10/18
This Sunday
This Week's Message
Worthy of Respect
Pastor Geoff Davis
Readings
1 Timothy 3:8-16
When Jesus fed the 5,000, he needed help in distributing the food and cleaning up the leftovers. When the Apostles were confronted with explosive growth and grumbling about not paying attention to a segment of widows and children, they appointed seven helpers with the focused mission of caring for them. As the church grew, the need for non-teaching helpers grew.
In Acts 20:28, Paul meets with the Ephesian elders and gives them this instruction: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” We know that Paul appointed Timothy to care for the Ephesian church and gave him instructions in his first letter on how to refute false teaching and how to care for the church. This scripture details the qualifications of being a deacon that Timothy was to follow.
Today, the Church of the Brethren has continued this role in its structure and believes them to be “caregivers, utilizing their spiritual gifts in a share ministry that provides for the total well-being of God’s people.” How has this role evolved and why is it an integral part of our church life?
In Acts 20:28, Paul meets with the Ephesian elders and gives them this instruction: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” We know that Paul appointed Timothy to care for the Ephesian church and gave him instructions in his first letter on how to refute false teaching and how to care for the church. This scripture details the qualifications of being a deacon that Timothy was to follow.
Today, the Church of the Brethren has continued this role in its structure and believes them to be “caregivers, utilizing their spiritual gifts in a share ministry that provides for the total well-being of God’s people.” How has this role evolved and why is it an integral part of our church life?