Last time, I wrote some specific suggestions for the structure and pur­pose of the elders' meeting. After see­ing my article, a friend, who also hap­pens to be a deacon, chided me: "You're writing too much for elders. What about a few columns for those of us who are deacons?" OK!! I get the point!

In writing for the elders, I observed the distinction between the office of elder, which is pastoral in character, and the typical elders' meeting, which is too often administrative in tone. Such a distinction is not quite appro­priate with regard to the deacons. Deacons, while part of the team that cares for the flock of God, are in fact the administrators of the various gifts of God to His people. They man­age the resources entrusted to the saints by challenging them to give to specific causes, by examining those causes to ascertain faithfulness and by utilizing wisely the monies re­served for local ministries. They also administer the non-financial gifts granted by the Spirit of the Lord. I've argued that there is no more impor­tant work for deacons to do than to serve as the team that identifies the talents and gifts of God's people and matches those talents with needs and ministries where they can be utilized.

Since the work of deacon is pasto­ral administration of gifts in all their diversity, the meetings of the dea­cons must reflect a variety of such diverse work.

Deacons as the committee on ministries⤒🔗

Yet, to use the time and talents of the deacons more wisely, allow me to suggest a division of labor among the deacons themselves. This divi­sion is broad and does not include specific assignments to various com­mittees or other functions which many diaconates perform. (I would counsel, however, that if the above definition of the work of the diaconate is heeded, much diaconal involvement in other committee work should properly be redirected to oth­ers, as the deacons will have plenty to occupy their time!)

At least several of the deacons, and particularly those who have spiritual sensitivity to people and their gifts and talents, should be assigned to function as the COMMITTEE ON MINISTRIES. By that I mean they should be recognized, within the lo­cal church, as those brothers who have their fingers on the pulse of all the internal and external ministries of the church — who is involved in what, and what kind of personnel needs there are. These are the broth­ers who will sit in on a membership class to discover the areas of interest and talent that new members bring to the congregation. These are the brothers who will make sure all new members (especially the new ones!) are assigned to some useful ministry in the life of the church. These are the fellows who will be responsible to make sure that people who tend to "fall through the cracks" of the fellow­ship will be enfolded, involved and thereby encouraged in the body of believers.

In short, these are the men who will appoint all the committees and task forces in the church's life, and who will serve as the first line of ap­peal by those who seek church endorsement and/or support for mem­ber-involved service in ministries out­side of the local church (e.g. for a Crisis Pregnancy Center which might be starting up in your area, that needs personnel and dollars).

Such work is the work of personnel resource management. Sound more like business than church? Sorry, it isn't. Read 1 Corinthians 12. The gifts de­scribed there are given to the church, not merely to individuals within it. It is the church that must make use of the Lord's generosity. Deacons are invaluable in that process.

Deacons as financial managers←⤒🔗

"Wait," you say. "What about the money? The offering schedule, the budget, the collecting and the count­ing? Isn't that diaconal work?"

Well, yes and no. Let me explain. Yes, deacons are responsible for the management of all resources of God's grace, including those finan­cial resources provided by a gener­ous Father and faithful believers. But no, it does not follow that only dea­cons can be the accountants, the planners, the collectors and the counters. In fact, much of the more visible work of deacons in worship services and afterwards stems more from tradition than from Scriptural mandate. It would be most appropri­ate to ask some trustworthy individu­als or couples within the church to take care of the counting of the money, under diaconal supervision of course.

Where others may not intrude into the work of the deacons is in the authoritative work of challenging, teaching and calling for stewardship on behalf of the members. Clearly, deacons are AUTHORIZED, that is, granted authority to perform certain duties. That authority makes it right for them to enter a home, sit with the individual or couple and call for greater faithfulness in managing the family budget according to Biblical principles. That authority makes it right for them to instruct the mem­bership in Biblical principles for in­vesting, for giving/tithing and for sav­ing. Not just anyone can do such work!

So, a segment of the diaconate — and I'd suggest it be those brothers who are particularly apt to teach, those who have special ability to com­municate in a caring but firm fashion in a materialistic and self-centered world — must be assigned the duty of overseeing the financial resources of the church. They may choose to se­lect a treasurer and/or a finance com­mittee to recommend the annual budget from within their own ranks, or they may oversee some other mem­ber of the church in that role. They may choose to supervise the writing of checks and the posting of invoices within the members of their commit­tee, or they may choose to farm it out to a member or two under their su­pervision. But, they must make sure that the management of the resources of the body of Jesus Christ are man­aged with faithfulness and steward­ship, whether financial resources or other kinds.

Specifically…←⤒🔗

What does all this mean for sched­uling?

I suggest that your meetings break down into several categories of re­sponsibility.

1. First, schedule 30 minutes at every meeting to study Scripture and grow in your understanding of your office and its responsibilities. Prof­itable ancillary reading in the his­tory of the diaconate, particularly in the time of the Reformation (Calvin's Geneva, especially), will provide much blessing. Here, by the way, is an ideal time to receive input and instruction from the Pastor/teacher whom the Lord has placed in your congregation. Most ministers have little to do with their deacons; most deacons would like assistance but can't figure out just how the preacher could help them.
2. Hear reports on the administra­tion of the personnel gifts God has entrusted to the flock. (Smaller diaconates may choose to do this work in the full meeting). Check with each other to make sure no one in the body of Christ is ignored, uninvited, unused. Go through a comprehensive directory quarterly.
3. Hear reports on the administra­tion of the financial resources of the church.

• This is the time to set monthly offering schedules based on requests received, local ministries and their needs identified and specific problem areas raised. (I am less and less happy with the practice of many diaconates to schedule offer­ings many months, even a full year, in advance. Terrific orga­nization, yes. But it hamstrings you for immediate crises and swiftly-occurring needs. A month or two at a time is plenty.)
• This is also the time to hear reports on the management of the physical plant the church occupies (whether managed by a Building and Grounds committee, overseen by a custodian or cared for by rotating families in the congregation).
• It is in this part of the meeting that the teaching ministry of the deacons is planned and arranged. Here is where visits to individuals or families in the congregation are determined to be necessary, and teams are dispatched. Here is where lo­cal spiritual issues pertaining to stewardship are identified and strate­gies developed to confront them.
• And finally, it is in connection with this area of responsibility that the work of the ministry of mercy is channeled. This is where you discuss the needs of individuals within and outside the church family. This is where you develop strategies for ad­dressing those needs. This is where you ascertain the faith­fulness of and value in cooper­ating with other government and community agencies that can also be marshaled in the care of the members under your umbrella.

So, your agenda might well look like this:←⤒🔗

1. Opening Scripture Study & Prayer TOPIC: (for example) Our responsibility to the area homeless MATERIALS:

• Scripture, Matthew 25:31-46
• Other: Berghoef and De Koster THE DEACON'S HANDBOOK pp. 169-186 (On "serving the neighborhood")

2. Stewardship of Gifts & Talents

• Reports on the use of member's gifts and talents
• Identification of new members
• Overview of new/potential ministry needs

3. Financial Stewardship Manage­ment

• Report from Finance Committee (Budget matters)
• Offering schedule
• Requests from kingdom agencies
• Local area ministry needs
• Benevolent needs
• Stewardship instruction needs (visits, classes, budgeting ses­sions with families/individuals in the church.)