The sermon texts for the past few weeks have included the admonition, “Encourage one another!” Our church’s annual “Deacons’ Widow and Widower” banquet is always a time of great joy and encouragement for those who have lost spouses to death. I want you to know how grateful I am for the servant leaders our church has called as deacons. They are my friends and encouragers, and I am proud to minister alongside them.

Our church elects members who are recognized as spiritual leaders and committed servants to fill the role of deacon. Their purpose is to assist the pastor in the work of the church: ministry. In fact, the New Testament word from which we derive the English term “deacon” is generally translated “ministry” throughout the Scriptures. Its basic meaning is “to wait on tables.”

Each month, our deacons meet to pray for the needs of the church, to plan the work of their various ministries, and to function as a “sounding board” for me in our ongoing ministry. I count on them to disseminate “good news” and encouragement throughout our church. Our deacons share the shepherding ministry with me in many ways. They reach out through visitation to first time guests each Sunday afternoon; teams of deacons “shepherd” blocks within our immediate neighborhood. Their ministry tasks include serving the Lord’s Supper—not just in our sanctuary, but in the homes of our members who are physically unable to attend. They serve faithfully in our Care Ministries, on church committees and ministry teams, and in missions as well as music ministries. Deacons lead in various Children’s, Youth, and Adult Bible Study departments.

I am particularly grateful for those elected to serve as leaders in the deacon ministry. Randall Cooper leads as chair, Paul Burrow as vice chair, and Larry Page as secretary. Pray for them as they serve in these roles this year.

Pray, too, for the church’s Deacon Nominating Committee, chaired by Rick Weaver. Thank you for your recommendations to this hard-working committee. Lift them up as they seek the Lord’s guidance in nominating members who demonstrate spiritual and emotional maturity, and faithfully support the ministries of the church through consistent attendance in worship and Bible study, as well as through tithing and accepting leadership roles.

The church calls some to serve as deacons. The Spirit calls all believers to serve “so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13).