Daily Accepted, Transformed, and Compelled by God's Love
Church Roles
We often assume that everyone in our church knows how the local church functions. But as Pastor Tom has been pointing out, many newcomers to our congregation have no church background. Many of us from other church backgrounds are more familiar with how those churches functioned than we are with the Adventist church we joined some time ago. This month we look at the role of deacons in our local church through Head Deacon, Bob Taylor.
“My vision of a Deacon, and the role of the Deacons in our church family, is shaped by two inputs. First, scripture. Second, guidance from Pastor Tom and the Church Board. Scripturally, we find our roots and purpose in Acts 6:1-6. The original seven Deacons were selected by the congregation and given the task of managing the daily distribution of food. Their ultimate purpose was to free the Disciples of this work in order to allow them “prayer and the ministry of the word”.
“At TLC we strive to continue to fulfill this purpose in the church family. We Deacons serve through physical service in order to free others to focus on “prayer and the ministry of the word”. Prior to accepting the role of Head Deacon, Pastor Tom and I discussed in detail the church leadership’s expectations and vision for the Deacon program. In general, their vision was the scriptural mandate simply refined by TLC specific tasks.
“The practical application of our scriptural Deacon duties at TLC encompasses the tasks of opening the church at 8:30am on Sabbaths, handling the offering, closing and securing the church in the evenings, setting up the Fellowship Hall for all Fellowship Dinners and other events, grounds and building maintenance, and any other physical task that needs to be done in support of the body.
“The Head Deacon provides purpose, direction and motivation to the Deacon organization. He is the primary point of contact for the body regarding support that is required of the Deacons. He works closely with the Pastor, the Church Administrator and the Head Deaconess to ensure that all of the support requirements of the Body are met. He serves on Church Board, Worship Committee, and Emergency Preparedness.
“The Deacon structure currently includes a Head Deacon and an Assistant Head Deacon as Church Board sanctioned leadership positions. Within the Deacons, we also have a number of subordinate Sabbath Leaders, and of course the rank-and-file Deacons. The Head Deacon, with the help of the Assistant Head Deacon, takes the lead in planning and coordination with Church leadership and the Deaconesses. Sabbath Leaders organize and manage Sabbath service support.
“The Deacons are fortunate to be founded so clearly in the scriptural guidance of the early church body. As a result, we have a clearly defined role. We serve the body through our physical works. TLC’s Deacons will continue to fulfill that role. I am pleased to fulfill our scripturally defined duties. We find enough there to keep us engaged.
“Early on in my tenure I attempted to provide structure and organization to the Deacons. Many of these changes have been valuable, but quite a few have not worked out. What I have come to understand is that a loosely defined organization led by a small core of organizers is the most effective way to run the Deacons. Within that context, Deacons and others, tend to eagerly step forward to serve when the need is visible. As a result, I try to lead by example while attempting to set the conditions for maximum participation.
“The original Deacons passed out food. To fulfill this duty they simply had to be there and care enough to serve. The Deacon is not a glamorous position, it simply requires you to be there and be willing to help. The ideal deacon fulfills that description.”