The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Thank You for giving me this opportunity to work for You. We humbly ask that You make us worthy to be Your servants. 1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. All of our devotions have a printable option at the bottom of each page if you wish to print. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money" (1 Timothy 3:8). Set us free from comparison in order to work together efficiently. All rights reserved. How would these passages help us understand the purpose of a deacons meeting? First, theres just no getting around it, somebody has to do some good preparation, and that usually falls to the chair. It can really help to put time for personal talk and informal exchange on the agenda - first. Their family lives prove that they apply the truth of Scripture in all areas of their lives. Deacon Pearson read Isaiah 55:9-12. Finally, they are to be faithful to their spouse and manage their children and home with integrity (v. 12). The agenda will show WHAT is coming up, AND, even more important, WHAT the group is being asked to do about it. #1 - Have a written agenda and give each of the deacons a copy. 1 Timothy 3:11 Verse Concepts Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach. So now we are ready to invest a bit of effort and time, because we are MOTIVATED to improve those meetings! 1 Timothy 3:8-13 Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. Father, 8 Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, 9 but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.read more.But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. The world is pulling at us from all sides, but as long as You are near, we will be able to stand firm in You. Grant [them] grace as [they] age so [they] may share your wisdom. #3 - Be prepared to lead the meeting, Remember, leadership is priceless. Even in failed attempts, You blow us away with Your faithfulness to provide what we need. My job has many responsibilities such as teaching Bible studies, planning mission trips and retreats, and offering pastoral care to students and their families. R Reset our agendas, as we sit in Your presence. Beloved, confide in Him. Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. You are our good Father, just and righteous. These. b. They are students of Scripture, holding to sound theology. 7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 6. So, we need to read all of Scripture in light of the whole Bible. Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. Amen. After almost three decades of deacons . Couples Guidance Prayer Righteous Savior, bless my role as a deacon in the church and bless my wife in her support of the work I do in Your name. They help to respect peoples time, their ideas, their willingness to serve. It is rooted in the Greek word diakanos, which is translated as deacon, minister, or servant (1). Amen. Make the agenda so it can be distributed ahead of time. Oh, right, we did that part already. b. Read through the biblical references of Deacons to learn more about its meaning and significance. Read Chapter All Versions 1 Timothy 3:8-13 8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. Kindle fervent love for the needy in the hearts of your people, that they may generously contribute to them as your stewards. This is when the pastor is best teed up to reciprocate honor to his deacon brothers. What are the implications to us? But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. read more. . There are two offices necessary to the church: pastors and deacons. But this is your time. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 1:1). Acts 20:17-38 17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. In Jesus name, I pray. These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. The deacon chair has an opportunity to initiate honor by asking his pastor for input in front of the other deacons. 24 But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. The really good chair will know which agenda item is going to push a particular persons button. Leading Others to God Prayer Light in the Darkness, keep my heart pure, let me do all that I can to lead others to You. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. It will also increase your ability to use Scripture as you minister to those inside and outside of the church. 13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. c. What does this verse contribute to our overall subject? Remind me that though I fall short of the glory of God, I am Your handiwork and I am enough. A.The Problem (verse 1)-Greek-speaking Jewish widows being overlooked in the distribution . If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. Amen. ); 6 and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Have you had experience with any of these ideas? Give [them] a humble heart when [their] work goes unnoticed. Not double-tongued (v. 8): Those who are double-tongued say one thing to certain people but then say something . Let Your light in me shine brightly for all to see. We ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. I want to do my best for You, and I need Your help to do that. I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. This allowed the apostles to focus on prayer and ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4). Setting a specific time for this meets a need, builds community, and reassures people who get quickly impatient with it because they know it has a specific boundary around it. While being dispersed across various locations, our teams can use these meetings as a time to come together and build unity. Salem Media Group. And Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. From this text and elsewhere, we know that the Bible recognizes two offices within the church: elder and deacon (cf. Keep Me Grounded Prayer Lord Jehovah, Self-Existent One, I ask that You keep me grounded and on the path You have for my life. We might even want to call someone to check something out before the meeting. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Sculpt us into Your image and make our actions illustrations of Your loving grace. Help us each . Let all things be done for building up. And they were accompanying him to the ship. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Give [them] a generous spirit when [they are] tired but needed. But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. Take my words from my mouth and replace them with Yours completely. Give me peace of mind in obedience and service. The expectations for elders differ from those of deacons in a one critical way. Give [them] a discerning mind to know your truth. P How do you start your deacon meetings? Keep my breathing deep and peaceful, let anxieties roll off my back, and help me to stay focused on supporting the elders in my church.

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