06 May 2010

IX Marks E-Journal on Deacons

IX Marks has published their latest e-journal on the role of the deacon. It's pack full of good stuff - well worth a read no matter what role you fulfill in your church. I found Jamie Dunlap's article, Deacons: Shock Absorbers and Servants particularly well done. Though I don't agree with it in its entirety (such as limited terms of service and not meeting as a "deliberative body") it has many points worth considering such as:

The elders are called to “direct the affairs of the church” (1 Timothy 5:17), and deacons are called to support that direction. In our churches, then, elders should make directional decisions while deacons facilitate congregational involvement to make that vision a reality.

Thus:

When standing diaconal committees begin to feel that they “own” specific ministry areas of the church, it becomes difficult for them to avoid making direction-setting decisions that should be left to the elders. After all, even things as “worldly” as the building or the budget have highly spiritual dimensions in their administration.

Well said. Many of us are aware of this type of conflict arising in churches today.

Read the entire article here and the e-journal here. Be blessed as you put this info to use for God's glory.

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