The Role of the Deacon Board at First EFC
Many ask; what do the Deacons do? I think the first question should be; what is a Deacon? Being a Deacon is also about being an overseer and 1 Timothy 3:1-7 tells us this.
Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
Continuing, 1 Timothy 3: 8-12 gives us more insight.
Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.
Now that we know what a Deacon is, we can answer the question of what a Deacon does. At FEFC Deacons are mainly responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of the congregation. We continually watch for areas of spiritual warfare. We develop and maintain lines of communication with other groups like the Men’s Ministry, Woman’s Ministry, and Prayer Ministries to help us accomplish this task. It’s also part of our task to manage the Peacemaking Team, connect with the community, assist with Evangelism and give advice regarding the relational covenant.
The Deacons are also responsible for collecting money for the Family Fund (taken after communion the first Sunday of the month) and managing the distribution of those funds as the need arises. The Deacons also guide the congregation in spiritual growth and maturity through the many ministries in the Church. It’s our task to assist in evaluating individual spiritual gifts and encouraging the use of those gifts in various ministries that serve the body. We also perform numerous administrative tasks like creating the board budget, evaluating Pastoral performance and attending Executive Board meetings.
But perhaps the most important thing we do as Deacons is to act as a line of defense against spiritual warfare. We give comfort to the sick, assist the homeless, watch over widows and work with those in conflict. We take up the sword of truth against the evil that is constantly working to disrupt each of us to disrupt God’s Church. Lastly, we pray, pray, pray and pray some more. Satan is always looking for ways to defeat and destroy us.
Until our Lord returns, the Deacons must be diligent and we ask for your prayers. Pray that we may find strength through Christ, perseverance in staying the course, direction in knowing which way to go, guidance to do God’s will and awareness to see what is going on around us. Without your prayers we are less than what God intended us to be.
If you know of a need, a spiritual battle, you need someone to talk with or you just need someone to listen, we are there for you.
About the Family Fund
"Are you a member of the immediate family?"
Many of us have heard that question asked by hospital staff or other officials.
In the case of our church family, yes, we are indeed members of it, and as such, we have certain expectations and privileges.
Members of the church family can expect the church to come alongside them for any reason, but especially when they have unmet needs. When those needs are financial in nature, that's where the Family Fund comes in. We deacons thought it might be wise, educational, profitable, and all those other good things to lay out for you just what this fund is and how it works.
The FEFC By-Laws have always stated, "The Deacon Board, with the Senior Pastor, shall administer the benevolence fund." Some years ago the church began unofficially calling it the Family Fund, since its primary purpose was to assist those in the church who were in financial need and secondarily to assist others outside the body.
Since the church's beginning, then, a collection for this fund, separate from the general offering, has been received after the service(s) of the first Sunday of the month by a deacon standing with an offering plate in the back of the church. (Of course, the two boxes located on the back wall are always there, one for our regular tithes and offerings and the other for our building fund pledges.)
When a deacon or pastor hears of someone experiencing financial hardship, several things happen. That deacon or pastor contacts at least one other deacon, and they prayerfully discuss the need and try to ascertain what part of it, if any, God would have them help meet. If a decision is made to help, a check is written to the appropriate recipient and delivered as soon as possible.
Over the years, some unwritten policies have been established regarding the fund's administration. Recently the deacons put these into an official document that was accepted and approved by the Executive Board as official Family Fund Policy. Among others, these items include specific guidelines on how disbursements are made, etc.
One of those guidelines prioritizes those who may benefit from this fund. Of first priority are those in need who are members of our local assembly, the First Evangelical Free Church of Las Cruces--i.e., those who have been voted into membership based on their testimony as believers in Jesus Christ and their written application to join. Second are those in need who attend and are active here but who have not yet "joined" or been voted into membership in this local assembly. Third are needy believers in Jesus Christ who do not attend this local church, and fourth are non-believers who are in need. That's just about everyone, I think!
Some have wondered if gifts can be made to help meet specific needs of specific individuals, and of course, the answer is yes, but a qualified yes. The donor may request that the money be used in a certain way, but the decision whether or not to honor that request may be made only by the deacons, according to tax laws for non-profit organizations. If in their prayerful judgment, then, the deacons decide God is indeed leading in that direction, they may and will disburse the funds accordingly.
May contributions be made at other times instead of the first Sunday of the month? Absolutely! Just make sure they are earmarked for the Family Fund and given to one of the deacons, one of the pastors, or the church office.
If you hear of such a need or have one yourself, please let a deacon know. We'd love to help!
