Adam DeHoek

You have posed an excellent question, Melissa, and I appreciate deeply that it is being addressed here, as it is something that we are currently working through in our diaconate.  From our perspective, the answer would be a resounding yes to a defined training curriculum.

As a bit of background on the training program for our diaconate, while we had a more shoulder to shoulder approach to training in past year, we found that information could not be adequately passed down from year to year, especially to new deacons, without something in writing.  We began using the Deacon’s Handbook from Faith Alive last year and found it helpful.  This year, we decided to create a somewhat slimmed down version that spoke more directly to what a deacon’s role is in our congregation specifically.  This has served as a good resource to this point, but we certainly view it only as a first edition, and hope that it will change to meet the needs of our current deacons, as well as future deacons.

Though we don’t have a specific training calendar in place, we have sought out training opportunities and taken advantage when they have arisen.  We have participated in conferences (“The Power of With”) and deacon roundtables in an effort to broaden our knowledge on the topics relevant to our congregation and community.  This weekend, we (along with Christian Service Ministries) are sponsoring a training session on the topic of benevolent ministry, as we noticed that this was a particular opportunity for growth in our diaconate.  This training has allowed us to include deacons from neighboring congregations and classes, as well as with our ecumenical partners.

Even though we have used some of the existing tools for training and developed some of our own, to have a set training curriculum for deacons, complete with interactive and/or multimedia tools would be invaluable.  As part of this curriculum, I would hope that there would be a suggested calendar, so that training could take place on a set schedule.  Additionally, while this may be somewhat outside the scope of a training curriculum, it would be beneficial to have devotionals that could be used during each deacons meeting.  By beginning our meetings with a reminder about the call of the deacons or through words of encouragement, we would draw our focus to the special role that the Lord is allowing us to fill, and how we might be servants to those around us.

Thank you for the devotional suggestion, Terry.  I will definitely look into it.

As for the suggested calendar, my thought was that the curriculum being created could be completed in one year, or potentially three years (given that most diaconal terms are of this length), and that the curriculum developers would provide a schedule upon which the curriculum should be completed.  For example, the description of the role of the deacon (a potential first training) should be completed within the first month, or the first quarter of the year.  Having this sort of schedule would help the chair of the deacons keep his or her diaconate on track when it comes to training, knowing what they should cover and on what timeframe.  I hope that this provides some texture around my thinking, but please feel free to ask again if not.