Church 101: Deacons | The Importance of Order in the Local Church

“Too often Christians today have only two gears in their theological bike: essential and unimportant. If something is not essential for salvation, it is treated as unimportant and therefore dismissible. But the Bible presents us with a number of matters that are not essential for salvation but which nonetheless are important, even necessary, for obedience to God’s Word. And these commands are not arbitrary. Obeying them bears good fruit. Questions of polity and organization fall into this category. In the life of a local church, they can sometimes become crucially important for the church’s health and even survival.” — Mark Dever

Titus 1:5 // Colossians 2:5 // 1 Corinthians 14:40

If God has a good design for all things in creation, how much more for His singular vehicle of redemption– the church?

Exodus 25:8-9

The Ordinances – Baptism: The way into the Church / Lord’s Supper: Constant Gospel reminders

Matthew 28:19 // 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The Word – The content of teaching for Christian doctrine and living

2 Timothy 3:16-17 // 2 Peter 1:3-4 // Isaiah 55:10-11

The Gathering – Corporate worship, prayer and fellowship

1 Timothy 4:13 // 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 // Acts 2:42 // Colossians 3:16 // Hebrews 10:24-45

The Leaders – Elders: Teachers / Deacons: Servant-leaders

Ref. 1 Timothy 3

The church is the ‘household of God’ and just as the good order of our homes witnesses to the glory of God, so too with the church!

Ephesians 2:19 // 1 Timothy 3:5

Colossians 3:18-20 // Hebrews 13:17 // 1 Peter 5:1-3