This past Sunday, the elders nominated Charlie Stewart to serve as a deacon!
With the church being relatively young, it would not be surprising if we had many different ideas about what a deacon is & what a deacon does. So, we’d like to take this opportunity to answer a few questions to make sense of the Sunday nomination & to clarify our position as a church.
WHAT IS A DEACON?
In the Bible, the word “deacon” simply means “servant” or “minister.” In one sense, all God’s people are called to be “servants” or “ministers.” However, there seems to be an official role for some that is designated with the title “deacon.” The clearest passage on the qualifications & call of deacons is 1 Timothy 3:8-13:
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 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.
The qualifications for a deacon parallel those for a pastor or elder in almost every way. However, pastors or elders must be able to teach. This qualification is not mentioned for deacons. However, deacons are called to be godly & mature men. They are to hold the gospel with integrity & be examples of godliness.
But what does a deacon do? Acts 6 helps capture the distinct, yet vital roles of pastors & deacons in relation to the church:
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. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 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. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.
Both pastors & deacons serve the church. Pastors primarily focus on serving the Word while deacons focus on serving through organizational and practical care.
Pastors are called to be servant leaders & deacons are called to be lead servants.
For a deeper look at what the Bible teaches about deacons, check out this message by Walt on 1 Timothy 3 from several years ago!
WHY CHARLIE?
This past Sunday, we gave a brief (somewhat humorous!) biography of Charlie Stewart. If you missed it, here’s the review:
On April 8, 1979, Charles Fletcher Stewart was born in Athens, TN. He grew up in the majestic foothills of Tellico Plains where he grew into a fine, young gentleman full of vigor & life. It wasn’t long before young Charlie needed a place to channel his unbridled energy. Thankfully, his passion & creativity found a home in the pulsing beats of rock n’ roll. Charlie lived to beat the drums until the Lord came beating at the door of his heart. Charlie was struck by both the gospel & a car around the same time, allowing him ample opportunity to consider his need for a Savior. Charlie gave his life to Christ. And wouldn’t you know it, not long after, it was over a foosball table at church where Charlie got to know his future bride! Mandy & Charlie were happily married and began expanding their family—which now includes Taylor, Seth, Jacob, & Ella. They were knit into our family at Trinity Grace Church when we launched in 2018.
At the conclusion of this brief biography, the observation was made that there are 2 types of men in the world, those who run from problems & those who run toward problems. Charlie is the kind who runs toward problems. He is eager to help people with practical solutions & a servant-heart.
In keeping with the biblical outline above, we believe Charlie possesses the qualifications to be a deacon & the heart to serve the people of Trinity Grace Church as a deacon.
WHAT’S NEXT?
We have talked with a number of people in the church, including our current deacons, about those who should be considered as future deacon candidates. Charlie’s name was presented. After prayer & discussion, the elders nominated him.
So, now what happens?
We will have a 4 week period to hear from you!
During this time, we welcome any affirmations of Charlie serving in this role. Likewise, we (Charlie included) welcome any concerns you may have. If Charlie is going to serve well in this role, it will require the active engagement & support of each member.
Regardless of the outcome, we are thankful that God is building his church & providing for his church. To him be the glory!