He and his wife, Kris, were married in 1982 and have two married daughters, a son, and five grandchildren. I will cross raging waters and walk through burning flames and not be afraid because You are with me through it all. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. May all glory go up to You when we reach the finish line and climb over benchmarks. Grant [them] grace as [they] age so [they] may share your wisdom. It is seen in several places in Scripture, most often describing someone who is a domestic servant that is subordinate to their superior. What if better preparation meant shorter better meetings?! Allow both my wife and me to be encouragers, supporters, and smile-makers, not only at church but everywhere we go. Prayers An Opening Prayer for the Meetings of the Deacons Merciful God and Father, you have not only declared that we will always have the poor with us, but have also commanded us to support them in their need. They are to be blameless, the husband of one wife, a good household . First Corinthians 12:5 tells us that "there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord." Ministries in that verse is also diakonia. But do this with gentleness and respect,". The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The responsibilities of a deacon are not clearly listed or outlined; they are assumed to be everything that does not include the duties of an elder or pastor, which is to preach, teach, and exhort. #4 - Use simple parliamentary rules. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? If no one does, expect the meeting to show it. 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. Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Connect to The Network and add your own question, blog, resource, or job. You and I must be diligent and watchful so that we are not deceived. Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain. In a deacons meeting, a shriveled little nay-sayer looked across the way at his pastor and said, "The Bible says the deacons are to handle the business of the church." . Couples Spiritual Weapon Prayer Lord of Heavens Armies, bless my wife as she works and prays daily to be molded into the image of You. 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. Amen. 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. 2.3 Short Inspirational Devotions for Women Who Love Christian Fiction. So now we are ready to invest a bit of effort and time, because we are MOTIVATED to improve those meetings! The process of preparing a good agenda demands thought and prayer. Salem Media Group. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. b. I commit everything I have and everything I am to You, Lord God. What are the implications to us? So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. As we gather together, we praise You for this day and Your purpose for it. 2.7 Short Funny Devotionals for Essential Oils Users. Beloved, confide in Him. . He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. 12 Let deacons be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. Do you have feedback? Deacons are an example to people. Amen. B 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. Why was the office of deacon instituted? 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. 2023 Christian Reformed Church in North America. I will tend to the poor and the hungry, the sick and the discarded. We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.. Remind me daily that it is an honor to be Your hands and feet. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." Begin meetings by obeying this command and asking God for wisdom on all the matters on your agenda. 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. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive. For website questions or corrections, please contact us at [emailprotected]. Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Father, The prototypical . 2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the It's been said that a lot of churches are run by strong willed deacons wives:) According to scripture, churches are to be run by elders, of which the pastor is one . My job has many responsibilities such as teaching Bible studies, planning mission trips and retreats, and offering pastoral care to students and their families. We have talents, abilities, and time to work. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. The really good chair will know which agenda item is going to push a particular persons button. Online Stewardship Course Going Live January 2023. And they were accompanying him to the ship. Here are 10 powerful prayers for deacons. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says Jesus is accursed! and no one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit. Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. The word deacon can be found in 1 Timothy 3:8-10. Reset our agendas, as we sit in Your presence. Take Away My Worry Prayer Dear God of All Comfort, thank You for all that You have given me. But this is your time. Phil. July 2022 - Honoring God with Our Giving. Let me put my fears of public speaking and meeting new people behind me and allow me to be all that I can for You. Thank You for giving me this opportunity to work for You. OK, you are on your way to consistently great meetings. Ready us to make every moment count. Use your departure as a time to thank God and ask for His protection and blessings. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. Acts 6:1-6 - And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a . It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. Forgive us for striving beyond our means, worrying, and forcing results. OpenBible.info It will also increase your ability to use Scripture as you minister to those inside and outside of the church. 1 Corinthians 14:26 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful What then, brothers? A chair who signals to her group that she really values them and respects them, is on the way to a good meeting. This allowed the apostles to focus on prayer and ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4). So, if you want the real Jell-O, do not be deceived by the Snack Pack. 2.1 Short Devotions on Revelation. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. FENCES. The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Robert's Rules Of Orderis a handy reference to have on hand, but it is somewhat too detailed for the typical business meeting in a small, Baptist church. Give us renewed strength and godly courage to obey You without questioning. 3 But select from among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. For website questions or corrections, please contact us at [emailprotected]. What's helpful when questions arise about purpose, is to be reminded about our calling to these roles, and how better to remember than to each meeting take a few moments and collect ourselves to remind each other what we were elected to do. Proud member We can not comprehend the number of blessings you pour out on us from day to day. Do it by email, or do it by snail mail, or do it by using church mailboxes. TopicalBible All of our devotions have a printable option at the bottom of each page if you wish to print. 35 In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. 36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Ephesians 6:18 Whether you are headed into a work meeting that needs guidance and wisdom or gathering as a small group or church, these opening prayers will set your focus on God's will. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. The last thing Ill mention here is the ounce of prevention step. Our prayer today is that Your will be done through this event. Give [them] eyes to see the needs of your people. He is a God of love: if you would give . They are students of Scripture, holding to sound theology. If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 2 And the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Deacons are to be problem solvers and preservers of church harmony. for choosing to use ordinary, average people like us to impact the world.