• engaging Community
  • Operation Manna
  • Community Opportunity Scan
    
• equipping Deacons
  • Now You're A Deacon
  • FAQ
  • Caring with Compassion
  • Community Ministry
  • Involving Your Congregation
  • Justice
  • Stewardship
  • Refugee Ministry
  • Diaconal Conference
  • Day of Encouragement
  • Resources
• doing
  Justice
  • Why Do Justice?
  • Aboriginal People
  • People with Disabilities
  • People who are Homeless
  • Immigrants
  • People experiencing Mental Illness
  • Refugees
  • One Parent Families
  • Working Poor
  • Resources
• 
  Resources

FAQ: The Ministry of the Deacon

What is a deacon?

Deacons in the Christian Reformed Church are chosen by their local congregations to give leadership to diaconal ministry.  In this ministry, deacons empower members of their own congregation and partner with neighbouring churches, Christian services, and local social agencies.  Diaconal Ministry, to touch people's lives as Christ's hands and feet, focuses mainly on the following areas:

Compassion
Deacons model and demonstrate compassion to those who are hurting with words of hope and actions for encouragement.

Community Ministry
Deacons model and encourage the congregation to be engaged in community ministry in their communities.

Stewardship
Deacons encourage church members to be stewards of God's creation and to practice authentic stewardship with their time, talents, and money.

Justice
Deacons model and encourage the congregation to be advocates for and with the marginalized and vulnerable people in their own local community.

How can a deacon make a difference?

With God's help, deacons can be effective.  If a deacon is alert/open to needs inside and outside the church, God will reveal the way a deacon may touch people's lives as His hands and feet.

Effective deacons:

• know their area of "giftedness" in diaconal ministry and take the time to develop those gifts through study and training.
• commit a certain amount of time and energy to a ministry opportunity in addition to the time required for meetings.
• maintain a healthy balance between work, family life and church work.
• involve their spouses (if married) as partners in ministry where and when possible.
• renew themselves spiritually on a regular basis.
• pray often, individually and with the diaconate.
• celebrate regularly what God is doing.

 

When is a diaconate at its best?

The diaconate is at its best when it:

• creates a supportive place for deacons to share experiences and pray together
• has clear, written goals that describes who does what.  Goals establish a common purpose, provide a focus, enable the diaconate to evaluate what is being done, offer a sense of accomplishment and provide mutual accountability (see Deacons on the Move Part 1).
• ensures that there is ongoing communication with the elders and the pastor of the church.  Communication will create an atmosphere of mutual respect, trust and appreciation.  Diaconal Ministries Canada encourages pastors to attend at least one diaconal meeting each year to enhance understanding and support amongst the church's leaders.
• affects the mission and ministries of the congregation in terms of its service, stewardship, justice and community ministry.  Likewise, compassion and kindness is modeled by the deacons in both word and deed.
• invites and motivates the congregation to participate in diaconal ministry.

 

When is a diaconal meeting at its best?

Meetings play a significant role in a diaconate.  However, meetings ought not to replace or take over the time needed for a deacon to engage in ministry opportunities between meetings.

It is critical that diaconal ministry be committed to the Lord in prayer.  Devotions that have been thoughtfully prepared prior to the meeting can increase the resolve of the deacons to ensure that their ministry will reflect the love of Jesus.  Devotions also enhance respect between deacons and lead to more meaningful discussions.

At each meeting, deacons should spend some time learning about diaconal ministry.  This time of learning could include study of a particular topic, planning a new ministry or a focused conversation about a challenging ministry situation. 

Call the Diaconal Ministry Developer in your classis for more assistance in setting up an agenda. 

What provides a smooth transition of new deacons into the diaconate?

Newly elected deacons can best be supported by a mentor - an experienced deacon who will help them answer the practical questions that will come up in their work.  A mentor is able to share his or her experiences and also accompany the new deacon on visits.  New deacons who are connected to an experienced deacon are ready to do ministry much sooner than those who are left to discover the task on their own.  The diaconate could also do the following to assist the transition:

• provide a written task description
• explain how to respond to needs in the church and community
• detail the activities in which the diaconate participates throughout the year
• encourage ways to develop the particular gifts that a deacon brings
• nurture each deacon's spiritual growth with regular prayer and devotions

 

What is the ideal number of deacons for a church?

The number of deacons required in a church depends upon the scope of the ministries that a diaconate has developed and leads. Each church needs to decide how many deacons are necessary. In order to help make that decision, a church may find it useful to review the role of the deacon as found in the ordination form and to set goals as suggested in Part 1 of Deacons on the Move.

In response, the number of deacons can be determined.