Deacon Ministry
Deacon Contact Sheet
Or email: deacons@gracelb.org
DEACON MINISTRY AREAS OF SERVICE
Deacon governance manual
What is a deacon?
The role of Deacon within a local church is both important and Biblical. The word "deacon" is based on a Greek word (diakonos) meaning "servant, attendant, minister." Acts 6 lays the foundation for the important role Deacons are to have within a local church.
“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."' They charged this group of believers to "select from among you brothers, seven men of good repute, full of the spirit and of wisdom, who we may put in charge of this task." (vv. 2-3).
Deacons and Elders are the two distinct offices in a New Testament church. Both fulfill distinct roles:
Those who lead in teaching the Word ("it is not desirable for us to neglect the Word of God"), provide oversight and direction for the Church, or Elders, and
Those who lead in serving the tangible needs of the body of Christ ("who we may put in charge of this task"), or Deacons.
Both roles are necessary to the life, health and mission of a local church. Many people faithfully serve at Grace LB in very tangible ways, but the key distinction for a Deacon (beyond Biblical qualifications) is ability and willingness to lead in the area of service.
How do I become a Deacon?
Current Deacons will be responsible for the development and recommendation of future Deacons.
An Elder, Deacon or staff person may recommend to the Deacon Board (DB) any individual who is a member, has served Grace LB faithfully and has demonstrated leadership capabilities. The DB will then contact prospective Deacons and offer them the opportunity to start the application process. The DB will discuss and pray over who will become a new Deacon as Deacons step down.
There is no term limit for Deacons.
If a person who has not been nominated desires to serve the church as a Deacon, they may contact the DB to express their interest and will be given a Deacon application. Contact the Deacon Ministry at deacons@gracelb.org.
An application is submitted to the DB who reviews it and interviews the candidate. Recommendation is then made to the Elders for final approval.
Before acting in their new role as a Deacon, approved Deacons will complete:
- ‘General Deacon Training’
- subsequent ‘Area of Service Training’
- a required background check
In the event a Deacon resigns, the application process will be repeated before acting in the role of a Deacon. Sabbatical of less than 6 months will not require repeating the application process, but may require training if updates were made during a sabbatical.