Brothers and sisters,
In a little over a week, we will be having another Deacon Ordination service here at Hope Valley Baptist Church. Marie Bush was elected as one of our new members on the diaconate — her first time serving! Because of that, we get to come alongside her as her brothers and sisters in Christ and affirm the call God has placed on her.
The office of deacon can be traced back to various passages within the scriptures. Within the Old Testament, an argument can be made that the judges Moses appointed to help him settle disputes were similar to deacons. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, saw how Moses was exhausting himself in his efforts to help the people. He gave Moses great advice, telling him that if he continued this way, he would wear out himself and the people. He told Moses to appoint good honest folks to help him care for God’s people. Moses did that and the judges came alongside him and helped him. In the same way, deacons are called to come alongside the pastor of their church and help him/her care for the people God has entrusted to them.
In the New Testament, you can read about some of the earliest deacons within the church in Acts 6:1-6. There was a dispute within the early church about whose widows were being cared for and whose weren’t. The twelve apostles then called the church together and appointed seven people “full of the Spirit and of wisdom” to care for the widows. Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus were chosen. The twelve apostles prayed over them and laid their hands on them. The first deacons had been ordained!
Paul also constantly lists deacons that helped him throughout his own ministry, with one of the most famous deacons mentioned being Phoebe in Rome. Paul says of her, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchrae, so that you may welcome her in the Lord, as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well” (Romans 16:1-2). Paul understood that the work of God’s kingdom is never limited to one person. It takes a community of people to serve the Lord.
On September 15th, we will come together as a community to honor the work that Marie has been called to. We will pray over her and lay hands on her, the same way the apostles did in Acts. She will serve alongside myself and the other deacons as we do our best to care for the people here at Hope Valley. And she will contribute to the work of God’s kingdom here on earth.
I’m looking forward to the 15th!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben