1 Timothy 3:8-13 D e a c o n s M i n i s t r y H a n d b o o k In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely eamined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must eercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.
Introduction The purpose of the Deacon Ministry Handbook is to help you as a deacon to serve faithfully and effectively. It is designed to acquaint you with the biblical background related to the office of deacon and the areas of deacon ministry of Ridgecrest Baptist Church. The church has elected you to the honorable position of deacon because your life has ehibited the characteristics of faithfulness and loyalty to the Lord and His Church. The deacon is set apart to serve and should always remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:11, The greatest among you shall be your servant. The following two passages in the New Testament that are commonly cited concerning the office of deacon: Acts 6:1-7 and I Timothy 3:8-12. As a deacon, your major attention will be given to serving God under the leadership of the pastor, supporting and assisting him to complete the ministry of the church. Acts 6 defines the purpose for which these seven were selected. One reason they were chosen was to solve a problem that arose among the church fellowship. They were called upon to preserve the harmony of the church. Another reason was to free the apostles to give full attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word. The position of deacon in Acts 6 is an elected one. A deacon should certainly feel led to serve in that position; however, the initiation of that commitment rests in the hands of the local church. It is not a position to which one appoints oneself. Deacons are called to be peacemakers, promoting unity among the members of the church. Deacons should imagine that they are carrying two buckets with them at all times. One bucket is filled with water to drown the flames of situations and circumstances that lead to a lack of peace and unity among the church. The other bucket is filled with gas that fuels the flames of division among believers, breaks down the unity of the church and leads to an ineffective deacon ministry. Which bucket will you choose?
Deacon Qualifications 1. He is full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3, 5) Deacons should be spiritually minded and submissive to God s leadership. 2. He is full of wisdom (Acts 6:3) Deacons should have spiritual knowledge and understanding providing sound direction for the ministry of the church. 3. He is also full of faith (Acts 6:5) Deacons are spiritual men who walk by faith and not by sight because they know and trust God and His Word. 4. He has a good reputation (Acts 6:3) Deacons demonstrate integrity and honesty to others. He has a believable Christian life. 5. He should be grave or dignified and worthy of respect (1 Tim 3:8) Deacons face life seriously and command respect. 6. He is a man who is not double-tongued, but is sincere in his speech (1 Tim 3:8) Deacons speak with verbal honesty and integrity. 7. He abstains from the use of addictive drugs for other than medicinal purposes and from the use of alcoholic beverages (I Tim 3:8) Deacons recognize the importance of their Christian influence and are willing to limit liberty for the sake of others. 8. He is not a greedy person (I Tim 3:8) Deacons are to be free from the love of money and other earthly possessions. 9. He has a deep biblical commitment (I Tim 3:9) Deacons hold to the truths of the Christian faith with a clear conscience. He is not easily swayed from the truth because he strives to live what he knows. 10. He must also be beyond reproach and blameless (1 Tim 3:10) Deacons must display a lifestyle free from continual patterns of scriptural disobedience. There should be nothing in his life that would cause him to be disqualified. 11. His wife should be a woman worthy of respect, not a malicious gossip, but temperate and faithful in everything (1 Tim 3:10) Deacons wives should be devoted to God and yielding to the Holy Spirit. 12. He must manage his children and his household well (1 Tim 3:12) Deacons should demonstrate leadership in their home life.
Deacon Selection Process The chairman of the deacons will appoint a Deacon Selection Committee each year, no later than the June monthly meeting. This committee will consist of a chairman and five other deacons from the currently serving deacon council. The responsibilities of this committee shall include, but not be limited to the following: Obtain a list of all men (21 years of age and above) who are active resident members of the church for at least one year or more. Review this list to determine that names are added or removed that meet the initial requirements as defined in Article V of the church Constitution and By-laws. Names should also be removed of any man in the church who has requested not to be considered as a deacon. Review and count all nomination ballots that are completed by the church membership. Rank the nominations in the order of highest number of nominations to the lowest. Contact each nominee to establish an appointment to meet with and discuss deacon requirements and epectations. The committee should go in pairs of two to meet with each nominee. Confirm each nominee s response of accepting or declining to serve in the role of deacon back to the chairman of the selection committee. Present the list of selected deacons at the August monthly deacon meeting. Confer with the pastor concerning the selection of deacon officers and arrange meetings with the prospective Chairman, Vice-chairman and Secretary. Present the deacon officers at the October monthly deacon meeting. Selection Timeline Responsibility Appoint Deacon Selec on Commi ee (Deacon Chairman) Review list of men from church office (Deacon Selec on Commi ee) Nomina ons made from members (All Church Members) Interview nominees (Deacon Selec on Commi ee) Present deacon selec ons (Deacon Selec on Commi ee) Interview prospec ve deacon officers (Deacon Selec on Commi ee) Present deacon officers (Deacon Selec on Commi ee) Deacon ordina on council, if necessary (Staff and Ordained Deacons) Deacon ordina on service, if necessary (Staff and Ordained Men) Complete By June monthly mee ng Prior to July mee ng Throughout month of August Prior to September mee ng September monthly mee ng Prior to October mee ng October monthly mee ng TBD by Pastor/Chairman TBC by Pastor/Deacons
Deacon Selection Guidelines The church will: Select a number of men appropriate for replacing deacons rotating off active duty and supplying the needs of the church and to serve for a three-year term with the calendar of service being from January through December each year. With this selection process the church will have a deacon council with a number of men appropriate for the size of the congregation with a rotation of three year periods. Select men from our church to participate in a deacon-mentoring program each year. This is commonly referred to as a Yoke Fellow Ministry. These men are required to meet the same qualifications of a deacon and will serve alongside the deacons in all aspects of ministry in preparation to become an ordained deacon. The entire deacon council will mentor each yoke fellow with specific deacons assigned for accountability purposes. These men will serve for one year in this ministry. Deacon Selection Interview Questions 1. In your opinion, what does it take for a person to go to heaven? 2. Read 1 Timothy 3:8-13 together. Review each verse and determine the level of commitment to these requirements. 3. Read Ephesians 4:1-3 together. Do you agree to do all you can to create, preserve and uphold unity and harmony in the church? 4. As stated in our Constitution and By-laws, do you agree to be loyal in attendance and support all worship services of the church, including Wednesday evening and Sunday Bible Fellowship? 5. As stated in our Constitution and By-laws, do you agree to attend monthly deacon meetings for the purpose of completing the responsibilities of the office of a Ridgecrest Baptist Church deacon? 6. Read Hebrews 13:7 and 17 together. Do you agree to recognize the God-given spiritual leadership given to the office of a pastor and seek to submit to his leadership? 7. Review the list of Deacon Qualifications on the attached list. Are there any of these listed qualifications that cannot be honored by you? 8. Review the list of deacon ministry responsibilities. Are you willing and prepared to actively participate in each of these areas and to be held accountable by other deacons of Ridgecrest Baptist Church? Deacon Ministry Responsibilities All selected deacons are epected to participate in the following areas of ministry. Sunday Morning/Evening Offering Family Ministry Weekly Prayer Room Assignment Hospital Visitation Lord s Supper Teams Prospect Visitation Widow Ministry Deacon Meetings
Deacon Accountability Ridgecrest Baptist Church deacons will seek to follow the biblical eample established by the early disciples as spirit-filled men who were chosen and set aside to be servant partners with the pastor. Deacons assist the pastor and staff in all areas of ministry, service, support and leadership to the family of God, with particular emphasis on ministry to the families of our church. When a man agrees and is set aside to serve as deacon, he assumes the responsibility for faithfully discharging his duties and will be held accountable for doing so. Accountability will be measured in the following areas of ministry. Sunday Morning/Evening Offering Weekly Prayer Room Assignment Lord s Supper Teams Family Ministry Hospital Visitation Prospect Visitation Widow Ministry Deacon Meetings Our prayer will be that every Ridgecrest Baptist Church deacon will be faithful in his commitment to serve in these areas. However, if unsatisfactory service is noted, it will be addressed in the following manner: One of the deacon officers will speak with the deacon encouraging the deacon to improve his performance in the area indicated. The chairman will call the deacon. If no improvement is noted, a letter will be sent from the deacon chairman. If no improvement is noted within one month of the letter, the deacon officers will meet with the deacon to discuss the matter with him. If there is still no improvement after another month, the deacon will be asked to meet with the deacon chairman and the pastor to discuss the matter. If the situation reaches this point with no obvious improvement, the deacon will, in all likelihood, be asked to resign.
Deacon Ministries Every deacon is epected to participate in each of the following core ministries. Each ministry will be assigned a leadership team that will work on making assignments and improve effectiveness through loving accountability. Sunday Morning/Evening Offering Duties - Each deacon will be responsible for participating in the collection of the tithes and offerings for Sunday morning and evening worship services. Deacons will be epected to participate once every three weeks. Teams will be assigned by the leadership of this group and the deacon will be responsible for finding a replacement if they are not available. Accountability - The deacon officers will verify the completion of this duty through coordination with the leadership team. Weekly Prayer Room Assignment Duties - Each deacon will be epected to commit to at least three times during the year that they will be in the prayer room praying for the worship service. A calendar will be made and distributed to all deacons. Deacons will be responsible for finding a replacement if they are unable to be there. Accountability - The deacon officers will verify the completion of this duty through coordination with the leadership team. Lord s Supper Duties - Deacons will be responsible for assisting the pastor and staff in serving the Lord s Supper. Assignments will be made by the pastor and/or the deacon chairman. All deacon council members are required to participate and all other deacons of the church are encouraged to participate. Accountability - Deacons should meet with the pastor and/or the deacon chairman prior to the service to receive assignments. Family Ministry Duties - Deacons are assigned families within the church to provide ministry services throughout the year. New families are assigned to deacons as they join the membership of the church. Newly selected deacons are assigned families as they join the church or as they become available. Deacons should maintain contact with their families to determine ministry needs. Deacons should make initial contact with new families within one month of receiving assignment preferably with a personal visit and at the minimum with a letter or introduction. Deacons should send a card or note to family members on special dates such as birthdays or anniversaries. Deacons should contact families within 24 hours of being notified by the church office of a ministry need. Accountability - The deacon officers will verify the completion of this duty through coordination with the leadership team. Hospital Visitation Duties - This function is responsible for visiting deacon family members who are in the hospital. Each deacon will be responsible for hospital visitation. The deacon will be responsible for finding a substitute if they are not able to visit their assigned family member. Accountability - The deacon officers will verify the completion of this duty through coordination with the leadership team.
Prospect Visitation Duties - Deacons will be assigned responsibility with a partner deacon to visit prospects from Sunday morning worship. Each deacon team of two will have visit prospects throughout the year. Copies of prospect visitation cards will be available in the church office immediately following the morning worship service. Accountability - The deacon officers will verify the completion of this duty through coordination with the leadership team. Widow Ministry Duties - Each deacon will be assigned one or more widows for whom they are responsible. Assignments will be made according to family ministry assignments or through the pastor and/or the deacon chairman. Deacons should maintain contact with these ladies through periodic phone calls, notes, cards or letters. The deacon will also be responsible for taking these ladies to the annual deacon banquet in December of each year. Accountability - Deacons should meet with the pastor and/or the deacon chairman prior to the service to receive assignments. Deacon Meetings Duties - Deacons are epected to attend monthly meetings on a regular basis. Attendance on a regular basis is defined as not missing two meetings in a row unless providentially hindered. Accountability - The deacon officers will verify the completion of this duty.
Deacons of Ridgecrest Baptist Church Name Active Position Family Ministry Term Epires(d) Member Status Active Deacons Deacon Council Members Nobles, Terry Active Servant Family Ministry 2016 Church & Ss Seale, Mr. Jim Active Secretary Family Ministry 2016 Church & Ss Trussell, Mr. Phillip Active Servant Family Ministry 2016 Church & Ss Whatley, Mr. Kirk Active Chairman Family Ministry 2016 Church & Ss Adams, Mr. A. Sid Active Servant Family Ministry 2015 Church & Ss Bethay, Mr. John Active Servant Family Ministry 2015 Church & Ss Gonzalez, Mr. Ivan Active Servant Family Ministry 2015 Church & Ss Hope, Mr. Roddie Active Servant Family Ministry 2015 Church & Ss Williams, Mr. Ray Active Servant Family Ministry 2015 Church & Ss Bolling, Kyle Active Servant Family Ministry 2014 Church & Ss Cherry, Mr. Dean Active Servant Family Ministry 2014 Church & Ss Corley, Mr. Dale Active Servant Family Ministry 2014 Church & Ss Jones, Mr. Dan Active Servant Family Ministry 2014 Church & Ss Lisenby, Mr. Tony Active Servant Family Ministry 2014 Church & Ss Ratliff, Mr. Tommy Active Servant Family Ministry 2014 Church & Ss Weathers, Mr. Don Active Vice Chairman Family Ministry 2014 Church & Ss Wilson, Mr. Walt Active Servant Family Ministry 2014 Church & Ss Inactive Deacons Non-council Members Bracknell, Mr. Eldridge E. E. Inactive Servant Family Ministry 2013 Church & Ss Farris, Mr. W. Dale Inactive Servant Family Ministry 2013 Church & Ss Lynch, Mr. Larry Inactive Servant Family Ministry 2013 Church & Ss McDowell, Mr. Joe Inactive Servant 2013 Church & Ss Williams, Mr. W. Randy Inactive Servant Family Ministry 2013 Church & Ss Jones, Mr. Dale Inactive Servant Family Ministry 2012 Church & Ss Gilchrist, Dr. Mike Inactive Servant 2011 Church & Ss Cornett, Mr. Grover Inactive Servant Family Ministry 2010 Church & Ss Dellinger, Mr. Ray Inactive Servant * Church & Ss Hollon, Mr. Ernest Inactive Servant * Church & Ss Jinright, Mr. P.C. Inactive Servant * Church & Ss Maurer, Mr. Rick Inactive Servant * Church & Ss Reid, Mr. Wayne Inactive Servant * Church & Ss Schofield, Mr. Maynard Inactive Servant * Church & Ss * Last Term Served Unknown
Deacon Weekly Schedule 2014 Mar Mar Mar Mar Mar Apr Apr Apr Apr May May May May Jun Jun Jun Jun Jun Jul Jul Jul Jul 02 09 16 23 30 06 13 20 27 04 11 18 25 01 08 15 22 29 06 13 20 27 Lisenby, Tony Seale, Jim Trussell, Phillip Whatley, Kirk Nobles, Terry Ratliff, Tommy Corley, Dale Wilson, Walt Weathers, Don Jones, Dan Cherry, Dean Adams, Sid Bethay, John Gonzales, Ivan Hope, Roddie Williams, Ray Bolling, Kyle Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Sep Sep Sep Sep Oct Oct Oct Oct Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Dec Dec Dec Dec 03 10 17 24 31 07 14 21 28 05 12 19 26 02 09 16 23 30 07 14 21 28 Lisenby, Tony Seale, Jim Trussell, Phillip Whatley, Kirk Nobles, Terry Ratliff, Tommy Corley, Dale Wilson, Walt Weathers, Don Jones, Dan Cherry, Dean Adams, Sid Bethay, John Gonzales, Ivan Hope, Roddie Williams, Ray Bolling, Kyle
Deacon Weekly Prayer Schedule 2014 Mar Mar Mar Mar Mar Apr Apr Apr Apr May May May May Jun Jun Jun Jun Jun Jul Jul Jul Jul 02 09 16 23 30 06 13 20 27 04 11 18 25 01 08 15 22 29 06 13 20 27 Lisenby, Tony Seale, Jim Trussell, Phillip Whatley, Kirk Nobles, Terry Ratliff, Tommy Corley, Dale Wilson, Walt Weathers, Don Jones, Dan Cherry, Dean Adams, Sid Bethay, John Gonzales, Ivan Hope, Roddie Williams, Ray Bolling, Kyle Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Sep Sep Sep Sep Oct Oct Oct Oct Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Dec Dec Dec Dec 03 10 17 24 31 07 14 21 28 05 12 19 26 02 09 16 23 30 07 14 21 28 Lisenby, Tony Seale, Jim Trussell, Phillip Whatley, Kirk Nobles, Terry Ratliff, Tommy Corley, Dale Wilson, Walt Weathers, Don Jones, Dan Cherry, Dean Adams, Sid Bethay, John Gonzales, Ivan Hope, Roddie Williams, Ray Bolling, Kyle
This is what Ridgecrest believes: Our Beliefs 1. About God God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally eisted in three personalities the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature essence, or being. (Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14) 2. About Jesus Christ Christ is the eternal Son of God. He is conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven s glory and will return again some day to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13) 3. About the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. He is present in the world to make men and women aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His daily control. (2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14, 16, 17; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25) 4. About the Bible The Bible is God s word to us. Human authors wrote it, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God it is the truth without any miture of error. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,106, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5) 5. About Human Beings People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called sin. This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life. Every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2) 6. About Salvation Salvation is God s free gift to us. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his or her life by faith. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1) 7. About Eternal Security Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot lose your salvation. We may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, but salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security. (John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5) 8. About Last Things People were created to eist forever. God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth. We will either eist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal eistence (John 3:16; 1 John 5:13-15; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 16:24-28)
9. About Evangelism and Missions It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church to go and make disciples of all nations. The Lord has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all people on earth. Every believer is called to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle. (Genesis 12:1-3; Eodus 19:5-6; Matthew 9:37-38; 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 3:1-11; Revelation 22:17). 10. About Education Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility. The freedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the school eists. (Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Psalms 119:11; Proverbs 4:1-10; Matthew 5:2; Philippians 4:8; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; James 1:5; 3:17) 11. About Stewardship God is the source of all blessings, temporary and spiritual. All that we have and are we owe to Him. We are under spiritual obligation to serve God with all of our time, talents, and material possessions; and we should recognize all these as entrusted to us for God s glory and for helping others. According to Scripture, we should contribute of our means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of God s cause here on earth. (Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4; Luke 12:16-21,42; Acts 2:44-47;Romans 6:6-22; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 1 Peter 1:18-19) 12. About Cooperation Christ s people should, as occasion requires, organize such associations and conventions as may best secure cooperation for the great endeavors of the kingdom of God. Such organizations have no authority over one another or over the churches. They are voluntary and advisory bodies designed to elicit, combine, and direct the energies of our people in the most effective manner. Cooperation is desirable between various Christian denominations when the cause is worthwhile and it involves no violation of conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the New Testament. (Eodus 17:12; Judges 7:21; Nehemiah 4; Matthew 10:5-15; Acts 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17) 13. About the Christian and the Social Order All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society. In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all forms of seual immorality, including adultery, homoseuality, and pornography. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. (Eodus 20:3-17; Leviticus 6:2-5; Psalm 101:5; Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:13-16; Mark 1:29-34; Romans 12-14; 1 Corinthians 5:9-10; Galatians 3:26-28; James 1:27; 2:8) 14. About Peace and War It is the duty of all Christians to seek peace with all men on principles of righteousness. The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord. The supreme need of the world is the acceptance of Christ s teachings in all the affairs of men and nations. Christians should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9, 38-48; 6:33; Romans 12:18-19; Hebrews 12:14; James 4:1-2) 15. About Religious Liberty God alone is the Lord of conscience and He has left it free from the doctrines and commands of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. No church should be favored by the state more than others. Since God ordains civil government, Christians should obey all things that are not contrary to the revealed will of God in His Word. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal. (Genesis 1:27; 2:7; Matthew 6:6-7,24; John 8:36; Acts 4:19-20; Romans 13:1-7; Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:12-117) 16. About the Family God created the family as the foundational institution of human society. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. The wife, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the net generation. Parents, if they have children, are to demonstrate to them God s pattern for marriage. Children are to honor and obey their parents. (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; Psalm 51:5; Proverbs 1:8; Matthew 5:31-32; Romans 1:18-32; Ephesians 5:21-33; Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4) Source: Ecerpts from the 2000 revision of The Baptist Faith and Message
Our Purpose Statement The Ridgecrest Baptist Church Purpose Statement flows from our values as derived from insight of two important passages of Scripture: God s Commandments and Our Commission. First is God s Commandments or The Great Commandments as found in Matthew 22, Mark 12, and Luke 10. 28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:28-31 Second is Our Commission or The Great Commission as found in Matthew 28 and in Acts 1. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. Matthew 28:18-20 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8 These two statements by Christ focus on five important purposes as priorities for our individual lives and for the church: Worship. Evangelism. Ministry. Fellowship. Discipleship. These priorities were demonstrated in the early church as found in Acts 2. 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:41-47 Therefore, Our Purpose Statement reads as follows: Fulfilling the Great Commandment and Great Commission by loving God (worship), reaching people (evangelism), meeting needs (ministry), building relationships (fellowship), and equipping believers (discipleship).