Knowing Your Why

“When you know you’re ‘why’, you’re ‘what’ becomes more clear and impactful.” So says comedian Michael Jr. (Watch this short clip here: Know Your Why.)

So… why does Diaconal Ministries Canada exist?

We want to see communities across Canada transformed by the love of Christ. (Phew! That’s a tall order.) 

So, what do deacons have to do with this transformation? 

Have you ever read the Charge to the Deacons? This is what is read and what deacons promise to do when they are installed in their local CRC church:

I charge you deacons, to inspire faithful ministries of service to one another, to the larger community, and to the world. Remind us that the Lord requires us “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with [our] God” (Micah 6:8). Teach us to be merciful and to seize new opportunities to worship God with offerings of wealth, time, and ability. Realize that benevolence is a quality of our life in Christ and not merely a matter of financial assistance. Therefore, minister to rich and poor alike, both within and outside the church. Weigh our opportunities for giving and service and use the church’s resources discerningly. Be compassionate to those in need and treat them with dignity and respect; hold in trust all sensitive matters confided to you. Encourage with words that create hope in hearts and with deeds that bring joy into lives. Be prophetic critics of the waste, injustice, and selfishness in our society, and be sensitive counselors to the victims of such evils. Let your lives be above reproach; live as examples of Christ Jesus; look to the interests of others. And in all your ministries help us participate in the renewing of all things even as we anticipate its completion when God’s kingdom comes.

Now read it again. It’s okay, we’ll wait.

WOW! There is a lot in there.

To put it more simply, one Diaconal Coach summarized it this way: “Deacons give visionary and practical leadership to the body of Christ in its calling to do justice, love mercy, and be agents of God’s shalom - locally, regionally, and globally. (David Hornor, Classis BCSE & BCNW) 

Did you catch that? Deacons give “visionary and practical leadership”; they aren’t supposed to do all the work themselves. Deacons are to empower members of their congregation and partner with neighbouring churches and organizations and Christian services to carry out their robust mandate and calling. As Diaconal Coach Anita Plat-Kuiken says: “Deacons must take time to see where God is at work and encourage their congregations to follow that lead.”

Therefore, since our ‘why’ is seeing all communities across Canada transformed through the love of Christ, then deacons are our ‘what’! 

So how does DMC equip and empower deacons in this work? 

Diaconal Ministries Canada works closely with deacons so they can be at their best, says Ron Vanden Brink, National Director. “Since ministry must be done by all members of the congregation and deacons are the ones out front, providing the opportunities and communicating the vision for this work, this is what we help them do - through the power and leading of the Holy Spirit.”

To do this more practically, we divide the Charge to the Deacons into four (4) main focus areas: community engagement, justice, benevolence/mercy, and stewardship, PLUS leadership development.

Our People

Our first way of equipping deacons is by our ‘boots on the ground’: our field staff (two Regional Ministry Developers - one in Western Canada, one in Eastern) and our amazing team of Diaconal Coaches (approximately one per classis). 

Mark Vanderwees, Regional Ministry Developer (RMD) for Eastern Canada believes his primary role is to “help set the conditions where a diaconate/team of deacons has the resources to flourish in the ways their diaconal mandate envisions. The most direct way is supporting our team of Diaconal Coaches to understand their role so they in turn can equip the deacons and mobilize their churches into love and action.”

“The greatest joy in working with deacons,” shares Rachel Vroege, RMD for Western Canada, “is seeing a team move from discouragement or uncertainty to excitement and renewed energy for the grace-filled opportunity we have to live out our faith in a ministry of both word and deed.”

Jean deBeer, Diaconal Coach for Classis AB South/Saskatchewan, works to provide inspiration, encouragement, and commitment by just being available and connecting with deacons and churches regularly. “I not only do this with them in their roles as deacons, but also with them as individuals; people with personal lives and families.”

Fred Vandersterre has been a part of Diaconal Ministries for over 30 years! He knows that the best way to support deacons is by listening, hearing about the joys and challenges of their ministry. “This often leads to opportunities to ask questions and help them come up with possible solutions. I will also propose some options or invite them to a workshop.”

Our Programs/Resources

As noted above, the toolbox our staff and coaches carry with them contains relevant workshops and trainings, as well as a number of partnerships we’ve developed so that deacons can gain insight and resources to help them live out their calling, both in their church and in their local community. We also conduct a variety of consultations and do one-on-one coaching. 

Our Diaconal Blog is a place for inspiration and story sharing which can help deacons expand their imaginations of what God may be calling their church into!

We know our why - and now you do too

Think with us for a moment: What would the world look like if every deacon was able to fully live out their mandate? We believe, as David Hornor suggests, that we could bring God’s shalom to each and every corner of this world.

Everything we do is because we want to see communities transformed with the love of Christ - to see God’s shalom here on earth as it is in heaven. And we believe deacons play a key role in that transformation. When deacons are at their best, churches and communities can flourish and lasting change can happen, to the glory of our great God!

Want to learn more?

If you would like to hear more about our ‘what’ (ie. how we work with deacons and how that work has been making an impact on churches and communities), read our recent Annual Report and visit our website today!