WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.059 Okay, let me pray for us and then we'll come to look at this topic together. Let's pray. Lord, we want to thank you for your words to us and that it's so practical and helpful as we think about organizing church. 00:00:16.059 --> 00:00:43.700 We want to thank you that it's not us building church, but it is you building your church. We want to pray that we would take your words seriously, that we'd listen carefully to it as we seek to organize our church life together. Help us to be men and women of conviction, we pray. And help us, Lord, to do all of this for the sake of your glory and that many more people might hear about Jesus as we pray in his name. Amen. 00:00:46.060 --> 00:01:00.560 So, we've been thinking these last three weeks about how church is structured and these building blocks of church life. So, church members, church elders, and now this week, church deacons. 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:15.020 So, we looked at what it means to belong to a church, to be a member of the church, how the church has a boundary around it, that the church is to recognize who the church is and that that authority to bound the church is given to church members. 00:01:15.019 --> 00:01:24.679 We looked at elders last week and how they're to lead in the life of the church, how they're to lead through teaching the church and encouraging and pastoring the church. 00:01:24.780 --> 00:01:28.399 And then this week, we're to think about this final office, the office of deacon. 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:33.239 Now, you might remember last week, I started with two assumptions about elders. 00:01:34.199 --> 00:01:37.699 And this week, I want to start with just one assumption about deacons. 00:01:37.700 --> 00:01:47.340 Now, it's worth saying that there is not a huge amount of material in the New Testament on the office of deacons. 00:01:48.340 --> 00:01:50.620 Now, I think that has a number of implications. 00:01:51.299 --> 00:01:58.740 One of which is that I think we have to allow people liberty of conscience to disagree on some of the things that we'll talk about this evening. 00:01:58.739 --> 00:02:02.000 So you might think, oh, I'm not sure that I agree about that. 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:03.219 Well, that's absolutely fine. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:08.439 And you can talk to me about it later if you like, or you can simply shout that out if you really wanted to. 00:02:09.579 --> 00:02:16.500 But I think the material does mean that we should take seriously what is there, but also that there are room for disagreement. 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:33.900 But I think people do disagree about this, but I think there is a consensus among a lot of evangelicals, not all, but a lot, that the office of deacon is open to both men and women. 00:02:34.780 --> 00:02:41.180 Now, the reason for that is that in 1 Timothy 3, you get an interesting section on the wives of deacons, 00:02:41.180 --> 00:02:46.140 which seems, I think, probably to be more likely talking about deaconesses, female deacons. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:56.599 And then in 1 Timothy 5, you get a lot of material on widows as well in the church who also seem to be performing a very similar function to the deacon type role. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:05.260 Then in Romans 16, verse 1, Phoebe is called a deacon who is in the church of Sensory. 00:03:05.259 --> 00:03:11.939 And I think that's probably referring to a woman holding this office in the life of the church. 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:12.699 So there you go. 00:03:12.759 --> 00:03:22.899 I think the assumption is, and it's certainly in our church handbook and constitution, that men and women are able to serve as deacons. 00:03:23.139 --> 00:03:27.060 But what I want us to do for the rest of our time is spend it in Acts 6. 00:03:27.060 --> 00:03:33.219 So either turn in your Bible to Acts chapter 6, or you can look down on your handout because I've printed out the verses for you. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:34.460 You can thank me later for that. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:39.340 And I'm going to read to you Acts 6, verses 1 to 7. 00:03:39.920 --> 00:03:42.580 Let me read those verses to you and we'll spend the rest of our time there. 00:03:42.580 --> 00:03:58.380 In those days, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 00:03:59.380 --> 00:04:03.360 So the twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 00:04:03.880 --> 00:04:08.920 it would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 00:04:08.919 --> 00:04:15.339 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the spirit and wisdom. 00:04:16.219 --> 00:04:24.180 We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. 00:04:25.259 --> 00:04:28.019 This proposal pleased the whole group. 00:04:28.019 --> 00:04:41.659 They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and also Philip, Procurus, Macanel, Timon, Parmenes, and Nicholas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 00:04:42.419 --> 00:04:47.939 They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid their hands on them. 00:04:48.659 --> 00:04:50.219 So the word of God spread. 00:04:50.220 --> 00:05:02.820 Now, I don't know how much you know about the book of Acts. 00:05:02.860 --> 00:05:06.740 I don't want to make too many assumptions, but it's probably helpful just to give a little bit of background. 00:05:07.100 --> 00:05:10.480 Helpful to know at this point in church history, there is one church. 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:11.360 It's a very big church. 00:05:11.400 --> 00:05:14.300 It's there in Jerusalem with several thousand members. 00:05:14.300 --> 00:05:16.920 And the church is growing. 00:05:17.280 --> 00:05:23.060 We're told that, aren't we, even in chapter 6, verse 1, the number of disciples was increasing. 00:05:23.300 --> 00:05:27.100 Chapter 2, verse 47, the Lord is adding daily to their number. 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:32.060 But in that growing scenario, they're also being attacked. 00:05:32.060 --> 00:05:40.819 See, there is a steady increase in persecution as the apostles are being persecuted by the same people who crucified Jesus. 00:05:40.819 --> 00:05:46.519 And then also there seems to be trouble within the church as well, sin inside the church. 00:05:46.680 --> 00:05:54.540 So Ananias and Sapphira famously in chapter 5 drop dead because of their lying to the Holy Spirit about their generosity. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:06:01.300 And then here in chapter 6 comes a different kind of trouble to the church, which is the threat of disunity. 00:06:01.300 --> 00:06:15.139 And the disunity seems to be specifically around this complaint of the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews about the care of their widows in what is the daily distribution of food. 00:06:15.139 --> 00:06:27.519 It seems to be that the church in those times, and you can see this in the early chapters of Acts, are seeking to meet one another's practical needs, especially the needs of those who are unable to meet them in other ways. 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:35.819 And it seems as though there is a division between those Hebrew Jews and those Greek-speaking Jews, Hellenistic Jews. 00:06:35.819 --> 00:06:39.839 And it seems to be that care is not being provided evenly. 00:06:41.500 --> 00:06:44.439 Now, it's worth noting that this is a serious matter. 00:06:44.719 --> 00:06:50.759 It's a serious threat, not only just to the unity of the church because of these two groups arguing with one another, 00:06:50.899 --> 00:06:53.620 but also, it seems, to the ministry of the Word of God in verse 3, 00:06:54.159 --> 00:07:00.500 as the apostles have discovered that they're no longer able to carry on with the ministry of the Word and the daily distribution of food. 00:07:00.500 --> 00:07:07.420 And the solution that's given is not what you might expect, which is to tell the Hellenistic Jews, you know, 00:07:07.459 --> 00:07:08.860 stop complaining and get over it. 00:07:08.899 --> 00:07:10.560 We've got more important matters to deal with here. 00:07:11.079 --> 00:07:20.220 But rather, the apostles call the believers together in verse 2 to discuss the matter with this desire to hand on the responsibility to others. 00:07:20.220 --> 00:07:27.320 It's worth noting, isn't it, just really as an aside, but it's just worth noting that the apostles' instinct, 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:33.060 when faced with a problem in the church, is not to impose a solution of their own design, is it? 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:38.260 It is to gather the church together to seek the will of God as a company of God's people, 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:41.320 and then pursue a solution. 00:07:42.180 --> 00:07:46.440 Matt Smethurst, who wrote a book called Deacons for Nine Marks, 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:51.439 calls this the first members' meeting in history, which I guess is an interesting way of looking at it. 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:55.839 I don't know how you run a members' meeting with several thousand people discussing this, 00:07:55.899 --> 00:07:57.899 but anyway, I wonder what it was like. 00:07:58.740 --> 00:08:02.379 The result of the meeting, though, is that seven men are chosen, 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:05.459 men who, we're told, are full of the Spirit and wisdom, 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:10.500 who then serve practically in that ministry, and verse 5 lists them, 00:08:10.500 --> 00:08:15.480 with verse 6 saying that these men are presented to the apostles by the church, 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:19.220 who then commission them with the laying on of their hands. 00:08:20.579 --> 00:08:23.839 And to go back to Matt Smethurst's book on deacons, 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:26.360 he points out from this passage three things about deacons, 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:29.860 which I think are so helpful, I couldn't think of any better way of doing it, 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:34.179 and so I'm just, is it cheating, or is it research? 00:08:34.340 --> 00:08:38.159 I don't know, it's one of the two you can decide for yourself. 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:45.679 Now, one of the things that's just worth noting is that these guys aren't called deacons here, 00:08:46.019 --> 00:08:51.719 so it's probably not quite right to say these are necessarily exactly what deacons are, 00:08:51.779 --> 00:08:57.000 but it does seem that what's being set up here is a sort of paradigm for how church works, 00:08:57.000 --> 00:09:02.559 with care for practical needs, focus on the ministry of the Word of God and prayer, 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:07.539 which is picked up later in the New Testament by the office of deacons. 00:09:07.539 --> 00:09:13.559 So I think there are things to learn here, even if they're not directly deacons or called deacons. 00:09:13.839 --> 00:09:14.679 So three things. 00:09:14.899 --> 00:09:18.860 Firstly, deacons meet tangible, practical needs. 00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:26.279 Unlike the office of elders, it seems that deacons here are appointed to meet a specific practical need. 00:09:27.159 --> 00:09:33.599 So obviously, we do have people in the church who are committed to the Word of God and prayer, 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:37.100 that is the elders of the church are committed to that, right? 00:09:37.460 --> 00:09:41.639 I, as the pastor of the church, that is my responsibility that you have entrusted to me, 00:09:41.680 --> 00:09:48.600 that I might shoulder the preaching ministry and that we might be prayerful and praying for you and pastoring for you in that way. 00:09:49.240 --> 00:09:58.259 We don't, on the other hand, have a group of seven men who are seeking to distribute daily food to widows, right? 00:09:58.259 --> 00:10:07.039 It seems to be a particular practical need at a specific point in a local church, which is met by the office of deacons. 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:12.159 And the deacons, therefore, will vary according to any given church context or situation, 00:10:12.580 --> 00:10:16.860 as they seek to organize the response of the church to a particular practical need. 00:10:17.240 --> 00:10:19.419 There, I suppose, getting others serving as well. 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:22.139 I don't suppose that these seven did all the work themselves. 00:10:22.580 --> 00:10:24.840 They probably got other people to work alongside them. 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:29.759 Now, it's worth saying then, isn't it, that the word deacon really just means servant. 00:10:30.920 --> 00:10:34.019 So most of the time, the word deacon appears in the New Testament. 00:10:34.180 --> 00:10:36.820 It is simply referring to service or serving. 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:42.740 Mark 10, 45, probably the most famous verse with service or serving in it. 00:10:42.860 --> 00:10:49.139 For even the Son of Man did not come to be deaconed, but to deacon and give his life as a ransom for many. 00:10:49.620 --> 00:10:53.920 He didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:10:54.840 --> 00:11:03.220 And in such a high view of service is given in the New Testament that the deacon word becomes the tag then for those who serve in this way in the local church. 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:05.519 So Philippians chapter one, verse two. 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:07.480 I think I've printed that out in your handout as well. 00:11:08.100 --> 00:11:10.879 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus to. 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:19.800 All God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers or the elders and the deacons. 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:22.859 So you've got all three of the offices that we've been talking about. 00:11:22.979 --> 00:11:27.879 All of the people, the members, the overseers and the deacons. 00:11:28.139 --> 00:11:31.139 It's the same in 1 Timothy chapter three. 00:11:31.139 --> 00:11:37.779 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, not pursuing dishonest gain. 00:11:38.279 --> 00:11:41.720 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:43.100 They must be tested. 00:11:43.439 --> 00:11:49.899 And then if there's nothing against them, let them serve as deacons and serve as service. 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:56.460 It seems to be that the high view of service leads to this particular office in the church. 00:11:56.460 --> 00:12:05.259 Now, this focus on practical needs, I think, means that deacons are not meant to function like elders in the life of the church. 00:12:05.920 --> 00:12:10.420 Elders, like we saw, have that particular set of responsibilities and they lead together as a team. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:13.900 But the deacons here seem to be organized around needs. 00:12:13.899 --> 00:12:26.699 I think what sometimes happens in church when you have an eldership and a diaconate, as they would call it, or a group of deacons, is that the elders operate like the houses of parliament and the deacons operate like the house of lords. 00:12:26.860 --> 00:12:33.279 So these guys try and pass a rule and then the house of lords argue about it and kick it out or something. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:36.559 So as if there's like two decision making bodies in the life of the church. 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:37.980 I don't think that's how it's meant to work. 00:12:37.980 --> 00:12:41.700 I think actually what's going on in the New Testament is that the elders are meant to lead. 00:12:42.120 --> 00:12:46.259 The church members are that decision making body, as we were seeing in the first week. 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:48.659 And the deacons are there to serve. 00:12:49.700 --> 00:13:00.539 I think someone, I think it was Matt Smithhurst, put it like this, that the deacons lay the track that then the train of the church runs on as they seek to serve practical needs in the life of the church. 00:13:00.539 --> 00:13:09.079 Now, I want you to discuss with the person next to you, then, what kind of deacon roles do you think a church like ours should have? 00:13:09.539 --> 00:13:19.759 If we don't need to distribute daily food to Hellenistic and Hebraic Jewish widows, what should we be organising deacons around? 00:13:19.879 --> 00:13:21.599 So have a think with the person next to you. 00:13:22.259 --> 00:13:24.379 Come up with a list as long as you like. 00:13:25.719 --> 00:13:26.439 Go for it. 00:13:26.439 --> 00:13:26.439 00:13:30.539 --> 00:13:31.779 Okay. 00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:36.059 What did you come up with? 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:42.980 Well, what are you still coming up with? 00:13:43.139 --> 00:13:44.480 If you're still talking. 00:13:46.059 --> 00:13:47.279 Any suggestions? 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:48.899 Should we just go round? 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:51.539 We'll have a... 00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:53.799 Well, okay, you're at the front. 00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:56.500 Okay, come on then for us. 00:13:56.500 --> 00:13:59.259 So we came up with two. 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:01.580 We were saying that celebrate people's birthdays. 00:14:01.940 --> 00:14:02.179 Okay. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:02.879 Practical. 00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:03.700 Practical. 00:14:03.980 --> 00:14:06.259 Yeah, you might want to help people celebrate special occasions. 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:09.039 And then we also said visits. 00:14:09.539 --> 00:14:09.840 Right. 00:14:10.460 --> 00:14:14.860 Yeah, there might be certain elements of the sort of practical care that's going on in... 00:14:15.419 --> 00:14:15.620 Yeah. 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:18.019 Which might be needed, yeah? 00:14:18.779 --> 00:14:19.220 That's great. 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:21.259 Lola, Jen? 00:14:21.259 --> 00:14:22.259 Yeah. 00:14:25.259 --> 00:14:25.740 Yeah. 00:14:27.299 --> 00:14:27.779 Yeah. 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:28.939 Cleaning and prayer. 00:14:29.179 --> 00:14:29.439 Interesting. 00:14:29.539 --> 00:14:30.179 Why did you say prayer? 00:14:30.299 --> 00:14:34.259 Prayer is on the list of the ones for the... 00:14:35.539 --> 00:14:43.840 Oh, of like organising the distribution of information. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:49.840 Oh, I see. 00:14:50.040 --> 00:14:50.220 Okay. 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:53.220 So like communication of information. 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:53.780 Yeah. 00:14:53.980 --> 00:14:54.180 Yeah. 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:57.720 Rather than someone who's actually just praying. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:14:58.840 Yeah. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:14:59.139 Okay. 00:14:59.300 --> 00:14:59.440 Right. 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:00.280 I'm with you here. 00:15:01.920 --> 00:15:02.180 Great. 00:15:02.660 --> 00:15:03.019 Grace. 00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:03.840 And also... 00:15:04.540 --> 00:15:04.759 Go on. 00:15:04.820 --> 00:15:06.560 Let's keep going because otherwise you'll get more. 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:06.820 Yeah. 00:15:09.220 --> 00:15:09.580 Yeah. 00:15:12.160 --> 00:15:12.519 Yeah. 00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:12.600 Yeah. 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:24.399 So we just thought that you needed more of them. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:26.820 You didn't think what they might do. 00:15:29.940 --> 00:15:30.540 Oh, I see. 00:15:30.660 --> 00:15:30.820 Right. 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:31.019 Yeah. 00:15:33.160 --> 00:15:33.740 That's right. 00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:36.460 It's really clear that, isn't it, at the end of verse 2. 00:15:37.220 --> 00:15:40.420 That we might devote ourselves to golf. 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:40.900 Yeah. 00:15:40.900 --> 00:15:41.220 Right. 00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:42.420 So... 00:15:42.420 --> 00:15:48.080 Liz, Rebecca, Vida, anything more sensible than that? 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:53.040 yeah 00:15:53.040 --> 00:15:58.660 yes 00:15:58.660 --> 00:16:00.000 yes 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.720 yep 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:07.180 yes 00:16:07.180 --> 00:16:08.639 yeah 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:11.900 yeah 00:16:11.900 --> 00:16:12.000 yeah 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:18.580 okay 00:16:18.580 --> 00:16:23.299 that's great 00:16:23.299 --> 00:16:27.259 I mean when you've not been for a few weeks you get a text don't you sometimes 00:16:27.259 --> 00:16:31.419 so I will sometimes send texts out to people saying we're missing you 00:16:31.419 --> 00:16:33.960 sorry but yes I think you're right 00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:38.460 where do you think that's an elder responsibility and where do you think that's a deacon responsibility 00:16:38.460 --> 00:16:47.280 yes 00:16:47.280 --> 00:16:49.040 yes 00:16:49.040 --> 00:16:52.040 yeah 00:16:52.040 --> 00:16:55.440 yes 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:59.360 it might it might be easy to you can think about it in another category can't you say 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:04.140 money for example so you might have a deacon for money like a church treasurer 00:17:04.140 --> 00:17:12.960 and they might spot something in the giving which says hey this person stopped giving last month and they've never given 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:21.779 again that they might then take to the elders and say we think there might be a pastoral problem here that you might want to go and talk to them and deal with them on 00:17:21.779 --> 00:17:30.599 might be the same might say that he says actually we've not I keep a kind of note of who we've been seeing in the children's ministry and we've not seen this family for 00:17:30.599 --> 00:17:38.679 several weeks that might there might be a problem there or you know you say do you want to go and see them yeah so there's definitely overlap 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:39.680 yeah 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:39.680 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:47.500 yes I totally agree let's not draw the lines too sharply but yes yeah 00:17:47.500 --> 00:17:48.500 yeah 00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:48.500 00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:48.500 00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:18.500 yeah 00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:18.500 00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:22.500 yeah 00:18:22.500 --> 00:18:32.500 yeah so you might actually so there might be two ways of doing it right there so I think when we were talking about elders last week we're talking about recognizing elders in the life of the church so there might be two ways of doing it right there 00:18:32.500 --> 00:18:34.500 yeah 00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:35.500 yeah 00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:41.279 yeah so you might actually so there might be two ways of doing it right there 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:50.740 so I think when we were talking about elders last week we're talking about recognizing elders in the life of the church so these are people doing eldering and you're recognizing them as elders 00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:56.240 and it seems to be there's a particular practical concern and there's a seeking after people who will help solve that 00:18:56.240 --> 00:19:09.019 but it might also be that there are people in the church who are serving practically and you recognize them as deacons in order to affirm them in what they're doing and establish them in what they're doing yeah 00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:13.019 anything from down the front to add to what we've said 00:19:13.019 --> 00:19:20.019 yeah 00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:27.019 yeah 00:19:27.019 --> 00:19:34.799 yes we're going to come and talk about character in a moment yeah but yes you're right to endorse importance of character gone 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:41.799 yes 00:19:41.799 --> 00:19:48.339 no that's great let's let's pin that question we'll come back to that in a moment yeah about staff 00:19:48.339 --> 00:19:50.339 anything else 00:19:50.339 --> 00:19:59.659 okay building catering center school youth great okay yeah that's just one deacon role 00:19:59.659 --> 00:20:03.279 great anything else from you through at the front 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:13.500 admin yeah she might have a church administrator doing a number of those things you would pick up the sort of list of names things that you were talking about back yeah 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:20.500 okay so there you go first first one about serving uh particular practical needs secondly deacons promote unity 00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:30.500 i think what's obvious from this passage in acts is that the practical problems in the church were a real threat to unity and it's just worth thinking isn't it that 00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:41.500 church unity is not just threatened by theological issues but also by practical issues so churches don't just fall out over questions regarding the lord's supper or charismatic gifts or the atonement or whatever it is 00:20:41.500 --> 00:20:56.500 but churches can be split just because they're badly run or badly organized that's the threat isn't it here in act six and like we've seen it's taken seriously and so for us churches today can split can't they because 00:20:56.500 --> 00:21:14.500 maybe the children's ministry has been neglected or overlooked and it needs some care or maybe because the building is not being looked after or because the money is badly managed or because the rotas are poorly organized that people don't get an opportunity to serve or they're serving all the time or whatever it is 00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:36.500 and so for us one example i came across this week was the appointment of a deacon for car parking so this was a city center church with a very small car park and people were getting sort of stressed and anxious and annoyed with each other because when they came they had to double park and then they could never get their cars out and it was it sounds completely unfamiliar doesn't it but anyway they 00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:59.500 uh what they did is they think well okay here is here's a threat to the unity and peace of our church what do we need we need a deacon for car parking we need someone who is willing to serve in that area to be what they called a shock absorber to the trouble in the church so that they could take the stress out of that situation and that's it here in act six isn't it 00:21:59.500 --> 00:22:24.500 i think that we can be even more specific than just general problems it seems that practical divisions in the church often fall around ethnic or even economic lines seems here that it's the jewish background widows who are um sorry the hebraic jews who seem to be getting the food and the helen hellenistic jews not getting it seems to be falling around kind of ethnic divides 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:48.500 in one corinthians and in the book of james it seems like it's the poor who are being neglected in the life of the church and that's how it often works out isn't it in the way that something is run or organized it makes certain assumptions that become inaccessible to other groups or because of pressure points in the life of the church we just fall into worldliness in the way that we divide our church up 00:22:48.500 --> 00:23:03.500 so we need to be careful don't we if it's difficult for a particular person from a certain background to understand what we're doing or if church is so poorly organized that it's impossible for people without a church background to understand what's going on then we need to be careful don't we 00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:16.500 and what will happen is we'll just divide in the same way that the world does so this is the role of the deacon they promote church unity by taking practical problems in the life of the church and solving them on behalf of the body 00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:27.500 so that they don't become a big issue or a threat to unity now to pick up mike's point louise's point i guess it was probably also clifford's point as well 00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:45.500 if this yeah if this is the role of a deacon in the life of the church if a deacon is to be a promoter of unity a shock absorber to trouble in the church what kind of person are you looking for to be a church deacon what kind of character should you be looking for 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:53.359 have a think with the person next to you about that you might want to have a look at the passage and at 1 timothy 3 as well if you'd like to 00:23:53.359 --> 00:24:03.099 okay oh my goodness look at the time right let's carry on 00:24:03.099 --> 00:24:10.980 i am hoping i'm not going to go around and get you to all tell me your answers but i'm hoping that you said things like 00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:18.740 they need to be a peacemaker they need to be someone who is gentle with others someone who is 00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:24.920 godly and wise and discreet so what i think i was trying to get you to say so that you can see some of 00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:29.900 those qualifications in the passage from 1 timothy what i think i'm trying to get you to see is that it's not 00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:35.799 just an ability to serve in that particular practical way they need to serve that practical way 00:24:35.799 --> 00:24:43.980 in a manner that breeds unity right so that doesn't stir up division they need to be somebody who is 00:24:43.980 --> 00:24:53.899 gracious and kind and gentle with others okay thirdly deacons support the ministry of the word 00:24:53.899 --> 00:24:59.519 if you have a look back at acts chapter 6 the apostles are concerned that the overwhelming practical needs of 00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:05.379 the church and the right demand of fairness are going to be too difficult for them to bear practically 00:25:05.379 --> 00:25:11.639 and the ministry of the word will suffer so the instruction to appoint is given in verse 4 so the 00:25:11.639 --> 00:25:16.019 apostles can give their attention to prayer and the ministry of the word and the result of their 00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:21.700 appointment verse 7 is that the word of god spread and the number of disciples in jerusalem 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:28.000 increased rapidly and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith fascinating isn't it 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:34.680 that the result is not said in that the hebraic jews and hellenistic jews stop falling out with one 00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:39.539 another but that the consequence of them not falling out with one another is that the word of god 00:25:39.539 --> 00:25:46.200 spreads and that there are more people becoming christians including especially a large number of 00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:51.900 priests now this is really important isn't it deacons serve the church not only by meeting the particular 00:25:51.900 --> 00:25:57.019 practical need but also by ensuring that the elders of the church are able to devote themselves to the 00:25:57.019 --> 00:26:01.940 ministry of the word of god and prayer and that benefits not only the people that are practically 00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:06.960 serving but also the rest of the church which is as a result better cared for and pastored 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:15.200 and also the community which gets to hear the gospel more clearly now i think that's why in 1 timothy 3 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:22.139 paul talks about elders and then immediately goes to talking about deacons not because they're doing the 00:26:22.140 --> 00:26:27.320 same thing but because their mission essentially has the same goal that the word of god might be heard 00:26:27.320 --> 00:26:31.740 that people might be committed to the ministry of the word and prayer and the gospel might go forward 00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:38.540 and one serves the other so in that sense and to rob another bit from matt smethurst's book um i think 00:26:38.540 --> 00:26:44.940 he probably robbed it from someone else deacons are in some ways assistance to the elders so they are to 00:26:44.940 --> 00:26:50.900 assist the elders in their work not by necessarily being directly involved in the same thing but by 00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:57.120 liberating them by serving practically in the life of the church now i hope you can see that makes the 00:26:57.120 --> 00:27:01.740 ministry of the deacons really serious it's not a second-rate office is it it's not a role that doesn't 00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:09.880 really matter a church without deacons is poorer in lots of ways one because there'll be lots of practical 00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:15.120 needs that are not met and unity tensions that are building but also because the elders won't be 00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:18.920 elvering properly because they'll be giving their attention to things they shouldn't be having to give their 00:27:18.920 --> 00:27:29.220 attention to it also means doesn't it if you have just deacons and no elders then deacons become de facto 00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:34.920 elders right so what happens if you don't have elders but you just have deacons those deacons then 00:27:34.920 --> 00:27:40.300 assume all the responsibilities of leadership and become de facto elders which doesn't serve the church 00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:46.799 either probably because those deacons who are acting as elders are focused on practical need 00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:51.119 and not spiritual need and so the ministry of the word of god will suffer 00:27:51.119 --> 00:28:00.539 now that's a quick whistle through of what i wanted to say i wanted you to discuss one last thing in 00:28:00.539 --> 00:28:06.000 groups in what ways do you think the practical needs of the church can prevent the ministry of the word of 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:13.420 god and prayer happening today so maybe just for a couple of minutes with the person next to you and then we'll 00:28:13.420 --> 00:28:17.220 take some feedback and questions before i close in prayer go for it 00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:29.259 okay anyone want to feed anything back or ask another question we have a hanging question about staff teams 00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:37.460 so let me answer your question directly and then you can come back at me if you think i'm wrong 00:28:37.460 --> 00:28:44.799 okay i think you might decide in the life of a church that there is such a significant practical need 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:50.559 that it is worth using the financial resources of the church to set aside someone to do that deacon role 00:28:50.559 --> 00:29:00.139 full time i i think actually this is particularly pertinent in churches now as opposed to like 20 or 30 00:29:00.139 --> 00:29:06.940 years ago the administrative burden on churches now when you have to run a safeguarding policy a gdpr 00:29:06.940 --> 00:29:12.960 policy financial policies uh recruiting policy all these sorts of things the the administrative burden 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:19.779 is so great that i think is almost impossible for even a quite sort of small to medium-sized church 00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:25.319 to run without someone being paid to do the admin because it's just really difficult in volunteer hours 00:29:25.319 --> 00:29:31.559 so that's then you might also because i think again we looked at this last week didn't we that you might 00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:36.460 also decide that it is worth the resource of the church to set someone aside in order to spend their 00:29:36.460 --> 00:29:41.100 time studying the scriptures in order to teach and shoulder the majority of the preaching responsibility 00:29:41.099 --> 00:29:46.079 so they become a staff and then you end up establishing a mini staff team which i think 00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:52.119 are essentially working alongside either as paid deacons or paid elders and that's how they form into 00:29:52.119 --> 00:30:01.579 that yeah so yeah you might so you might call them deacons or elders but i think you might also call them 00:30:01.579 --> 00:30:07.539 a staff team and there might be people that you employ in the life of the church who never become an elder 00:30:07.539 --> 00:30:13.240 or a deacon for example you might employ a cleaner who wouldn't necessarily become a deacon 00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:20.079 or you might employ someone for a season to do a certain set of jobs so you might get someone to 00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:30.700 paint the church who doesn't become a deacon by doing it yeah yeah any other anyone want to feedback on the 00:30:30.700 --> 00:30:37.000 question particularly where do you see practical needs of the church over running ministry 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:40.319 yes 00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:50.939 yes 00:30:50.939 --> 00:30:51.939 yeah 00:30:51.939 --> 00:30:55.939 yeah 00:30:55.939 --> 00:30:57.939 yeah 00:30:57.940 --> 00:31:16.559 right 00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:17.559 uh 00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:24.340 let me just check up understood your question rightly so um are we saying essentially that deacons are not 00:31:24.339 --> 00:31:29.459 are doing things that we're all all should be involved with 00:31:29.459 --> 00:31:36.480 a lunch yeah okay yeah right 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:39.959 yeah 00:31:39.959 --> 00:31:47.959 yes okay so so things that christians are commanded to do like particular care 00:31:47.960 --> 00:31:54.980 outreach with the homeless supporting particularly needy groups that are in the orbit of the church 00:31:54.980 --> 00:31:57.620 yeah so they see those and respond to those 00:31:57.620 --> 00:31:59.079 yeah i think you're right 00:31:59.079 --> 00:32:00.059 yeah 00:32:00.059 --> 00:32:01.079 i 00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:05.680 i don't know whether this is sort of connected to that question but i also think there's a responsibility 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:07.079 of deacons to sort of 00:32:07.079 --> 00:32:10.799 encourage other church members to be involved as well 00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:13.799 so i i think it's the organization of 00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:16.859 as well as the doing of yeah 00:32:16.859 --> 00:32:18.220 yeah 00:32:18.220 --> 00:32:18.220 00:32:18.220 --> 00:32:21.759 yeah 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:21.759 00:32:43.799 --> 00:32:48.779 yeah yes 00:32:48.779 --> 00:32:52.599 yeah yeah yeah 00:32:52.599 --> 00:33:00.659 yeah yes so it's our and it's interesting this in act six that responsibility is on the whole 00:33:00.659 --> 00:33:07.240 church isn't it to find those people it's not my job or the leader's job it's it's all of our job 00:33:07.240 --> 00:33:11.059 to identify these people and to get them serving so that with the ministry of the word of god can 00:33:11.059 --> 00:33:16.619 go forwards yes i think so i think that's i think that's right that's helpful let me just say one 00:33:16.619 --> 00:33:20.619 very concrete thing about our own church situation at the moment what's happened in the merge of our 00:33:20.619 --> 00:33:29.079 church is we have combined um say redeemer had only elders and no deacons and west kilburn had deacons 00:33:29.079 --> 00:33:34.960 and no elders and so now we've got to smoosh that group into what is a joint leadership team 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:40.799 who are performing the functions of both elders and deacons all together and then we have a few 00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:47.779 staff teams along staff team members alongside them as well the reason that we are moving towards 00:33:47.779 --> 00:33:54.259 separating that out into elders and deacons is because of these things in the bible it is not good 00:33:54.259 --> 00:34:00.000 for one group of men to own all of that responsibility in the life of the church 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:05.720 and so we need to pass that out in order that we really want to see don't we that the word of god 00:34:05.720 --> 00:34:12.380 spreads and the number of disciples in kilburn and queens park increases rapidly right that's that's 00:34:12.380 --> 00:34:20.760 that's our desire and so all of us working together to identify leaders deacons and elders people who 00:34:20.760 --> 00:34:24.579 are going to serve in particular areas of the life of the church that's really important if we want to 00:34:24.579 --> 00:34:30.460 see the gospel go forwards so desiring to do these roles to be the kind of people who can do these roles 00:34:30.460 --> 00:34:35.360 it's really important for the ministry of the word of god and you might think well how on earth is 00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:41.400 doing this kind of you know running the cleaning rata how is that kind of helping the ministry of 00:34:41.400 --> 00:34:47.099 the gospel well it is exactly helping the ministry of the gospel because we need a clean building in 00:34:47.099 --> 00:34:51.159 order to meet and gather in don't we how is you know organizing the money how is that part of that 00:34:51.159 --> 00:34:55.240 well it's all the same it's all the same sort of thing as we're working together and we don't want 00:34:55.239 --> 00:35:00.259 one group of people owning all that responsibility on their own so let me pray for us that the lord 00:35:00.259 --> 00:35:07.779 would provide for us and then we'll go home let's pray heavenly father i want to thank you just 00:35:07.779 --> 00:35:14.679 especially for um the people in this room he's serving lots of different ways in the life of our 00:35:14.679 --> 00:35:21.479 church and we want to pray that together as a church family we would organize the life of our church 00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:27.800 in such a way that the ministry of the word of god goes forwards for the glory of your name we want 00:35:27.800 --> 00:35:31.880 to pray that it wouldn't just be one group of people owning all the responsibility and decision 00:35:31.880 --> 00:35:36.980 making in the life of the church we want to pray that it wouldn't just be one individual who feels 00:35:36.980 --> 00:35:43.480 the responsibility to find and solve every problem but lord that we would work together as a church 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:47.659 family for the sake of your glory thank you for the wonderful ways you've provided for us 00:35:47.659 --> 00:35:53.159 thank you that you've provided for all of our needs and pray that you would continue to do so for the 00:35:53.159 --> 00:35:56.960 sake of your name amen amen thanks everybody