Deacon's that accept Christ

I think that a new convert has a very good chance of being "full of the Spirit", but spiritual wisdom will take some time.

Instead of penalizing the deacon for swallowing his pride and coming to Christ, why don't you suggest that he or she move to an "inactive" portion of the deacon body for a time until they grow in the Lord for a while. If your deacons are truly servants instead of rulers, then the deacon should continue to serve the congregation, but not necessarily in an official capacity with the full force of the church's resources.

 

I would think a church would want their deacons to know Christ :saint:

 

The church is not to appoint deacons without them being qualified. That the deacon is saved and not a novice in the Word is required. 1 Timothy 3:10 says that the deacon must be proved.

Any church that is not discerning enough to prove a deacon before appointing him need not have say so in any of the affairs of the church.

 

I am stunned. How do you get to be a deacon without already having Christ? This is new to me.

 

In His Blood, would mind restating this? I'm not sure I understand your meaning.

I don't think anyone questions that deacons should be saved, but I can see how it might be possible to elect a man to deacon who only thought he was saved. The question is what to do with him (her? ) now. I think Baptist Believer has offered up a very good solution.

Of course I think I would hope that said deacon would resign his position realizing that he was not qualified and is now still not completely qualified for the position. Course that brings the question of just how long should a man be saved before he accepts, or rather is considered for deaconship.

Interesting subject.

 

Those appointing a man to the office of a deacon should know without a shadow of a doubt that the man is saved, studies, meet the qualifications listed in the above verses.

How's that?

If there is no one that fits the above qualifications then the church is not to appoint them as deacons.

 

Maybe this is why churches are such a mess now days. They don't seem have the discernment to know if a person is saved or not. He was probably voted to be a deacon based on how nice he is or that he was at church everytime the door was open.

 

I've witnessed former Sunday School teachers, deacons, and church staff members become believers after serving and leading in the church for many years.

It's too easy to be religious or come forward as a child when the evangelist asks, "Do you love Jesus?" As a child and a youth I had an astounding number of people trying to manipulate me into saying the magic prayer and getting baptized, while never explaining the gospel is a coherent way. As a result, I grew up in a Southern Baptist church with many religious non-believers.

True believers of Christ actually attempt to follow His commands and display the fruit of the Spirit in their lives while scarcely noticing their "goodness." Those who are not true believers are characterized by the works of the flesh and demonstrate their unregenerate state by engaging in controversies, power plays and lack of grace toward "sinners".

I am convinced that an enormous number of Southern Baptists (as well as other kinds of Baptists) are unregenerate. They may be very religious and know the lingo, but Christ will say to them, "Depart from Me, for I never knew You!"

 

I can remember the day when a deacon came to Christ in a church I was attending for a short time. He would have called himself a Christian but then one day he claimed that he realized he was not.

Some people are told as kids all of the right stuff and get dunked without knowing Christ.

The wife of a a friend of mine from my seminary days told me that she accepted Christ while her husband was pastoring a church. Her dad was a SBC evangelist. he told me that one time he was preaching and during the invitation she came forward.

Even Jesus' disciples did not know who would betray Him. So people can be fooled but not God.

 

There are alot of people who act like good Christian men and women who are not saved. Maybe people who grew up in the church, they act the part do what they are suposto do and nobody in the church knows that they are not saved.

To be able to know who is saved and who is not with out a shadow of a doubt would take an infallible man. I do not believe there is one of those on earth. If there is then he can be pope or something.

HBSMN

Are you saying that you know a way to tell if somebody is saved beyond a shadow of a doubt.

 

I would think that he should step down.

 

According to

and also to the sixteenth chapter of Romans, and many other verses in the New Testament, we can know if another is of the faith.

we can tell if one is saved.

Paul constantly referred to many in the Churches he wrote to as saints, or brethren.

Yes, I believe we can tell who is of God and who is not.

Here is another...

John 13:35 (KJV) By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Yes, there is a way to tell.

 

Well, deacons are "ordained" and there is no way he could of been ordained if he was not saved, so it should not even be a question. He is not ordained as a deacon and is a deacon in name only. He must step down, and if the church later wants to ordain him, then that would be up to the church. As for now, he should and must step down.

 

Ya know, in Heaven there is a great shout of joy that another sheep (child of God) has been found/brought into the fold . Funny that here on this board I haven't heard any such praise and glorifying of God...... He's your Brother!!!!!

and will probably make twice the deacon he was before.....

And for sure ya have to be joking about how an unsaved could be a deacon. WHEN SO MANY OF OUR PULPITS ARE FULL OF THE UNSAVED!!!!!!!!

 

Mt. 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'

When I was in seminary there were students studying to be pastors who came to Christ. They had come from SBC churches.

 

Where have you ever met an unsaved pastor of a Baptist church? I would say the majority do not know how to make disciples but I have not met any who I felt was unsaved. I have never heard some of the leaders talk about making disciples in any of their sermons. Most are simply following the example they have seen for years who have gone before them.

 

I ain't in church so I am gonna give you a round of :applause:, a :thumbs: and a :wavey:.

 

RE: Deacons that accept Christ

I too, Brother Bob, am QUITE stunned by this question. Aren't deacons supposed to be your most knowledgeable in regards to scriptures? I think the Old Regulars use deacons in the way that if someone preaches something false, they(deacons)are supposed to show them(preachers), with scriptures, that what they just preached was false. I am right on this, Brother Bob? I know they also serve the men during the sacrament(sp?), too. So I really don't know how this question, or really I should say why, instead of how, was started. If I am wrong, someone please show me....I am not 100% sure if I am right. I have witnessed things like this from afar. Thanks!!