Part 3 of Bob Deffinbaugh’s three-part series exploring the relationship elders have with deacons.
Anything that takes them away from or distracts them from their priority responsibilities.
Leave them to do their work- don’t micromanage
We need to avoid the tendency to delegate based on personal preferences or inclinations.
- How would you discourage the congregation from putting forward those who are not qualified?
- Why do you think it is important for those to whom you delegate responsibilities be full of the Holy Spirit? How do you judge that?
- Do you see the deacons as accountable to the elders or should they be independent of the elders? In other words, do elders and deacons form two bodies of men, equal in authority? What is the Scripture basis for your answer?
- Pose this scenario to your elders and/or deacons: Suppose one of the deacons is judged to be no longer qualified for the role? How would your church specifically deal with this?
- Ask your elders (or discuss among yourselves) to what degree must a man measure up to the qualifications for deacons in order to qualify? Who makes this judgment? Do the elders ever specifically talk about the individual deacons and their qualifications?