Eric Smith's Pastoral Musings

The Four "P's" of Deacon Ministry at MBBC - The Person, The Purpose, The Priority, and The Practice of a Deacon

1. THE PERSON: Who can be a Deacon?

A person meeting the scriptural qualifications as set forth in 1 Tim 3:8-13 and Acts 6:1-7.

1 Tim. 3:8-13

In the same way, deacons must be people who are respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers and must not be greedy for money. ⁹They must be committed to the revealed truths of the Christian faith and must live with a clear conscience. ¹⁰Before they are appointed as deacons, they should be given other responsibilities in the church as a test of their character and ability. If they do well, then they may serve as deacons.

¹¹In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not speak evil of others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.

¹²A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. ¹³Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Acts 6:1-7

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke Greek complained against those who spoke Hebrew, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. ²So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers.

"We apostles should spend our time preaching and teaching the word of God, not administering a food program," they said. ³"Now look around among yourselves, brothers, and select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this business. ⁴Then we can spend our time in prayer and preaching and teaching the word."

⁵This idea pleased the whole group, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had now become a Christian). ⁶These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

⁷God's message was preached in ever-widening circles. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

2. THE PURPOSE: What is the Purpose of the Martin Bluff Baptist Church Deacon Ministry?

To under the direction of the Pastor express the love of Jesus Christ to the church family and the greater community in practical ways.

What Scriptures should guide a Deacon in service?

Jeremiah 22:16

He made sure that justice and help were given to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn't that what it means to know me?" asks the Lord.

Matthew 25:35-40

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. ³⁶I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'

³⁷"Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? ³⁹When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' ⁴⁰And the King will tell them, 'I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'

James 1:27

Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.

James 2:20

. . . faith that does not result in good deeds is useless.

3. THE PRIORITY: What priority should a deacon give his ministry?

We live in a demanding age. The most precious commodity in our day is time. We must prioritize the use of our time. A person who accepts the office, ministry and responsibility of deacon is committing first to Christ and then to the church. The commitment will demand the investment of time. A deacon should expect to make a minimum investment of 4 hours per week outside of the Sunday morning worship hour to perform the ministry of deacon.


4. THE PRACTICE: What Are Some Practical Ways in Which Deacons Serve Christ and His Church?

Deacons support the ministry of the Word, work to maintain the unity of the church, and care for the physical needs of the church.

MBBC Deacons take responsibility:

For seeing that the sick, the grieiving, the aged, and the infirm receive spiritual and physical comfort;

For leading the hospitality ministries of the church;

For attending to the normal care and maintenance of church properties;

For receiving, holding, and disbursing a fund for benevolence, and for reporting from time to time on the use of such funds to both the Pastor and the church;

For attending to the accommodations for public worship;

For assisting in distributing the elements during the Lord’s Supper; and

For serving in other specific capacities as the church has need.