LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) – A e book designed to information deacons and pastors by means of the biblical mannequin of servant management might be obtainable on the finish of the month.
The Deacon Ministry Handbook, written by present and former consultants and Church Consulting and Revitalization Workforce Chief Steve Rice for the Kentucky Baptist Conference, might be launched by Lifeway Christian Sources on Jan. 31. The e book and a companion video collection can be utilized for deacon coaching functions, stated Alan Witham, one of many seven contributors of the e book that has been a 12 months in growing.
“I feel the secret is finishing up the function that’s constructed into the precise phrase or title,” Witham stated. “The phrase deacon means servant. When deacons see their title and function as servant, and stay that out, that contributes to a great relationship between pastor and deacon. Once they see themselves as supervisors of the pastor, there may be battle. We now have a chapter dedicated to the connection between pastors and deacons. How does a deacon have a great relationship with the pastor? It requires effort on the a part of each pastor and deacons.”
In the end, Witham stated, the Bible ought to be the supply “to tell us about what’s a deacon and what’s the function of deacon.” The e book delves extensively into what the scripture says about deacon servant management and defining the function of deacon within the church.
Some church buildings are guided an excessive amount of by custom of the way it has at all times been executed, whether or not it’s scriptural or not, he stated. “They’ll say, ‘We’ve ministered this fashion for years.’ With that, it’s the previous that shapes the function and never the scripture. We advocate for the scripture to form the function. How is a deacon chosen? What’s the objective? What’s the function and the way do they serve in an efficient manner?”
Seven Church Consulting Workforce workers members wrote chapters within the e book and Dr. Todd Grey, the chief director-treasurer of the KBC, wrote the foreword.
“It’s an actual honor for Kentucky Baptist to have their KBC Mission Workers publish a e book by means of Lifeway Christian Sources,” Grey stated. “It’s not a shock, nevertheless, given the caliber of leaders God has known as to serve Kentucky Baptist church buildings and their leaders. This new e book, The Deacon Ministry Handbook, might be a fantastic useful resource to assist pastors and deacons of their ministry collectively. My prayer is that God will use this useful resource to assist Kentucky Baptist church buildings, and church buildings throughout the U.S., work collectively within the mission of reaching extra folks for Christ.”
Rice stated the authors have produced a device that may profit each pastor and deacon in Kentucky and throughout the Southern Baptist Conference.
“Many good deacon assets exist, however few are current and up to date. The authors of this useful resource work repeatedly with deacons they usually consider that deacons play a vital function within the success of the native pastor and church. They wrote the Deacon Ministry Handbook to supply concise, sensible steerage to pastors and deacons.,” he stated.
A video collection of seven chapters might be produced in 15-minute segments as a further useful resource. Deacons might learn the e book and consider the movies in a bunch setting, Witham stated. The regional consultants intend to supply coaching from this e book of their respective areas as effectively.
One chapter of “” accommodates quick bits of knowledge which might be essential to deacons functioning in that servant function; objects like sharing the gospel, making hospital visits, and serving the Lord’s Supper. These might be 3-5 minutes in size, good for deacon conferences.
“We hope pastors might use the e book and the movies as a useful resource to steer his deacon physique by means of,” he stated.
The KBC will present free copies to the pastor and deacon chairman of Kentucky Baptist church buildings, Witham stated. They are going to be made obtainable by means of regional consultants. The e book is accessible on preoder standing from Lifeway now and might be out on the finish of the month.