Mineral Springs Baptist Church
1030 Bible Lane Vinton, VA 24179 540-890-4465
Gathering the Harvest
as We Grow in Grace
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Deacons have a rich and noble heritage in family ministry. It was a family-related need which called this office into being, namely, the economic needs of widows in the early church (Acts 6:1-7). These seven laymen, who worked with the apostles in meeting this need, were the first deacons.
Baptists in recent years have focused attention upon the role of deacons in relationship to families. During the past 40 years a Deacon Family Ministry has been implemented in many churches. Through this ministry deacons have helped church members develop and maintain a healthy relationship to the congregation so they could grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Deacon Family Ministry is an organized plan for connecting every family unit in the congregation with the Sunday School groups and ministry opportunities available through the larger organizational structure of the church. The greater goal is to lead everyone into being personally involved in worship, fellowship, discipleship, evangelism, and service through means of mutual accountability. Each family unit will be assigned to a deacon, who accepts the responsibility for ministering to them for the glory of God and the good of the whole congregation.
In addition to this basic definition, the Deacon Family Ministry plan might also be defined or summed up as follows: The Deacon Family Ministry is a means for building relationships between deacons and their assigned church families. It is the means by which deacons proclaim the gospel to families, care for families, and help families experience a rewarding relationship with the greater congregation. It is a commitment of deacons to continuing concern for every family in the church. It is an expression of the concern of deacons for the whole life of the family. It is a pledge by deacons to personal responsibility for ministering to specific families in the church and the community.
When deacons accept responsibility for a personal ministry to church families, the entire church is strengthened. Church families are the first to benefit from this ministry. As deacons show interest in the concerns of families through regular calls and visits in homes, families will be reminded that the church really cares for them. Trust in the deacons will grow. Members of a family will be able to discuss their problems with the deacon and accept his personal ministry. Ministries of the church will be understood more clearly by the families. As they understand the mission of the church and the work to which the church is committed, families will find greater joy in participating in the church’s ministries and opportunities.
The church will benefit also as the fellowship of the church is strengthened. When personal needs and family needs are being met, church fellowship will always be built up. Because of the “personal touch” of the Deacon Family Ministry, fewer church members will be lost through apathy and inactivity.
When deacons perform their work in the Deacon Family Ministry plan, pastors and other church staff members will be able to concentrate on the equipping ministries for which they are called. Like the apostles pictured in the sixth chapter of Acts, church staff members can give themselves to meditation and prayer, to teaching and training, as well as caring for those facing times of crisis.
Through the Deacon Family Ministry, deacons will discover the real meaning of the servant role to which they are set apart. They will have greater reasons for growing in their understanding of the Bible because of the challenges of their new ministry. They will grow in faith and dependence on God.
If you are not sure who your deacon is you can contact the church office for that information.
Mineral Springs Baptist Church 1030 Bible Lane Vinton, VA 24179 540-890-4465