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"A Deacon on Purpose" Session Videos


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Session 1 Questions for Group Discussion

  1. Reflect on (share) your story. How did you come to faith in Christ? How did you know He was calling you to be a deacon? What is God doing in your life today, as He continues to shape and mold you into the image of His Son?
  2. Read 1st Timothy 3:8-13. What are some qualifications listed, and why are these important to the role of a deacon in the church?
  3. Take some time to work through your church's structure for accomplishing the functions of the deacon body. If there is no existing structure or strategy, begin to discuss how you might implement one.

Session 2 Questions for Group Discussion

  1. Are the people in your church body good at serving one another? If not, do you think that may be a reflection of how the deacon body leads by example in this area of church life?
  2. In your own words, how is relational influence more powerful than positional influence?
  3. Can you think of a deacon who influenced you positively at some point in the past?
  4. Think through the four areas of leading by example mentioned in this chapter. How have you personally seen these played out in your own ministry--whether positively or negatively?
  5. Be honest. Which of the four areas of leading by example do you to work on the most right now?

Session 3 Questions for Group Discussion

  1. What are some ways that your deacon body is currently doing an excellent job serving your church family? Take a few minutes to celebrate those things.
  2. Think through each of the five areas of service in this chapter. Which areas need some improvement in your deacon body? Take a moment to stop and pray for God to open doors of service to you in this area.
  3. Be sure to plan a session when you can talk together as a deacon body about creative ways to serve your church membership. If you have the time, discuss this together right now.
  4. Are there people in your church body who you know are not connected (specific names)? Discuss some ways your deacon body can be intentional in reaching out to them now. How can you ensure that this disconnection does not happen again in the future?

Session 4 Questions for Group Discussion

  1. In what ways were the seven men in Acts Chapter 6 supporting their pastors (Apostles, at the time)?
  2. What are some ways you currently show support to your pastor and staff? What are some creative ways you can begin to do this better?
  3. Does your pastor or his family assume your support, or are they constantly assured of it? How can you make sure they never have to assume your support again, but instead, that they would always be assured of it?
  4. How can you begin to develop the kind of relationship with your church leadership that would invite them to ask for your counsel/advice?
  5. Do you have a plan in place for the pastoral care of your pastor and church staff?

Session 5 Questions for Group Discussion

  1. How did the service of the seven men in Acts 6:1-7 keep the peace within their church body?
  2. Are there any conflicts in your church currently that might endanger the peace and the good fellowship of its body-life? How can you address those issues?
  3. Has there been a time when you, as a deacon, have acted contrarily to this important purpose of keeping the peace within your church? Confess that now and seek forgiveness and reconciliation within your deacon body. Watch and learn first-hand, here, how the love of Jesus covers every offense and brings reconciliation among the brethren.
  4. Talk together through the bullet points under the subheading "Be a Diffuser," on pages 37-38. Can you give a personal example that illustrates one of these bullet points?

Session 6 Questions for Group Discussion

  1. In your own words, how does this list of qualifications double as a list of character descriptions for the deacon?
  2. Think back on the four purposes of the deacon (Lead by Example, Serve the Membership, Support the Pastor/Staff, Protect the Peace). How might a character failure in one or more of the areas listed in this chapter negatively affect the deacon's ability to be a deacon on purpose?
  3. What is your church's understanding of 1 Timothy 3:12? In your opinion, has there been sufficient emphasis placed on the character of the candidate and not just the checklist requirement?
  4. What are some of the practical ways your deacon body can encourage each other regularly in these eight areas of character from 1 Timothy 3?