T But in Romans 16:1, Phoebe, a woman, is also called a diakonos. Every project, every season, every life. Work in and through me, Jesus. Amen. "For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that this in Christ Jesus (1Tim.3:13)." Tonight the leadership (pastor and deacons) of Pleasant Hill Baptist church will meet with a purpose. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. Let us marvel at your good gifts and your wise provision. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you. Finally, they are to be faithful to their spouse and manage their children and home with integrity (v. 12). And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. You are God's field, God's building. 2. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. Baptists interpret the Bible as indicating there are two offices in a New Testament churchpastor and deacon. Visit the Bible online to search for words if you dont know the specific passage yourre looking for. Remind me daily that it is an honor to be Your hands and feet. Options to hear God's Word may be: a) Through a Relevant Bible Passage Select a Bible passage that relates to diaconal ministry. Diaconal Ministries of Canada (DMC) has created a set of 12 devotions, designed specifically for deacon meetings, based on the charge to the deacons. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. G Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. conduct our work with a spirit of joy and enthusiasm. They are to teach what is good. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 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. She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. Thats assumed. For he is God's servant for your good. As we gather together, we praise You for this day and Your purpose for it. The last thing Ill mention here is the ounce of prevention step. But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. V I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. The Bible is very clear on how the church should be run. B Make me a witness for You, Lord. Online Stewardship Course Going Live January 2023, Orientation Resources for Deacon Leadership. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. Help us to understand that we don't need full clarity to walk into the unique purpose You've inlaid in our lives. I know you have strong feelings about keyboards, and so I wanted to have a conversation with you before the meeting to make sure you dont feel blind-sided, and help you feel assured that well handle this in a way that feels respectful to you.. Even in failed attempts, You blow us away with Your faithfulness to provide what we need. I need to visit more, share stories more, and fellowship more. They answer to the pastor as well as the congregation. If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. We humbly ask that You make us worthy to be Your servants. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Mold me in Your image and guide me in my actions each day. We surrender completely to You. The deacon title derives from a general Greek word that describes the work of a servant (diakonos). How would these passages help us understand the purpose of a deacons meeting? When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 33 I have coveted no ones silver or gold or clothes. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Im not going to list prayer as a way to improve meetings, because we all know that. Amen. He is a God of love: if you would give . You are our good Father, just and righteous. What if better preparation meant shorter better meetings?! 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. If you are not the chair, offer to help; this business of having better meetings involves taking responsibility stepping up to the tasks. 11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. OK, you are on your way to consistently great meetings. Or am I trying to please man? Keep the words of King David fresh in our minds, and renew our hearts to the tune of Your truth.I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. Stephen's life shows that he received both these things: He received honor (high standing) because he had the privilege of giving up his entire life in one moment for the glory of Christ. An exceptionally good piece of news is that these devotions are available for free on the DMC website! Give us renewed strength and godly courage to obey You without questioning. 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Compiled by The BibleStudyTools Staff Many pastors like to have a list of devotions that they can give to others as well as use in their own personal life. Honor widows who are truly widows. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 22 And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. Help me to devote my life to best supporting the elders of the church and the congregation. Im not going to list prayer as a way to improve meetings, because we all know that. 1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. 2023 Christian Reformed Church in North America. A church meeting agenda is an outlined plan for a church administrative meeting. Deacons are to control their appetites either for alcohol or money (v. 8). As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God suppliesin order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Thank You for giving me this opportunity to work for You. You have ordained the service of deacons for your church, in order that the needy members may receive the necessary support. 7 And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. Thank You for every seat that has been filled here, today. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 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.. He is the source of all the direction we need. Proud member 2.5 Short Devotions on Encouragement for Moms. Because the Bible is God's word, it will not contradict itself. Keep love at the forefront of our minds today, and the guiding light for all we set out to accomplish and celebrate. That invariably calls for a business meeting. Psalm 3:5 NIV Let Your peace rain down on us today, as we seek You more than anything else. The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Comfort [them] when [they] question [themselves and their] ministry. 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. Having a time of devotions and prayer at your deacon's meetings is meant to facilitate a sharing of the living Word. Make [them] fertile ground for your inspiration and love. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. Ways to improve your next deacons' meeting - not painless steps to take, but they WILL reduce pain in the meeting! And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Thank You for allowing service to Your Church to be the mission of our lives. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. read more. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. From this text and elsewhere, we know that the Bible recognizes two offices within the church: elder and deacon (cf. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. That even when we have done what You have asked, the results are so much greater than we ever could have imagined. Take Away My Worry Prayer Dear God of All Comfort, thank You for all that You have given me. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:8-13 - Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; (Read More.) Bible verses related to Deacons from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. Amen. 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. Verse 7)? Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. We might even want to call someone to check something out before the meeting. These. 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. Reset our agendas, as we sit in Your presence. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. I am Yours. #4 - Use simple parliamentary rules. Every meeting begins with prayer. Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. Their family lives prove that they apply the truth of Scripture in all areas of their lives. b. Guide My Footsteps Prayer O God, my Promise-Keeper, be with me as I step out every day into the darkness of this world to bear Your light. Lift our eyes to seek You first today, and always, surrendering our need to achieve, understand, and be known. 2. Give [them] a discerning mind to know your truth. Deacons are to be problem solvers and preservers of church harmony. Benediction End of school/church/calendar year 5. To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Acts 6:1-6 - And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a . 1 Timothy 3:8 - Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Acts 6:1-15 - And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the . We humbly implore you to dwell among us with the Spirit of discretion. We have talents, abilities, and time to work. 11 In the same way, their wives are to be b. The prototypical . So, if you want the real Jell-O, do not be deceived by the Snack Pack. 13 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. Give [them] eyes to see the needs of your people. So they gave a dinner for him there. 6 And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. 5 Short Devotions for Online Meetings By Jordan An April 27, 2020 Meeting togetherin person or more often now onlineis an important way to stay connected. The agenda will show WHAT is coming up, AND, even more important, WHAT the group is being asked to do about it. November 2022 - A Spiritually Healthy Church. It lists the order of business and topics of discussion that address the overall goals of the meeting. For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? Mary the mother of Mark offering her home as a meeting place for the Apostles - Acts 12; Lydia offering hospitality to Paul - Acts 16; Priscilla offering her house to Paul and along with her husband, Aquila, having a Bible study with Apollos - Acts 18 . Take my words from my mouth and replace them with Yours completely. Make us both blameless in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We love You for that, Father. 3) HEARING GOD'S WORD It is important for a deacon's meeting to begin with an encouraging Word from God. 1. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. Keep Me Grounded Prayer Lord Jehovah, Self-Existent One, I ask that You keep me grounded and on the path You have for my life. Proverbs 24:10 4. A Thank You Will Do Thanksgiving; Celebrations 4. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money" (1 Timothy 3:8). Only You truly know what we are setting out to accomplish today. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.