Deacon Training Palestine Baptist Association Highland Avenue Baptist Church November 1, 2014
Restrooms Emergency exits Sections Lunch Five, 30-minute sessions 5-minute break between Instruction by discussion Housekeeping
Sections Housekeeping About 10 15 minutes of set-up Followed by 15-20 minutes of discussion and question and answer Take notes Write down questions for discussion Be involved If we discuss situations of personal experience, please protect those involved and cover the situation in love and do not share outside.
Outcome of Training Deacon strength Church strength Pastor strength Kingdom growth
Outcome of Training Deacon Strength Important building block of the church Share experiences throughout Association Prepare for problems Encouragement
Church strength Encouraging Outcome of Training 6 of 16 PBA churches were without Pastors Measuring health Spiritual maturity Physical needs
Outcome of Training Pastor Encouragement Shared vision Communication Protection
Outcome of Training Kingdom growth Examples in action Seeking the lost Supporting the community
Prayer
A Question of Qualifications Acts 6:3 1 Timothy 3:8-13
A Question of Qualifications Blameless Monogamous Vigilant Sober (thoughtful) Modest Hospitable Not given to wine Not greedy Not a brawler Not covetous Not a novice Not double-tongued
A Question of Qualifications Ready to teach Patient Rules house well Of good report Grave (serious) Temperate (moderation) Not greedy Cherishes faith Study Pray Meditate Pure conscience
A Question of Qualifications How many of you meet all of these qualifications? What are we looking for? Who determines if someone meets these qualifications? What about non-specific qualifications such as age, years saved, etc? What about apprenticeships? What about ordination?
A Question of Qualifications What questions or experiences related to qualifications do you have?
BREAK Be seated, ready to go at
Servant-Leader or Savant-Slacker Examples Servants Gospel proclaimers Church directed functions
Servant-Leader or Savant-Slacker Examples Deacons should embody the character expected of all believers (1 Thes. 1:7-8) Sheep follow sheep
Servant-Leader or Savant-Slacker Servants Benevolence Church (Who?) Community Pastor
Servant-Leader or Savant-Slacker Gospel proclaimers Apt to teach Local Regional Worldwide Phillip and Stephen Examples of Commission
Servant-Leader or Savant-Slacker Church-directed responsibilities Visiting Business responsibilities Other constitutional responsibilities
Servant-Leader or Savant-Slacker How can you be an example without being a boaster? How are you in the world (connected), but not of it (contaminated)? What happens if you lose the respect of the flock? How should we implement benevolence? What are your pastor s plans short and long-term?
Servant-Leader or Savant-Slacker Are you or should you be an assigned teacher? What is your personal mission plan for the next 12 months? What have you done in the last 12 months?
BREAK Be seated, ready to go at
What doesn t kill me makes me tired I grew deeper in faith because I matured in my service because I grew deeper in love with God because
What doesn t kill me makes me tired I grew deeper in faith because Events that re-enforced the reality of scripture in life Events where re-assurance occurred after a tough decision Events where there were no answers
What doesn t kill me makes me tired I matured in my service because Hurdles you overcame Mentoring you have done Local, regional, national, or international mission activity
What doesn t kill me makes me tired I grew deeper in love with God because Events where it felt like it was only you and Him Events where nothing good was going to happen unless He intervened Answered prayers where God made Himself obvious to you
What doesn t kill me makes me tired Brethern, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Galatians 6:1 Bear ye one another s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
What doesn t kill me makes me tired How did you / would you handle Beverages in the sanctuary? A man wearing a hat in the sanctuary? Mildly disruptive communications in the sanctuary? A person or family monopolizing the Pastor between services? Someone whose hygiene is disruptively offensive?
What doesn t kill me makes me tired How did you / would you handle A divorce within the church? Bribery? A registered sex offender attending your church? Infidelity among church members? An allegation of a serious crime?
What doesn t kill me makes me tired How did you / would you handle A threat of a lawsuit? An allegation that a child was mistreated? A request to use you church for a same-sex marriage? An outside speaker misusing the pulpit? A pastor dismissing members?
What doesn t kill me makes me tired How did you / would you handle Service animals? Embezzlement by a church officer? Embezzlement by a church staff? Known instances of child abuse outside of the church? Arrests of several of your teens?
What doesn t kill me makes me tired How did you / would you handle A mother harassing her adult daughter for impropriety? A pastor that you find out has a partner?
Be seated, ready to go at BREAK
What your Pastor wished As perfect as deacons are, occasionally we will not fulfill our Pastors expectations or we will say or do something (or not say nor do) something that causes him grief. I hoped to receive some blind observations to share Are there any pastors here to share some hypothetical situations
Questions, Discussion, Open Items Questions you would like input from the group for Situations that didn t seem to fit another category Needs Church Personal Closing Prayer & Table Blessing