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Deacons as agents of transformation in church and society! This overture to Synod continues an excellent dialog! The overture from Classis Grandville is asking Synod to create a task force to look hard at the ways the office of deacon could be made stronger and more strategic for...
They all filed in together at the last minute - just before the Minister himself appeared. They were all in dark suits, white shirts, and ties. Black shoes with lots of eyelets. Or was that just one especially old consistory member? Elders and deacons...
Pouncers squash ideas. Have you ever been the squasher? the squashee? A young person expresses an opinion, idea, or wish that's a little edgy or goofy or scary. An adult pounces on it to make sure it gets "fixed" before it goes too far. A spouse...
Oh my aching comfort zone! This morning my file folder ripped and a bunch of stuff filed out onto the floor. There was an article by Plantinga on how do we know if we are REALLY -- I mean REALLY -- real followers of Jesus. What it comes down to is whether I'm willing to pay the COST. Do my "good deeds" COST me something?
Could this be the moment? I get a little uneasy when I hear people talking so glibly about "kairos moments". So I hesitate to even suggest one may be upon us, BUT....Consider this cluster of stuff that has sort of congealed in my consciousness recently: there's the employment and foreclosure crisis as background to remind us of...
I am not used to thinking of Amos and Micah when I think of deacons! But there's that phrase right in the CRCNA form that "charges" the deacons: "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." An amazing echo of...
Jeff Brower's post, "Deacons - Priests or Kings?" is a gem. Wish I had written it. It stimulates us to think about deacons and their authority, their relationship to the Kingly dimension of Jesus' identity. But it also reminds us of a 43 year old report to Synod - where the "unfullfilled" nature of the deacons' role is acknowledged! What's happened since?
Would it be possible for two deacons to agree to meet regularly for prayer, for study of diaconal Bible themes, and for mutual encouragement? I wonder what God would do
Deacons, what's working? What excites and motivates the deacons in your congregation? Or, what blocks them? Share a story with us.
Is there any regular and routine setting in which the deacons are asked HOW they have ministered to the poor, and to the wealthy during the past month? Is the congregation regularly encouraged to tell stories about how they’ve lived out diaconal service? Are worship services planned regularly with references to diaconal messages, functions, roles, office? Is there a story to tell?
When is a deacon like a doodle bug?
In an entirely unReformed tactic, I dare you, in fact I double-dare you, to be the first deacon to post a story on this site. What do you have to lose?
I admit I wasn't taking this as seriously as I should have been. Greg called one day saying my name was up for nomination to deacon. Would I prayerfully consider keeping my name in the ring? I went through the common process of debating the time constraints and responsibilities with the opportunity for church leadership. You know...
"We are always on the road..." John Calvin. That's a Calvin quote from the Christianity Today of September 2009. When I read Meehan's book on Calvin, I was surprised to discover that Calvin had lived a chunk of his life on the run, fearing persecution, worshipping in caves sometimes.
I once had a boss who was in the habit of copying a page or two out of a book, and then giving it to me, saying, "Here, I think you'll find this helpful". He left me to imagine what situation or behavior of mine he was trying to help!
The Christian Reformed Church down the street sat silent, waiting. The deacons were coming. Tomorrow they would come. They would meet. They would turn on lights; they would talk and drink coffee. They would follow the agenda. They would turn out the lights and ...
How many deacons are there? Several thousand? I just can’t get this picture out of my mind – what a powerful resource to lead the CRC into a time of new energy and effectiveness!
Synod wants to rethink deacons! The challenges of today's world demand that the ministry of deacons be renewed and strengthened. Churches and classes need to be allowed to structure diaconal ministry to address these issues:
What if the most important thing a deacon could do to facilitate CHANGE would be to build a couple of really good relationships with members of the congregation? What if the purpose of the relationship was to discover together how to live a more Christ-like life, a life more marked by grace, and sensitivity to needs, and better use of gifts, and increased generosity?
Gargantuan federal deficits, increasing taxes, growing global competition, tapped out consumers, threats of inflation, corporations making profits but not hiring, banks making profits but not lending, continued unemployment, waves of foreclosures...
Today I discovered the Reformed Church in America's (RCA) booklet entitled "The Ministry of the Deacon" by Betty Voskuil. It offers a brief but helpful look at the biblical concept of deacon, and the working out of the concept in the history of the RCA. Voskuil notes that...
This question haunts me. I hardly dare to raise it. But so much depends on the answer. I'm afraid to raise it - afraid of the issues and feelings it might call forth. In a nutshell, I am hopeful, but cautiously hopeful. Deacons DO lead, lots of them. But where there is...
Yes, good ideas are often trouble. Timing is wrong, or they're not really that good, or they're great but no one can execute, or you have to exert energy heading them off without offending the source, and on and on....
Some questions just sit quietly in the back of our minds and influence our behaviors
What a picture of the organization THAT is! The denominational bureaucracy suddenly looked like a living body, eyeballs connected to kneecaps in ways that were meaningful, and affirming, and exciting. I saw “organic” instead of hierarchical. It looked sweet.
The old "word/deed" division has vexed us for many years. In my opinion, it's just not really a biblical distinction. Words can demonstrate and deeds communicate.