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Deacons/Kindom building/Problems?


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All,

  This is going to sound crazy, but last year we began building project to build  new building because we have outgrown our current building. During this time some weird things have happened (at least it seems that way to me). Historically, in our church since it began, 11 years ago, the deacons were elected by the pastor and other deacon(s) nominating one person for the church to vote on. The consensus being that if he was voted in, then it was God's will, if not then it was not God's will. I can somewhat understand that method if the church is really small and you don't have much to choose from, but we are a good size church now, averaging between 90-100. I asked our pastor about this a while back and suggested that we re-examine the process and have 2 people on the ballot. I used the example s in the NT where they drew lots but the idea was that there was more than one person on the ballot. I was politely but firmly spoken down to, and told that this is the way that we do it , and maybe i am just being bitter about not being asked to be a deacon. In all honesty, I have never considered myself, or felt the desire to be a deacon. I tried to assure him that it was not the case. Ever since then, it seems that the 3 deacons that we have now are all "yes" men., the 2 that we recently replaced, both had been men that would call into question something that didn't seem right until it was resolved. Now, we recently held a Sacrifice Sunday for our building fund. Another church that had never supported us before in projects "suddenly" decided to match up to $10,000.00 in the offering. The wierd thing with this is that only our pastor knows who the other church is. The decaons don't know, at least that was what I was told by one of them. He thought that it was odd in itself, but he said that it "must be something that the pastor of the other church requested." Could be, but I have my doubts.  Something just doesn't seem right in all of this.  Any suggestions?

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Some saints, and I think some churches, like to give secretly.

Some saints, and some churches, like to put into practice the words of the Lord Jesus when He said, "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seest in secret himself shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:1-4

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There are 3 topics here:

1. Selection of Deacons
2. Service of Deacons
3. Financial Gift

1. The selection of deacons is determined by your belief on the leadership of the church. In Acts, the Apostles were told a group of disciples to go choose them 7 men. If you hold to this chapter being about the selection of Deacons, then the church is responsible to nominate and elect deacons. If you don't hold to this chapter as being about the selection of deacons, then the selection would be made by the pastoral staff. I personally have always held to the church nominating, the current deacons vetting, and then the church voting on whoever is left. The vetting is important because one must be qualified, not just nominated.

2. The service of Deacons seems to be an issue in this thread. Deacons are not a ruling body and do not make decisions. They should be "Yes Men" as they are servants to the Pastoral staff. Now, any member of the church should be able to approach the pastor with questions and the Pastor should be "Above Reproach". However, churches get themselves into trouble when Deacons are running the show.

3. I have seen and been apart of churches giving to other churches anonymously. However, what concerns me is your lack of trust that your Pastor is telling you the truth. If you are doubting that the Pastor is telling you the truth, you need to do some evaluation. If you cannot trust your pastor to tell you the truth, then it's time for you or him to go.

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