be sign and foretaste of the coming attraction. How? By becoming a kingdom community asset. Sherman discusses what this means through three dimensions of the church's life - visiting the poor and needy, making strategically foolish investments, and exercising "being there" authority. WE are life-imparters, resource allocators, and servant minded authorities who've earned the right to exercise authority by being incarnationally present. Sherman rocks the Kingdom vision. |
|
| January 24, 2011 |
Signs of Community TransformationCommunity Looking for a short but richly packed starting place for a conversation about how your church might get engaged with community transformation? You couldn't find a better place to look than in this 2 page list of questions and bullet points by Jay Van Groningen. |
|
| June 8, 2010 |
Operation Manna and Muffin MorningsCommunity Learn how a CRC diaconal resource in Canada works with local congregations, resulting in delightful community involvement. |
|
| May 24, 2010 |
The Church As Community AssetCommunity Dr. Amy Sherman unpacks the concept of the church in its community as a preview of the coming Kingdom attractions. |
|
| February 4, 2010 |
The Community Opportunity ScanCommunity Does your church know its neighbors? This resource from Diaconal Ministries Canada will help you to see where God is already at work in your community, to help you understand your community, and to reveal ministry opportunities within it. |
|
| January 26, 2010 |
Biblical Reflections on the Essentials of Being a DeaconRoles This is a reflective, richly biblical, and very challenging set of reflections on the dimensions of the role of the deacon from the Holland Deacons Conference. It could be the basis for a set of devotions at deacons' meetings; it could serve as a discussion guide... |
|
| January 21, 2010 |
Deacons' MandateGetting Started One congregation's mandate for Deacons. |
|
| January 21, 2010 |
Deacon RolesGetting Started, Roles A one-page example of one congregation's role descriptions for elders and deacons. |
|
| January 21, 2010 |
Offerings - How to Handle the MoneyGetting Started One congregation's procedure for ensuring integrity in handling offerings. |
|
| January 21, 2010 |
The Deacon's HandbookGetting Started Everything you need to know about being a deacon, all in one little book from Faith Alive. |
|
| January 21, 2010 |
Ministry Shares - Overview and FormsDenomination Need to explain ministry shares to someone? Here's a resource. |
|
| January 21, 2010 |
Offering CalendarDenomination Use this online calendar, printable calendar, worksheets, and guidelines to help you plan the offering schedule for your church. |
|
| January 18, 2010 |
Denominational IntroductionA general introduction to the Christian Reformed Church in North America. |
|
| January 18, 2010 |
How is Your Church Engaging the Community?Community A helpful checklist and discussion questions designed to assist you in checking your church's relationship to the community. |
|
| January 12, 2010 |
Books for Church LeadershipGetting Started Want to go deeper? Resources for office bearers from Faith Alive. |
|
| January 12, 2010 |
What's A Deacon to Do?Getting Started A video from the Reformed Church in America about the six dimensions of being a deacon. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
Nomination Process SampleGetting Started From start to finish, one congregation's deacon nominating process complete with tasks and timeline. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
CTS Forum on MoneyStewardship Need devotional thoughts? Here's some! Thoughts on stewardship, generosity, and contentment. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
Workshops by Diaconal Ministries CanadaGetting Started Training resources for key components of diaconal ministry, designed to provide understanding and growth for participants in diaconal ministry. The workshops are the result of much research and discussion. They are interactive and require time and effort to complete. Clarity and focus in diaconal ministry is the outcome. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
The Compassionate CongregationGetting Started This book from Faith Alive includes first-hand stories, practical advice, and resources to help churches care for people in a wide range of difficult situations. Includes sections on AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, depression, troubled relationships, single parenting, substance abuse, and more. |
|
Date |
Average Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| July 26, 2010 |
Resources for CRCNA DeaconsA treasure trove of CRCNA resources for office bearers, including many tools for use by deacons. |
|
| May 24, 2010 |
All Nations CRC Diaconal Work in WorshipCongregation How a small congregation in Nova Scotia incorporates diaconal work into worship. |
|
| January 20, 2010 |
Kalamazoo Deacons ConferenceCommunity CRC regional deacons' resources, programs, events and opportunities to serve community needs. |
|
| January 18, 2010 |
Charity NavigatorStewardship How to find a charity you can trust using a big scale rating of a broad range of charities. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
Barnabas FoundationStewardship A non-profit organization building a network of partners committed to reaching and helping the less fortunate all over the world. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
Kid's Hope USACommunity 74 CRC congregations are partnering to give hope to at-risk elementary school children through caring relationships. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
Volunteers in ServiceCommunity Created by local Deacons of the Christian Reformed Church, Volunteers In Service enables churches to be Christ's servants in their communities in West Michigan. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
Faith Alive Christian ResourcesGetting Started The publishing ministry of the Christian Reformed Church and Reformed Church in America. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
CRWRC ChampionsCommunity Most CRWRC Champions are members of a Christian Reformed Church. Their primary responsibility is to promote CRWRC within that church and to encourage involvement. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
Communities First AssociationCommunity A CRWRC partner organization that helps deacons, churches, and communities engage in wholistic, long-term, and structural responses to poverty. |
|
| January 11, 2010 |
Diaconal Ministries CanadaGetting Started A CRC ministry that inspires, equips and encourages deacons, churches and their partners in transforming communities with the love of Christ. |
