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More about deacons from Spurgeon

austin gardner — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:34:41 +0000

My present staff of deacons consists of peculiarly lovable, active, energetic, warm-hearted, generous men, every one of whom seems specially adapted for his own particular department of service. I am very thankful that I have never been the pastor of a dead church, controlled by dead deacons. I have seen such a thing as that with my own eyes, and the sight was truly awful. I recollect very well preaching in a chapel where the church had become exceedingly low, and, somehow, the very building looked like a sepulchre, though crowded that one night by those who came to hear the preacher. The singers drawled out a dirge, while the members sat like mutes. I found it hard preaching; there was no “go” in the sermon, I seemed to be driving dead horses.
After the service, I saw two men, who I supposed were the deacons,—the pillars of the church,—leaning against the posts of the vestry door in a listless attitude, and I said, “Are you the deacons of this church?” They informed me that they were the only deacons, and I remarked that I thought so. To myself I added that I understood, as I looked at them, several things which else would have been a riddle. Here was a dead church, comparable to the ship of the ancient mariner which was manned by the dead. Deacons, teachers, minister, people, all dead, and yet wearing the semblance of life.

Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). C. H. Spurgeon’s Autobiography, Compiled from his diary, letters, and records, by his wife and his private secretary: Volume 3, 1856-1878 (18–20). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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More about deacons from Spurgeon

One captain on the ship, more on deacons

austin gardner — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:37:47 +0000

On going into the Tabernacle, one day, I gave directions about some minor alterations that I wished to have made, not knowing at the time that I was cancelling the orders given by the deacon who had the main care of the building resting upon him. When he arrived, in the evening, he saw what had been done, and at once asked who had interfered with his instructions. The reply was, “the Governor, sir.” The spirit of unquestioning loyalty at once asserted itself over any temporary annoyance he may have felt, and he said, “Quite right; there must be only one captain in a ship;” and, for a long while, that saying became one of our most familiar watchwords. I have often been amazed at the devotion of our brethren; I have told them, many a time, that, if they would follow a broomstick as they have followed me, the work must succeed. To which Mr. William Olney, as the spokesman for the rest, has answered, “Yes, dear Pastor; but it is because we have such absolute confidence in your leadership that we are ready to follow you anywhere. You have never misled us yet, and we do not believe you ever will do so.”

Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). C. H. Spurgeon’s Autobiography, Compiled from his diary, letters, and records, by his wife and his private secretary: Volume 3, 1856-1878 (19–21). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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One captain on the ship, more on deacons

your poor crippled minister, deacons

austin gardner — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:40:09 +0000

After one long illness, which kept me for many weeks out of the pulpit, I said to the deacons, “I am afraid you will get quite tired of your poor crippled minister;” but one of the least demonstrative of the brethren replied, “Why, my dear sir, we would sooner have you for one month in the year than anyone else in the world for the whole twelve months!” I believe they all agreed with what he said, for they have often urged me to go away for a long sea voyage, or to rest for a year, or for several months at the least; but I have always had one answer for them:—“It is not possible for me to leave my work for any lengthened period until the Lord calls me home; and, besides, there is a Scriptural reason why a minister should not be away from his people for more than six weeks at a time.” “What is that?” they asked. “Why, don’t you remember that, when Moses was up in the mount with God for forty days, Aaron and the children of Israel turned aside to the worship of the golden calf?”

I had one most touching proof of a deacon’s loving self-sacrifice and generosity. During a very serious illness, I had an unaccountable fit of anxiety about money matters. There was no real ground for apprehension, for my dear wife and I were scrupulously careful to “owe no man anything,” and there was no pecuniary liability in connection with the Lord’s work under my charge which need have caused me the slightest perplexity. I had fallen into one of those curious mental conditions that are often the result of extreme pain and weakness, in which the mind seems to lay hold of some impalpable object, and will not let it go. One of the brethren came to see me while I was in that sad state, and after trying in vain to comfort me, he said, “Well, good bye, sir, I’ll see what I can do.” He went straight home, and before very long he came back to me bringing all the stocks and shares and deeds and available funds that he had. Putting them down on the bed where I was lying in great agony, he said, “There, my dear Pastor, I owe everything I have in the world to you, and you are quite welcome to all I possess. Take whatever you need, and do not have another moment’s anxiety.” Of course, as soon as I got better, I returned to my dear friend all that he had brought to me under such singular circumstances. Even it I had needed it, I could not have taken a penny of it, for it seemed to me very much as the water from the well of Bethlehem must have appeared to David. Happily, I did not require any part of the amount so freely placed at my disposal, but I could never forget the great kindness of the brother who was willing to give all that he had in order to allay the groundless fears of his sorely-afflicted minister.

Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). C. H. Spurgeon’s Autobiography, Compiled from his diary, letters, and records, by his wife and his private secretary: Volume 3, 1856-1878 (21–22). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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your poor crippled minister, deacons

Issues With Authority

Travis Snode — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:47:09 +0000

Numbers 16:1-3 “Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

The leadership of Moses was continually under attack and question. His own sister and brother criticised him and questioned why he was in charge. Then Korah and several others recruited 250 well-known men of Israel to rise up against the leadership of Moses and Aaron.

God put down both rebellions and showed them that they were wrong, but these instances shed light on a larger problem. Every person, who descends from the first rebel, Adam, has had issues with authority. It is our nature to want to rebel and to want to do our own thing.

Authority, whether it be in the form of a husband, a parent, a teacher, an employer, the taxman, or a pastor is not something that we naturally like. We dislike anyone telling us what to do or being accountable to anyone. We want to be exactly as Satan described it to Eve, “as gods, knowing good and evil.” We want to be masters of our own universe deciding what is right and wrong for ourselves.

Though none of us like authority or love the thought of submission, we must remember that authority ultimately stems from God, the final authority, and to rebel against any authority in our lives is to rebel against God. This rebellion will not be tolerated for ever and those who continue to rebel, will, like Korah and his followers, face dire consequences.

What issues do you have with authority? Why do you think we find it so hard to submit? Our submission to God will manifest itself in our submission to the authority in our lives.

Deacons again

austin gardner — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:44:59 +0000

Of late years, I have heard a great deal against deacons, and have read discussions as to their office, evidently suggested by no idolatrous reverence for their persons. Many of my brethren in the ministry bitterly rate them, others tremble at the mention of their very name; and a few put on their armour, and prepare to do battle with them wherever they go, as if they were the dragons of ministerial life. I have been accused of saying that “a deacon is worse than a devil, for if you resist the devil, he will flee from you, but if you resist a deacon, he will fly at you.” This is no saying of mine; I never had any cause to speak so severely; and although, in some cases, it may be true, I have never had any experimental proof that it is so. Not one in a hundred of the sayings that are fathered upon me are mine at all; and as to this one, it was in vogue before I was born. I pardon the man who preached from James 1:6 before that drunken Solomon, James I. of England and VI. of Scotland,—the temptation was too great to be resisted; but let the wretch be for ever execrated, if such a man really lived, who celebrated the decease of a deacon by a tirade from the words, “It came to pass that the beggar died.” I forgive the liar who attributed such an outrage to me, but I hope he will not try his infamous arts upon anyone else.

My observation of deacons leads me to say that, as a rule, they are quite as good men as the pastors, and the bad and good in the ministry and the diaconate are to be found in very much the same proportions. If there be lordly deacons, are there not lordly pastors? If there be ignorant, crotchety men among deacons, are there not their rivals in our pulpits? The Church owes an immeasurable debt of gratitude to those thousands of godly men who study her interests day and night, contribute largely of their substance, care for her poor, cheer her ministers, and in times of trouble as well as prosperity, remain faithfully at their posts. Whatever there may be here and there of mistake, infirmity, and even wrong, I am sure, from wide and close observation, that the most of our deacons are an honour to our faith, and we may style them, as the apostle did his brethren, “the glory of Christ.” The deacons of my first village pastorate were in my esteem the excellent of the earth, in whom I took great delight. Hard-working men on the week-day, they spared no toil for their Lord on the Sabbath; I loved them sincerely, and do love them still. In my opinion, they were as nearly the perfection of deacons of a country church as the kingdom could afford.

Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). C. H. Spurgeon’s Autobiography, Compiled from his diary, letters, and records, by his wife and his private secretary: Volume 1, 1834-1854 (255–256). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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Deacons again

Deacons

austin gardner — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:28:55 +0000

I wanted to put out some very good information about godly deacons. I loved the following things that you will see about deacons from the autobiography of Spurgeon. If you are a deacon you should strive to arrive at this level of service.

Deprive the Christian Church of her deacons, and she would be bereaved of her most valiant sons; their loss would be the shaking of the pillars of our spiritual house, and would cause a desolation on every side. Thanks be to God, such a calamity is not likely to befall us, for the great Head of the Church, in mercy to her, will always raise up a succession of faithful men, who will use the office well, and earn unto themselves “a good degree, and great boldness in the faith.”—C. H. S.

SINCE I came to London, I have seen the last of a former race of deacons,—fine, gentlemanly men, rather stiff and unmanageable, not quite according to my mind, but respectable, prudent grandees of Dissent, in semi-clerical dress, with white cravats. The past generation of deacons is to be spoken of with reverence in all places where holy memories are cherished; but, out of them all, my friend, counsellor, and right hand, was Thomas Olney. Never did a minister have a better deacon, nor a church a better servant. He was for sixty years a member, for thirty-one years a deacon, and for fourteen years treasurer of the church. He was ever remarkable for his early and constant attendance at the prayer-meeting and other week-day services. He had a childlike faith and a manly constancy. To believe in Jesus, and to work for Him, were the very life of his new and better nature. He was eminently a Baptist, but he was also a lover of all good men. The poor, and especially the poor of the church, always found in him sincere sympathy and help. His name will be had in lasting remembrance.

Among my first London deacons was one very worthy man, who said to me, when I went to preach in Exeter Hall and the Surrey Gardens Music Hall, “I am an old man, and I cannot possibly go at the rate you young people are going; but I don’t want to hang on, and be a drag to you, so I will quietly withdraw, and go and see how I can get on with Mr. Brock.” I think that was the kindest thing that the good man could have done, and that it was probably the best course for himself as well as for us. I went over to see him, some time afterwards, and he asked me to take my two boys that he might give them his blessing. He said to me, “Did I not do the very best thing I could have done by getting out of the way, and not remaining to hinder the work? I always read your sermons, and I send in my subscriptions regularly.” Dear good man, he died the next day.

Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). C. H. Spurgeon’s Autobiography, Compiled from his diary, letters, and records, by his wife and his private secretary: Volume 3, 1856-1878 (15–16). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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Deacons

Church Planting Internship Opportunity in Atlanta

Jason Holt — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:04:03 +0000

Check out this incredible opportunity to serve as an intern at my home church:

Welcome to a description of the Vision Baptist Intern! Thank you for your interest in serving the Lord Jesus Christ through the ministry of Vision Baptist Church and the Our Generation Training Center. The Vision Baptist Internship provides an opportunity to experience day-to-day life in the Lord’s work while working on a variety of tasks and projects.

In addition to normal church and office duties, interns attend weekly lectures, volunteer at special events, participate in tours, and contribute to world evangelism projects. Vision Baptist Internships are unpaid positions and participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation and housing (you can get help in the church office).

We invite you to apply. Please read over the Intern Application and the Vision Baptist Ministry descriptions carefully. Ministry descriptions can help you determine your areas of interest and assist you in making an informed decision about which ministries might fit your qualifications. Interns will be selected based on their application and demonstrated interest in spiritual service.

Applicants must be:

At least 18 years of age on or before the first day of the internship
An intern maybe a recent graduate from high school, a college student between semesters, or a recent college graduate.

Completed application materials must be submitted to Trent Cornwell, Intern Coordinator in the offices of Vision Baptist Church, at trent@bcwe.org.

Upon acceptance, candidates must consent to a background check prior to their start date. All background checks are confidential and intended to protect the intern as well as the ministry of Vision Baptist Church.

Again, thank you for your interest in the Vision Baptist Internship Program. We look forward to hearing from you.

Vision Baptist Ministries

Audio Visual
Working with the computers, video, recordings, sound board and many other needs!

Businessmen Committed to World Evangelism
Opportunity to spend time with men and women that have committed their lives totally to the causes of Jesus Christ through the businesses that God has given them.

Community Outreach

Soul winning, bus visitation, phone evangelism, mail outs, etc.

Discipleship
Life on life sharing to develop another as strong as the discipler, follow up, leadership training, be.do.serve.train

Faith Friends
Children’s ministry reaching out to a multicultural community!

International Bible Outreach
A ministry that reaches out via a Sunday School Class, blogs, outreach to many different nationalities.

Internet Ministry
Web pages, blogs, email, and other ways used to get the message out and to reach new people with the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Ladies Ministries
Discipleship, preparation to be a pastor or missionary wife and serve where ever in the world, reaching out to the needy!

Master Clubs
Children’s ministry during the school year!

Music
Instruments, specials, choir, and every other way you can minister to the Lord and to others!

Mentoring
A different level of discipleship–much further than new converts, basic discipleship!

Mission Trips
The pastor and staff travel to different mission fields every year and you may be able to make a trip if you wish!

Our Generation Training Center
A school and training center preparing men and women to take the gospel to the world!

Pastoral Ministries
Get with the pastor and learn about everything from sermon preparation to any and all other parts of the ministry!

Preaching
Every student from the OGTC knows that they must teach or preach 100 times to graduate–ready!

Reformers Unanimous
A ministry of love to those that deal with addictions.

Secretarial Ministries
There is so much you can do to further the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ by helping the staff.

Spanish Ministry
An active vibrant ministry reaching out to the Spanish community under the leadership of a Peruvian Pastor!

Sunday School
From administration to teaching!

Teens
One of the most important areas of ministry in a church if it is done right to reach and teach the Word of God!

World Evangelism
Spend time with missionaries, the world evangelism committee, and learn how to be part of reaching the world in our generation!

Writing
There is much to be written each week that you could be used to accomplish!

Internship Application INSTRUCTIONS

1. Send a copy of your current resume
2. Three letters of recommendation
3. Send your application by email to trent@bcwe.org
4. If you have questions or problems with the application please contact Trent Cornwell via his email or by calling 770-456-5881.
5. The Vision Baptist Internship is a full time program
6. Have you served as an intern in another program or church prior to this application.
7. Please list three references. These may or may not be individuals who wrote your letters of recommendation.
8. Please list, in order of preference, the ministries that most interest you.
9. Narrative Question One: Why would you be a good representative of the Lord Jesus Christ and the ministry of Vision Baptist Church?
10. Narrative Question Two: What would you contribute to the Intern Program?
11. Narrative Question Three: Which ministry is most important to you? Why?
12. Narrative Question Four: What do you consider your most significant accomplishment? Why?
13. Narrative Question Five: What are your future ministry plans? What do you feel that God has called and gifted you to do?

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Church Planting Internship Opportunity in Atlanta

Devotional: What Is In Your Hand?

Travis Snode — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 12:47:59 +0000

Exodus 1:1-2 “And Moses answered and said, But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.”

God told Moses to go to the leaders of the Israelites and tell them that God wanted him to lead them out of Egypt. Moses was concerned that they would not believe him, so the Lord used the rod that he had in his hand to perform a miracle. Moses cast it on the ground and it became a serpent.

Often we look around for something that we do not have or someone who we are not that God can use, but God wants to take what we have and use it for His glory. God can take what the world might seem as ordinary and make it extraordinary. God can take what we have and who we are and do great things, if we just surrender all we are and all we have to Him!

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Devotional: What Is In Your Hand?

Lesson for Spiritual Leaders: Be Ensamples to the Flock

Travis Snode — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:53:10 +0000

1 Peter 1:3 “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”

Peter is exhorting the elders/pastors in the church. He challenges them to do several things:

Feed the flock of God with God’s Word.
Take the oversight of the flock not by constraint (force) but willingly, not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind.
Not be lords over God’s heritage
Be an ensample to the flock.

Being a spiritual leader in the church, in the home, or in any other aspect is a daunting prospect. The challenge that spoke to me today was about not being a lord over the church but an ensample.

It is important for those in spiritual authority to remember that they are not over but among. 1 Peter 1:2 says to “Feed the flock of God which is among you…” Then 1 Peter 1:3 says, “Neither as being lords over…”

We must remember that we hold a position but we are not above or over. We are taken from among men, have like passions, and just human like anyone else. We should not think that leadership exempts us in any way, but rather it obligates us to live an exemplary life.

We are to be “ensamples” which is just another way to say an example or a model or pattern for imitation. Spiritual leaders should be modelling the Christian life for the flock which is around them. 1 Timothy 4:12 tells us the areas in which we should be an example: word, conversation (behaviour), charity, spirit, faith, purity.

My question for myself and for you is, “How are you modelling the Christian life for those you are influencing?” Are we being examples to the flock? They are watching our life, they are learning good or bad from what we do. Let us take great care to be a good example.

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Lesson for Spiritual Leaders: Be Ensamples to the Flock

Nibbling at the Truth

austin gardner — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:00:09 +0000

Another devotional from A W Tozer

Acts 20:26–27

This is one of the marks of our modern time—that many are guilty of merely “nibbling” at the truth of the Christian gospel.

I wonder if you realize that in many ways the preaching of the Word of God is being pulled down to the level of the ignorant and spiritually obtuse; that we must tell stories and jokes and entertain and amuse in order to have a few people in the audience? We do these things that we may have some reputation and that there may be money in the treasury to meet the church bills.…

In many churches Christianity has been watered down until the solution is so weak that if it were poison it would not hurt anyone, and if it were medicine it would not cure anyone!

Lord, don’t ever let me be guilty of watering down the truth or playing to the crowds, concerned about my “reputation” or “money in the treasury.” Amen.

Tozer, A. W. (2001). Tozer on Christian leadership : A 366-day devotional. Camp Hill, PA.: WingSpread.

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Nibbling at the Truth