Building on the Foundation

We’ve covered this particular topic previously on the blog , but I’m studying through the subject of church leadership again, so I thought I’d take the time to do a quick overview of the subject of deacons. There are a few major questions that pop up to create division in the body, the calendar and Holy Days being two of the main ones, ironically.    Now, as far as the leadership structure in the church goes, there is really only one level of government: the elders, who do the work of oversight.  We’re not getting into that today; we’re only going to look at what a deacon is, because many Churches have made the role of deacon into a rank above the rest of the body or a title, which it is not.  First, every man and woman should be God’s deacon. It may surprise you to hear me say that, given what I’ve written about men and women in the past, but it’s true.  John 12:26 NKJV - "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. ...

Every Pastor, I’m sure, is familiar with Christ’s instructions to Peter, and the chances are good that these instructions are the guiding creed that they follow. The instructions are as follows. John 21:15-17 CSB When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? " "Yes, Lord," he said to him, "you know that I love you." "Feed my lambs," he told him.  16 A second time he asked him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me? " "Yes, Lord," he said to him, "you know that I love you." "Shepherd my sheep," he told him.  17 He asked him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me? " Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, "Do you love me? " He said, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." "Feed my sheep," Jesus said.   These instructions should guide not only every pastor but every man ...

  This post forms a sequel to my earlier post, The Flabbergasting Reason Women Should Be Deacons and Ministers . Both that article and this one lay out some things that I learned only a few months ago, when I began to deep-dive into what God’s Word really says about church government. As we saw in that first post, deacons, ministers, and servants are one and the same thing. There is no office or position of “deacon.” They hold no position of authority within the congregations, but are simply those who serve the congregation in some capacity. Both men and women may fill this role if they meet the qualifications and represent the congregation honorably. For example, women who help out with the sound system or filming, or who bring snacks for everyone to enjoy, or who serve the brethren in any other capacity, may be considered “deacons,” “ministers,” or servants to the congregation. In fact, all of God’s people are to be servants, that is, “deacons,” to one another. However, deacons, ...