Deacons on Miscellanea

They must not be double-tongued

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 09:25:00 +0000

[The deacon] is in danger also, perhaps, of promising to the pastor, and not fulfilling. This is justly fatal to character and to usefulness. It prevents confidence and creates contempt.

Tender Heart

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 11:14:47 +0000

It is only true piety which, during a long succession of years, will sustain the heart in tenderness to the poor amid trials and difficulties, and which will uphold the deacon in the unwearied, and sometimes unrequited care of the house of God.

Character of a Deacon

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Animated by the spirit of his ofﬁce, and acting out the character which the counsels of the Word imply, [a deacon] will not be haughty, or harsh, or suspicions, he will not be cold, and formal, and repulsive, discharging his work as if it were a burden; he will be frank and easy in his intercourse with the poor and take an interest in their avocations, their health, and welfare; kind, and tender, and sympathising, especially when in sickness; but withal ﬁrm, and not easily persuaded to what his judgment does not approve. He will also have a deep conviction of the insufﬁciency of all his efforts to beneﬁt the poor of his charge without the blessing of God, and hence he will not fail to seek the blessing in the exercise of diligent and persevering prayer for the Holy Spirit.

The Deacon Must be Sincere

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

A deacon, to be relieved from the annoyances sometimes connected with the discharge of his duties, is tempted to put the poor off with insincere words—to say one thing to one man, and an opposite to another.

He is in danger also, perhaps, of promising to the pastor, and not fulfilling.

This is justly fatal to character and to usefulness.

It prevents confidence and creates contempt.

The deacon, then, must be sincere.

On the benefits of a well functioning diaconate to the minister

Tue, 04 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

He feels, that amid all his own difficulties and discouragements, he is not standing alone—that other are alive to his circumstances, and sympathise with him, and are forward to aid him—and that he can have their advice and cooperation in many matters, which are otherwise fitted to distract and to burden.

Mercy with Cheerfulness

Sat, 17 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

… the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 00:00:00 +0000

So long as elders are consumed with temporal matters, the congregation will be temporarily minded. When the diaconate functions as the temporal agents of the church, freeing the elders for their spiritual calling and business, the church will grow in grace and the spiritual attitude and piety of the congregation will rise to new heights.

Deacons and the Nazis

Fri, 25 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

When during World War II the Netherlands were occupied by Germans the deacons of the Dutch Reformed Church assumed the care for the politically persecuted, supplying food and providing secret refuge. Realizing what was happening, the Germans decreed that the elective office of deacon should be eliminated. The Reformed Synod on 17 July 1941 resolved: ‘Whoever touches the diaconate interferes with what Christ has ordained as the task of the church… Whoever lays hands on diakoma lays hands on worship!’ The Germans backed down.

Qualifictions for Deacons

Fri, 25 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

If all there is to being a deacon revolves around flowers and fruit baskets and the quick drop off and pick up of sermon tapes, these characteristics do not have special importance. But if indeed the deacon is going to meet people at their deep levels of need, if he is going to know people who hunger, thirst, who long for friend, who need help of all kinds, then he need special control of his tongue (and his ear) and special sensitivity with regard to money.

The Graces of a Good Deacon

Wed, 21 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

To avoid friction between members, to promote happy pastorates, and to develope the grace of liberality, nothing is more important than a good deacon, one who can be patient, who can smile at unreasonable people, and speak a soft word to turn away wrath, one who is willing to give time and take trouble on himself, and make himself ‘all things to all men’.

Archibald Alexander on the Office of Elder

Thu, 16 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The truth is, the church should take pains to train men for this very office; and the parents should set a much higher value on it, than they have been accustomed to do; and the office ought to be rendered more respectable, and more desirable than it is at present.

Serve One Another

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.