Deacons

For some strange reason, in some churches, elders are called deacons. This must very confusing to a new Christian who reads in the Bible that deacons are people who pass out food and help the poorer church members. They are not those who run the church. They are called elders. So, I wish every church and denomination that calls elders deacons would stop. It's just too confusing. That said, let's talk about deacons. Being raised a Presbyterian and now having rejoined that denomination, I never knew that most churches didn't have deacons. By deacons I mean those who help the poorer church members.

I am amazed at how many Christians I've met online who have never heard of those kind of deacons. Their churches, they report to me, don't have them. So, I ask, if you need help, what do you do in relation to your church? They tell me they call their church.
"And then what," I ask?
"Well," they reply, "then I ask if the pastor is available."

Usually, I hear from them that the pastor isn't not normally available. So the I wonder, how do these people get help? Wait until the pastor is available? Why does the pastor have to do everything. No wonder it is always reported in national surveys that the ministry is one of the most burn-out jobs in America today. Clearly, this isn't the way to help people. If we just would follow the New Testament way outlined in Acts, I think things would fall into place.

I've been in many churches, some which actually have deacons. But, I too have found that very few churches have this group of men and women. My present church has one of the best deacon organizational structures I've ever seen. I personally benefited from their deaconate program when I took care of my bed-ridden mother for almost six years. I could not attend church since I couldn't leave my mother alone. Every first Sunday of the month my deacon came to serve communion to me during one of the church services. She also prayed with me and generally just chatted. This 76-year old deacon drudged up our condo's sixteen stairs every month for over five years.

In my church deaconate there are different types of deacons. Each deacon, in other words, has an area of specialization. Some visit shut-ins each month, serving communion to them as my deacon did. Others visit those members who are in hospitals; others are financial deacons if members need emergency financial help; others come and aid those who lose a loved one and are in grief; others do other tasks.

So, if you are a member of my church and you need help, who do you call? There are two deacon numbers and a page number any time day or night. Someone is always manning those numbers and they will get you a deacon as soon as possible. I don't think many churches can match this excellent program. But I wish all would try, don't you?.