Being a deacon involves a lot more than passing the offering plate. Let's discuss all aspects of being a deacon.
Diaconal Ministries
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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.
What connection exists between leadership and deacons? Deacons are called to lead as they represent Jesus in the church and in the community, so here are a few examples from His ministry to remind us how serving and leading go hand in hand.
When we think about money, we tend to think about our money or my money. Yes, we know that it’s actually God’s money and that we’re stewards of that money. But it’s still easy to keep thinking about money as mine, or as God’s and mine. What’s missing in such thinking is the church. What does the church have to do with my money?
Suppose that a task force was created and had the potential to revolutionize the office of the DEACON in the CRC. What might that look like?
In this article, "In Praise of Small Churches", a small congregation magnifies its diaconal impact by incorporating diaconal life of the congregation into the weekly worship service.
The office of deacon is a unique and divine calling within the church. Although serving as a deacon has often wrongly been viewed as a stepping-stone to becoming an elder, each office has its own set of special leadership roles and responsibilities and requires specific gifts.
How to be a mission-focused church?
If you were asked to name your spiritual gifts, what would you say? The Bible identifies at least twenty spiritual gifts that are distributed by the Spirit throughout the Christian community to enable God’s work to be accomplished.
As stewards, we are in charge of everything God has given to us—our money, our time, our talents, our homes, our families—everything!
To help you recharge your spiritual batteries regularly, we’ll look at the importance of prayer and Bible study as you strive to manage your time, seek wisdom, and deal with feelings of inadequacy. Staying in shape spiritually prevents burnout!
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?
How to identify and harness the gifts of the congregation to help the deacons do their work? How to recruit volunteers?
How to handle money, 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.
So, what do I do first? Go to meetings; make a plan; schedule offerings. The Deacon’s Handbook will show you the big picture in clear and practical steps.
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.
Could the CRC experience a transformed deaconate? This year? I’m praying for that. Will you join me?
As a fellowship of believers, we can’t just leave such disasters up to the marketplace or the government to “fix.” Our congregations need to rise to the challenge of coming alongside our sisters and brothers who fall victim to the economic slump.
Christian Reformed Church congregations across North America deal with challenges in different ways. A recent e-mail poll of congregations in the CRC found a couple that reported they are barely hanging on, but they remain focused on ministry.
We’re not there to cure or fix. We give a listening ear, a presence, a support, safety.