TUL620 URBAN POOR MOVEMENT LEADERSHIP

Diaconal Leadership in Movements

What is a Deacon(-ess)?

Working under the leadership of the five spiritual or eldership functions of Eph 4:11,12 are the deacons and deaconesses who are highly gifted administrators with gifts of mercy. Their initial role in Acts 6, was to manage the redistribution of wealth form rich to poor. Over the centuries, each denomination has defined this role differently. 

Q. What are the roles in your culture or denomination for deacons?

Q. What is the difference between the nature of the 1st Century Biblical deacon or deaconess and that of a 21st Century social worker or community development worker?

Evaluation of Your Development of Deacon(esse)s

Create a form for helping you analyze your workers, similar to the following:

Deacons Name: ______________

  • Looking at the diagram, in what kind of ministry is this person developing?
  • Describe his/her current roles.
  • Describe what it has cost to develop them this far.
  • What would be the deacon's title if they were fully trained and functioning in their gift and calling?
  • Describe what training the deacon(ess) needs.
  • What roles would he/she would fulfil?
  • What would it cost to train them to this level?
  • Where can he/she get this training?
  • How do you develop these people into a diaconal team within the church?

    • NGO's as Diaconal Movements

    Non-proit organizations are often diaconal organizations. They are lead by people gifted in administration and mercy, in order to transfer wealth from the rich to the poor. Similarly, when a church develops a health program or a self-help savings program etc, these are best done with the blessing of the apostles and pastors, but as separate organizational structures to the church itself. The Pastor should be involved in selection of leaders and in blesing the process and in ministering the word to affirm their processes, and maintaining spirituallity, but avoid going on the board or leadership, simply be in a spiritual relationship to the NGO.

    Such organizations are best developed across a network of churches or by a whole denomination, so there are enough people and resources to focus on a particular set of needs. (to be developed)

    Discuss you experiences of how NGO's have related with churches. Should the pastor not lead the diaconal structure or be on the leadership of the NGO? or maintain his spiritual leadership roles?

    Learning Objectives

  • Workers will develop a Biblical concept of the role and qualities of deacons and deacoanesses.
  • the group will come to initial conclusions about the equivalence of 1st century deacons and 21st century social workers and community develoment workers.
  • Pastors will evalaute the diaconal capacities wihtin their church.
  • Pastors and their teams will develop an action plan for diaconal developent in their church. (It is easier if a pastors network does this togetehr for several churches).

    • Readings (to be added)