Church Leadership 101: The Deacon

“CHURCH LEADERSHIP 101: THE DEACON”

1 Timothy 3:8-13

FBCF – 1/26/25

Jon Daniels

INTRO – WELCOME ONLINE AUDIENCE

2019 – Pastoring CWBC – Fulfilled in ministry – Happy – Loved our church FAMILY – Loved our staff – Loved our home – I was 55 yrs old & thought I was going to stay at CWBC for rest of my ministry life – in fact, that was my desire. Then something happened – YOU happened!

AMD called & asked if we could have bfast. Shared w/ me that FBCF wanted my resume’. Initial contact w/ FBCF pastor search team in July – met at Lake Tiak-O’Khata. Began about 5 months of meetings, talks, prayer, crying w/ Vicki, wrestling, seeking clear direction from the Lord. Mid-December, during a morning quiet time, received a clear word from the Lord that it was time to step out in faith & move forward. Set up a “trial sermon” – Sunday that I would be here w/ you to preach in view of call. That Sunday was supposed to be January 26, 2020 – 5 yrs ago today.

Friday AM – call from Baylee Biggs (13 yrs old) – Steve’s death. Largest funeral I officiated during my tenure at CWBC.

- Steve LOVED being a deacon – joy & privilege that he took very seriously

- Loved his pastor & pastor’s family

- Loved his church

- Never wanted to roll off deacon council – “Once a deacon, always a deacon!”

EXPLANATION – 1 Timothy 3:8-13 (p. 992)

Rob Fisher AFTER being ordained – “What’s a deacon supposed to do?”

Word study – “deacon” – diakonos – “servant, entrusted to serve the needs of believers; ones who serve”

I call them “Servant-leaders”:

- They lead by serving. They serve by leading.

- They don’t lead by intimidating. They don’t serve by abdicating.

- They don’t lead by domineering. They don’t serve by distancing themselves from others.

- They don’t lead by working behind the scenes to undermine church leaders. They don’t serve by waiting around for someone else to do the work.

- They lead by serving. They serve by leading.

- Joe McKeever: “We should think of deacons as ‘leading from the rear.’ They keep the flock together, take care of stragglers, work for unity, & help the fallen along the way.” (Help! I’m a Deacon! – p. 18)

We looked at Acts 6:1-7 at Peyton’s ordination service. Remind you that this is the first place in which a group of men was chosen & set apart to take care of some specific ministry needs within the church, setting the biblical precedent for our present-day deacon ministry. While there are not specific responsibilities detailed in Scripture for deacons, we can say that deacons are set apart in the church to take care of whatever ministry needs the church determines is needed.

APPLICATION – A strong deacon relies on his strong God.

v. 8 – “Deacons, likewise…” – Several translations: “In the same way” – MSG – “The same goes for those who want to be servants in the church…”

David Jeremiah: “The qualities for deacons are virtually identical to those for the overseer or elder, except that an overseer is expected to be ‘able to teach’ (3:2). Like the overseer, the deacon must be one whose heart is impelled by Christ, whose character is formed by Christ, & whose mind is focused on Christ.” (The Jeremiah Study Bible, p. 1704)

It takes a strong man to be a strong deacon. And just as the overseer/elder/pastor/shepherd must rely on his strong God, so must the deacon. He, too, must have:

- A STRONG PERSONAL LIFE – v. 8, 10

- A STRONG FAMILY LIFE – v. 12

- A STRONG SPIRITUAL LIFE – v. 9, 13

D.E.A.C.O.N. – Not a blatantly Scriptural outline, meaning that these 6 characteristics are not specifically named in specific Bible verses that specifically relate to deacons. But, as I’ve looked at the Word of God, I see these characteristics. As I’ve looked at books & resources written by other pastors & Biblical scholars, I see these characteristics. And as I’ve looked at the lives of Godly men who have impacted my life as they’ve served or are presently serving as deacons, I see these characteristics.

DEVOTED – To Christ – To family – To church – Clearly see that in v. 9, 13 that we’ve already looked at. But when you look at the Acts 6 passage when the original 7 were set apart, you see this statement in v. 3: “…pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom…”

- “…who are known to be full of the Spirit & wisdom…” (NIV)\

- “…spiritually-minded…” (Phillips)

“full” – “complete, lacking nothing” – Represents wholeheartedness, total sincerity, complete dedication.