New Story Church has voted and approved Deacons on 11/13/22. See more below.
Step Two: Establishment of Deacons
Deacons are qualified servant leaders that are instrumental in meeting needs within the church and community. They are one of the prescribed roles we see within the early church that help a gathering stay healthy and thriving.
Step Two in Our Next Steps is the Establishment of Deacons. What are deacons? Simply put, deacons in the church are servant leaders. In fact, the very word we translate as ‘deacon’ means ‘to serve.’ Jesus came to deacon. So did familiar leaders in the church like Paul, Apollos, and Tychicus. It’s a valuable role for the health of a flourishing church. Much like the appointing of elders in a church, there are qualifications for those that would serve in the role of deacon. We take those qualifications from what are called the ‘pastoral epistles,’ which are 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Let’s look at what the Bible says are the qualifications of deacons.
1 Timothy 3:8-12 says:
In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested;and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
A biblically functioning team of deacons does not act as a “board”, making decisions for the church, but are a team of leaders taking a service-oriented posture toward the church. They are to care for the physical or temporal concerns of the church which allows the elders/pastors to shepherd the church well. There are many ways in which churches choose those that will serve in this role, but for New Story, as a body, we recognize those amongst the church that meet the qualifications above, and then the owners vote to approve the team of deacons.
New Story Church’s Deacons starting 1/1/23.
Pictured above from left to right: Kristen Maxwell (Event Support), Isaac Grayson (Grounds), Scott Hughes (Buildings), Josh Nickle (Financial), Kathy Conner (Compassion & Generosity), Becky Nickle (Compassion & Generosity).
Outlined below are the responsibilities that the Deacons at New Story will carry. These are the areas we’ve identified as first, the biblical roles of a deacon, and second, the roles that will meet the needs of our church. We are looking for seven deacons to serve in these roles.
- Preparation of Communion – All deacons will serve in this capacity on a rotation.
- Compassion and Generosity
- Two deacons are needed to fulfill this role.
- Compassion and generosity outside the church body would include coming alongside to enable important outward focused ministries of the church like managing and fulfilling requests for financial assistance, the Pantry, and the Clothing Closet.
- Similarly above, inside the church body, this would look like assistance with monetary and voluntary needs, organizing meal trains and the like.
- Administrative
- Building
- One deacon is needed to fulfill this role.
- Responsibilities would include maintenance and upkeep of the building, as well as volunteer coordination.
- Grounds
- One deacon is needed to fulfill this role.
- Responsibilities would include maintenance and upkeep of the grounds, as well as volunteer coordination.
- Event Support
- One deacon is needed to fulfill this role.
- Support and organization of building rentals and church events.
- Church event examples: Trunk or Treat, Women Together, etc.
- Rental event examples: Funerals, Conferences, Parties, etc.
- Financial
- One deacon is needed to fulfill this role.
- Responsibilities could include budgets, processing and tracking of giving, as well as volunteer coordination for counting.
- Building
In keeping with our newly revised constitution, Deacons are recommended by the church body and reviewed by the pastor(s). Deacons are then presented to the church to be voted on individually. Deacons are approved by the church by a three-fourths majority vote. Though a deacon shall be recognized as a deacon for life, subject to good standing in the church, their tenure shall be for three years. After a deacon has been off the active deacon body for a period of one year, the church shall be at liberty to elect them to another term of service of three years.
For more on the purpose of deacons as well as what New Story believes the Bible teaches concerning women serving in the position of deacon, please see the Leadership Roundtable discussion below.
If you have any questions, please let us know by emailing us at Info@NewStory.Church.