Each year First Baptist Church elects twelve men to serve as deacons for a two year period. These twelve men join the twelve elected the previous year to make up the deacon body of First Baptist Church.

At FBC deacons have the responsibility to jealousy guard the unity of the church and to lead it to health. Deacons contact new attendees, visit the homebound and in hospitals, and help minister in crisis situations. The deacons are men of prayer and good works.

Why deacons? Why not some other form of leadership that seems to work adequately for other Christian groups? I do not wish to denigrate the traditions and decisions of others, but I do want to lay out the case for deacons in the church. In the New Testament, two groups make up the leadership of the church: pastor/teachers and deacons. Philippians 1:1 makes that clear in the church at Philippi, a very healthy church that seems to fit the norm in the New Testament. Paul addressed his letter “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” Paul wrote to all the saints with particular emphasis to bishops (pastors) and deacons. The plain implication seems to be that these were the main leaders of the church.

Later, we will discuss how we elect deacons. For now, I want to ask you to help us do so. Would you suggest men who fit the model for character found in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and the model for service found in Acts 6:1-7? The model which Paul gave to Timothy describes men with healthy families and strong character. They are men who can take a stand (not double-tongued) and who have been tested under fire and proven worthy.

You may suggest these men by submitting their names in a plain envelope during the offering or at the reception desk in the church office prior to Wednesday, August 31. Not all of your suggestions will be selected (we hope to have many), but all those that you suggest will be considered and prayed over.