Developing Deacons

Deacons carry significant responsibilities in many of our churches. And so they should! When you read the New Testament you find that they were chosen because they were men of God, full of faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6, where many see these as prototype deacons) and their character was tested almost as much as elders’ (1 Timothy 3). This can be a frightening role for any man to take on. What is even more frightening is that one of the first deacons became the first Christian martyr (Acts 7)!

We are offering the opportunity for men and women in this role (or those who may take up this responsibility in the future) to come together to learn what is involved in this ministry from a Biblical standpoint, to discuss together their own experience of the joys, challenges and the pitfalls of being a deacon and to encourage one another to serve the Lord of the Church more effectively. (We are happy to include women deacons for the sake of evangelical unity, as we know some of our churches do have women deacons, but this should not be interpreted as an attempt to promote a particular position. This is an area of genuine disagreement amongst Bible people who are sincerely evangelical; we want to respect both positions.)

It may be that you have been a deacon for fifteen years, five months, or maybe you are just considering the possibility of taking on this role. Whatever your situation, this course is for you! Don’t miss it! This is a very rare opportunity. We haven’t heard of anything like this being done before.

Developing Deacons will certainly repay you several times over for the time you invest in it. You probably feel busy already, but make it a priority to spend nine evenings looking with experienced tutors and other course members in the same situation as yourself at this role and seeking to develop your gifts for the Lord.