Hello Grace Family!

It's time for our next Resource of the Month:

the book Deacons: How they Serve and Strengthen the Church by Matt Smethurst.

A few Sundays ago, we heard two sermons about Deacons from Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3. We talked about how Deacons are servant-leaders who mobilize the church to serve, meet tangible needs, preserve unity in the church, and protect the Elders' priorities of prayer and preaching. In his book, Matt Smethurst unpacks the biblical role of the Deacon even further, doing so with clarity and plenty of practical application.

Smethurst speaks from experience. He served as a Deacon at his previous church in Louisville, Kentucky. Now, as he pastors River City Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, he is weaving what he learned about Deacons into the fabric of his new church's culture.

Here is a taste of the book:

"The basic thesis of this book is that deacons – righly understood and deployed – are an irreplaceable gift to Christ's church. They are model servants who excel in being attentive and responsive to tangible needs in the life of the church. In what ways do they serve? By assisting the elders, guarding the ministry of the word, organizing service, caring for the needy, preserving unity, mobilizing ministry, and more" (p. 21).

If you've ever wondered "Who should be a Deacon?", or thought about becoming a Deacon yourself, or if you simply want to learn more, I would encourage you to pick up a copy. There is a sample copy in the foyer at Grace. Take a look this Sunday! You can purchase online through a number of Christian booksellers.

My prayer is that this biblical understanding of Deacons will truly multiply our service at Grace, so that each member of the Body of Christ will be mobilized to serve in the ways He has gifted and called them. We want every member to grow toward thinking of himself/herself as a deacon (in the informal sense), and for some to be chosen and appointed as Deacons (in the formal sense), commissioned to lead various ministry teams. What will this look like for you? Pray about it. And together, let's pray that the Lord would raise up many capable Deacons at Grace!

For a similiar message in a bite-sized format, check out the short booklet What Do Deacons Do? by Juan Sanchez. Its 35-40 small pages are very digestible, and could serve as a primer on this topic. 

EXTRA BONUS: I have a few extra copies of this booklet. Email me (tom@gracestamford.org), and I will give you one for free (first come, first served). 

I would love to hear from you! What Christian resources are helping you follow Jesus right now? 

Email me: tom@gracestamford.org

Thank you for reading the Resource of the Month email! If you have any questions about these resources, please reach out. Look for our next recommended resource in a few weeks.

Sincerely, your brother in Christ,

Tom Hansen, Senior Pastor