The Deacon: Servant and Leader Week 2

Amen. All right, we are on page 10, I believe, of your notes. And um we're at number two towards the top of the page. And the for number one was he is a servant. And the deacon, we're talking about the deacons here. If you need a page nine and 10, raise your hand. Anybody need one? Right over here. We need one. Ricky, anybody else need one? And again, you can find it at ohana.urch/live is where you can find it located at. But we want to remind you, we're talking about deacons. And um there's two main positions the Bible identifies in the church. That's pastors and deacons. And the pastor is head of the church and he's got a lot of responsibilities.

We talked about that. And there's certain qualifications that have to be met. And the same thing is true of a deacon. And the word deacon literally means servant. And that's the first thing we talked about there is the deacon is not in charge necessarily, but he's a servant of the church. Now in serving a lot of times deacons take charge of specific areas. Uh they may take charge of uh a certain ministry or a certain outreach or or a certain group of people uh and they take leadership in that way. So they are first of all a servant and secondly he is a leader number two there. And as we go through these let me remind you also that God calls all of us to be servants.

And so these qualifications can apply in your life as well. not just in choosing the right people. That's a a very important job. If you're ever in a church that's voting on deacons or voting on leadership in the church, take time to really pray. Take time to really uh look at these qualifications and and and just to look for people that can match up to that and be a part of that responsible decision- making in that process as well. But we look here and he's supposed to be a leader and and and be a leader first of all by example in Acts chapter 6 and verses 3-5. Acts chapter 6 uh you remember there um we have the that they were uh the church was serving a lot of people and people were getting saved and they were being disowned by their family.

They were being kicked out of their housing. uh they lose their job. And so a lot of them need to be fed. And so the the ones that still were working and could afford to do it were gathering food together and and uh having big meals together and and it becomes such a there was so many people to eat. It becomes such a a a challenge with the administration of all of that that the the leadership said, "We need to choose out some deacons, some servants to take care of this." And but even though that they were servants, they also looking for those that were leaders. Look at verse number three, Acts 6:3.

Wherefore, brethren, look out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom they may appoint over this min this business. And we'll give ourselves continue to prayer and the ministry of the word. And the same pleased the whole multitude they chose. And it gives a list of the men that they chose that were full of faith uh and of the Holy Ghost. And so they were looking for people with the leadership ability that had a good testimony, a good report of of an honest report of those that with both within and without. Um you know the deacons represent the church and and so they have need to have a good report to the community around as well as within the church itself.

Uh deacons are looked to for leadership. So here's a young Christian. If someone's a deacon, they ought to be somebody they can look up to and say, "Man, that's a he's got a godly testimony. He's faithful. He's full of the Holy Spirit. He's got an honest report, and he's wise." And uh and and also the young people. One of the things uh important to me is what do the young people see when they look at them? Uh what what do they see in that person's life? Um, we had a man here years ago that was very involved in the church and and um and he was a very godly man, loved the Lord, but he was divorced and remarried.

Um, he had been Vietnam and uh while he was in Vietnam, his wife cheated on him. He tried to reconcile and she continued and finally she divorced him and uh he never asked for a divorce but that's what he ended up with. And later on he met a godly woman and married her. And one of the things he said, pastor, is I'd like to talk to the young people because they might look at me and say, 'Well, brother Mel, uh, he he's a godly man that loves the Lord. He's been divorced, so it's no big deal. He says, I want them to understand that that my testimony may be good for the Lord, but yet the fact that I've gone through this, even though God's blessed me beyond what I deserve, he said, you they still understand that there's a price to pay.

And even though it wasn't my choice, and I can look back and see the mistakes that I made in the process, it wasn't my choice to get divorced. And I I I would still be with the first wife today if that were if if God had allowed that and she had allowed that. But he wanted to understand because he was a testimony. We put somebody up in front of these young people. You know, I remember when I was a young person in a church and uh the deacons, we'd go to their house and uh for some kind of activity and you'd open up the refrigerator and there'd be beer bottles in there. And you know what the young people are thinking?

They can drink. We can drink. Now, obviously, we too young to drink and everything, but you know, it's just that testimony there. There's an important responsibility that we have to those that are around us and showing them a godly testimony. And so, the the deacons need to be leaders by their example. And then look else also at 1 Timothy chapter 3. Well, we won't look there because we we've gone over a little bit, but we'll go over some more in a moment here. But it gives the qualifications of a deacon. We went through the whole qualifications of a de a pa p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p pastor and many of them are the same for the deacon and um there's certain qualifications that he needs to meet and we'll talk about those in just a moment.

And then not only by example but he needs to be a leader not just by example but by action. In Acts chapter 6 and uh verse number eight, Acts chapter 6 and verse number eight, you remember they chose out when they chose the deacons, they chose one man named Stephen. And the Bible says about him as a man full of faith in the Holy Ghost. And then verse number eight, and Stephen full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people. And so, uh, deacons need to be people that are out there actually doing something, actually serving, involved, uh, showing it by example. Look chap Acts chapter 8 and verse number five.

Um, then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. And then Acts chapter 8 verse 26. And the angel of the Lord uh spake unto Philip, saying, "Arise, and go towards the south, unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem, unto Gaza, which is which is desert." And so again, here they're not just their example, but they're out there actually doing something. You know, they're they're teaching classes. They're soul-winning. They're they're involved in the church ministry. They're helping out. Uh they're the ones that are helping put tables away or sweep the floor afterwards.

there. They're leaders by example and by action. And then look at Proverbs chapter 15 and verse 22. Proverbs chapter 15 and verse number 22. Proverbs 15:22. The Bible says without counsel purposes are disappointed, but a multitude of counselors they are established. And so they're they're also the deacon is an adviser. uh one of their jobs in the church is to advise the pastor uh to give them a different point of view. Uh a lot of times people won't talk to me, but they will talk to the deacons. A lot of times the deacons are out there seeing it from I'm seeing it from up front. They're seeing it from in the pew, so to speak.

Uh they're able to be there and and give the perspective of those within church. By the way, when you have a question or you have a concern or you see a problem or a suggestion, whatever it might be, that's where you one of the first places you can go to is the deacons and and not in a complaining way, not in a way that you're trying to cause trouble, but just go and say, you know, I I I saw this or I wonder about this or why this and ask them those questions or make those suggestions and and um and then that way they can come to me. I meet with the deacon trustees and we're we're trying to establish doing it every six to eight weeks or so and and um and just sit down with them and I want to hear what they have to say and then we go over things about the church and I tell them what we're looking at doing and get their get their advice and counsel and uh and and that's important to me and and that's important part of that process as well.

And then when you look at the deacon qualifications, go over to 1 Timothy chapter 3. 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verses 6 through13. It's also we find also in Titus uh as well, chapter 1. But 1 Timothy chapter 3 and beginning with verse number 6 down through verse number 16. And we're not going to go through all these because we went through most many of them with the qualifications of a pastor. And again, here's the thing I want you to see. Pastors are supposed to do this. Deacons are supposed to do this. Do you think you're somewhere in that chain as well? Do you think God would want you? This is what God is asking for those in leadership.

Would it not be a good standard for you to strive for even if you may never be a pastor? You may never be a deacon, but would it not be a good standard to to strive for in your life as well? And so, uh, a deacon, first of all, is it tells us is a a man, this is back in Acts chapter 6, a man of good and honest report. Uh, look at 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and:es 3 and 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 3 and 4. giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed, but in all things have proven themselves as the ministers of God in much patience and affliction and necessities and distresses.

So, a deacon ought to have a testimony out in the community that that people don't say, "Oh, yeah, that's the that's he's a deacon from that church over there, you know, and they say derogatorily because because of his testimony." He ought to have a good testimony in his neighborhood, at his workplace. Um, you know, and and and just a a good and honest report. And then look at 1 Peter chapter 3. 1 Peter chapter 3 and:es 15 and 16. 1 Peter 3:es 15- 16. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. So again, they may not like him for his stand. They may not like him for what he believes, but there that's not he should not have a bad testimony personally and and neither should we. In Romans chapter 15 and verse number two, Romans chapter 15 and verse number two. And every one of us, let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. I'm sorry, verse one. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves.

Let everyone please his neighbor for his good edification. So the deacon is more he's concerned about I want to be a good testimony as sometimes that means I may not do certain things or I I can't you know because I want to be that testimony. Over the years, I've met people and gotten to talk to them and they say, "Well, I work at such and such place." And somebody from the church works there, too. You know what? I've I've gotten a little bit afraid of saying, "Oh, we have somebody from our church that works there." And then I say their name and they go, "Oh." You know what that means, right? They don't have a good honest report.

They don't have a good testimony. If if I were to meet somebody that works with you and and mention your name as being a member of our church, what kind of report would they have? Most of them aren't going to say anything, but their face usually shows it and their tone of voice usually shows it. And what kind of report would we have? What about if I met somebody, hey, I know somebody lives on your street? What would they say about you? Oh, that's where they do all the yelling at each other. you know, uh, what would your testimony be? And then secondly, grave. And again, that doesn't mean old, ready to die.

It's the idea of dignity, seriousness of purpose, inspires respect. It's not that they It's not that they never laugh, they never have a good time. Some of the most grave people I know, some of that meet the definitions of the word are are happy people that just love the Lord and and love a good joke and love to laugh and and and all the rest of this. Not that they can't be fun, have a good sense of humor, but they also know that this life is serious and they know when they need to be serious and in that way. And then um number three is not double tonged. The idea of that word is is things like gossip.

They're not a gossip. Uh not somebody who curses, not somebody who lies. That they have a good conversation. Um in in James 3:es 1-12, you can write that down. But they're they're in control of their tongue. They're they're not a backper. They're not, you know, they they just their their words are sweetened with honey and and and um uh and you know, they know how to say the right things. So they're not speaking out two sides of their mouth and all the rest of that. And then uh next one in Timothy is not given to wine. Um in 1 Timothy chapter 3, it it says there in um let's see where we're at here again.

I'm in the wrong place here. Let me get the right place. Deacons must be deacons grave and and not given to much wine. The idea there uh we talked about this. We talked about the pastor. If you look at Romans chapter 14, uh again I want to remind you that in that day everything they drank was wine because there was no refrigeration. Everything was fermented. But the fermentation was very very minimal. You'd have to drink gallons of it to get drunk. And so that's why it says not much wine. Some people grab hold of says it's okay to have a a glass of wine now and then but uh you just don't as long as you don't overdo it.

And I I just don't agree with that. And you can argue with me if you want to, but and I can give you a Bible study and if you want to go through that Bible study, I've gone through the word of God. I've gone from Genesis, Revelation, looked up every verse, everything the Bible says about alcohol. And uh I I don't think it's right. And especially for leadership, uh again, those deacons had that bottle of beer in their refrigerator. And none of them were drunkers that I knew of, not one of them. But I know some of the young people that was their excuse. Now I you know and and and and I never drank it because my dad was an alcoholic and I just didn't want to go down that road but I know a lot of you young people that did you know when you talk well the deacons do and and and so there needs to be a testimony there.

And um and then going on to number five is not greedy. Matthew chapter 6 and verse number 21. Matthew chapter 6 and verse 21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. These are people, nothing wrong with them working hard, earning a living, having some money in the bank, having some nice things. It's not it's not objecting to that. But it's when you can see the focus of their life is I want money. I want power. I want uh you know things. That's what is wrong. And so they're not greedy. These are people who are very generous with their time and their money. They're very generous with what they give to others and uh and will use their money for the Lord and are not hung up on doing that to the point where it takes over their life.

And then number six there, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And so the idea here with this is that deacons hold that mystery. So they're learners. Look at second Timothy um chapter 2 and verse number two. Second Timothy chapter 2 and verse number two. And the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses the same. Commit thou to faithful men who should teach others also. These are men that you know they're they're learning so they can teach others also. They they they they don't just learn for themselves but they're learning so they can teach and share it with others.

that you you see them studying, you you see them reading books, you see them uh trying to to grow in the Lord and knowledge of the Lord. Look also at um Hebrews chapter 5 and verses 11-4. Hebrews 5 11-14. Of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing we are you are deal dull of hearing. For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles, the oracles of God, and are become such as of need of milk, and not of strong meat. But everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word righteous, for his obey. But strong me belong to them that are full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised discern both good and evil.

In other words, you see, these are people that are learning and applying in their life what they're trying to teach to others. So they're they're learners and and they're people that study uh 2 Timothy 2:15 study to show the self approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word truth. So the they're students of the word. Acts 17:11, these were more noble than those in Thessalonica. And that they receive the word with all readiness of mind, search the scriptures daily where those things are so. And so these are people that are really learning, studying, and you can see it uh in their lives.

You can see it by how they live and how they talk and and and all the rest of it. They've got some knowledge. They're not going to know everything, but they definitely understand and have a knowledge of the word of God. And then number C there, look at Colossians chapter 4 and verse number six. Colossians chapter 4 and verse number six. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man. And so a deacon ought to be somebody that's that can be a counselor that they can answer. So you could go to them and ask questions. I'm struggling in marriage.

Can you give me some counsel advice? I I'm deal I'm struggling with this sin. Can you give me counsel advice? You know, I I have this problem. Whatever it is, they their men and and their wives are people that you can go to for counsel because they have knowledge in the word of God. They're not trained counselors necessarily necessarily, but they've they've lived life. They've studied the word and they've dealt with others to the point that they've got wisdom to share with you. And then the next uh qualification of a deacon is proved. Uh it talks about being proved. And the idea of that word proved is not a novice.

And we uh we see that earlier on in verse number six of chapter 3, not a novice. And then for the deacon, it talks that was for the pastor. And the deacon says, "Let these also be first first be proved." In other words, they've got some time and experience. I I tell young people all the time, it's not you you're not mature because you've reached a certain age, but at the same time, you're not going to be mature until you've got certain number of years in. Maturity comes with age and experience and along with other things as well. But uh so the the the deacon need to be somebody who's been saved for a while.

A mistake I see a lot of churches make is somebody famous or or a businessman or somebody gets saved and immediately they make him a deacon because of his background. But he needs time in to OJT time to grow in the Lord. It's one of the reasons we have the trustee position here at Ohana is because we don't want to be the point we have to make somebody a deacon who's not prepared for that. And so the trustee is a is an OJT one-year position to give them time to grow and to learn and get some on the job training and and so they need to be proved. And and then number eight, to use the office of deacon well.

Uh look at first Peter chapter 4 and verses 10 and 11. 1 Peter chapter 4 and verses 10 and 11. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him do his ability, which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to him be praised and dominion forever and ever. Amen. And go back to verse number nine. Use hospitality one to another. And so the deacon is somebody that is going to use their gifts in their position. Every one of our de deacons have different gifts and and so we need those variety of gifts to come together to accomplish what needs to be accomplished here.

And and by the way again that's important for you. Remember we talked about the gifts and you know every every Christian's received a gift or gifts and then there's an office where you use that gift or gifts and then there's a uh an energy level the different abilities in that area of gift. You have two people with the gift of teaching and one may have a little bit more power, a little bit more energy with that than the other does. But the deacon is going to somebody's going to take their gifts and use them to serve the Lord in the position of deacon. And they're going to use the office of deacon well.

They're going to say, you know what, what does this office call for? What does this position call for to do a good job with that? And then um also Romans 12:es 3-8. We won't go there but talks about the different gifts. Whatever your gift is, do it. If you have the gifts of ministry, then minister. If you have the gift of giving, then give. Whatever your gift is, you should be using that gift and and doing that. And then it takes a little bit of a break there. And we see about the wives in Titus chapter um 2 and:es 3-5 is where we see them talked about specifically. And it tells us in verse three, the aged women likewise, I'm sorry, um, if you go back to 1 Timothy chapter 3, it says in verse 11, he so then even so must their wives be grave, not slanders, sober, faithful in all things.

And then look at Titus chapter um, chapter 3 and two chapter 2:es 3-5. the age of women likewise that they be may be in behavior as that as becometh holiness not not false accusers not given to much wine teachers of good things that they may teach the young women be sober to love their husbands to love their children to be discreet chaseke keepers at home good obedient to their own husbands their own husbands that the word of God not be blasphemed and a little bit later on we're going to talk about there are some other positions that the kind the Bible kind of hints hints hints at and one of them is they would hire widows or older women in the church to minister and to do different things especially them that needed that extra income and uh and they had qualifications too.

So both the deacons wives and and other ladies in the church that are serving there's qualifications they had to meet and and one was grave which is the same words we talked before dignity serious of purpose inspires respect the second one is not slanderers the word slanders is devils or accusers they're not gossipers they're not backbiting talking about people all the time and then number is they're faithful to their husband their children their church and their savior this is a faithful ful woman. She's faithful in serving the Lord. She's faithful in taking care of her husband and her and her family.

And then it talks about back in in Timothy again the husband of one wife. Uh literally again the idea of a onewoman man. Uh it's not just about not being divorced. And that's one of the struggles we we see in a lot of churches and even here at Ohana is you got godly people have been divorced. And is a divorced person, can they be a deacon? could they not be a deacon? What's uh what's the qualifications there? Uh when it says husband of one wife, if he's been divorced, can he can he serve in that position? Uh here at Ohana, we've had some divorced people serving as a trustee but not as a deacon.

And and precisely what I talked about before with that fellow Mel is he said, "I I could not be a deacon because I don't want to set the wrong example." godly man, loved the Lord, served the Lord, faithful to church, giver, uh very responsible in every way, but yet he realized that his testimony had been compromised, even not necessarily fully of his fault. He wasn't eliminated from serving the Lord, but he was limited. And sometimes we limit ourselves by our background. And um and like we talked about before, there's a lot more to it than just just the idea of divorce. Um, you could have two guys, one was married and divorced, the other one lived with a woman for 10 years and then then they separated.

And in a lot of churches, this guy would be disqualified and that guy would be qualified. At least this guy did the right thing, you know, but maybe it didn't work out. So, you got a lot of a lot of gray area that I'm not trying to say there's gray area, but it's it you have to look at each situation individually. And the main thing is this. They may be limited and I do believe that that there's limits when you've been divorced and what you can do for the Lord because of that testimony and and and and all but you're not eliminated. And there's many things you can be a deacon and never have the title.

In fact, we've had people in this church that were better deacons than the deacons because they were doing everything a deacon would do just without the without the title. And so the title is not, you know, required to serve the Lord. Um the idea this husband of one wife is more of a onewoman man that you look at that guy and you say there's one person he loves and that's his wife. And you know I hope people will look at me and say pastor Wayne would not look at another woman. He loves not just that I'm I'm neg not just negatively. And that's what we put in the letter A there is negatively. Matthew chapter 5 look not upon a woman lust in your heart.

In Job chapter 31, Job made a covenant with his eyes that he would not look upon a maid. And and and a deacon, a leader leader should not have a wandering eye. Should not should be very careful in his testimony and being alone with a woman, those kind of things. There's no negative connotation there. But more importantly, this is more of a positive thing. And the idea of of husbands love your wives. That when you look at this man, you say, "There's no question that guy loves his wife. And if if you if you believe somebody loves their wives, then the negative is not even going to come up because it's the positives there.

And then um then we go on to number 10 there. He used the office well. Again is the idea here. Um and and talking about verse verse number uh in first Timothy using the office well. Um verse 13, for they that have used the office of deacon well purchase themselves a good degree and great boldness to the faith which is in Christ Jesus. Uh look at 1 Corinthians 16:15. 1 Corinthians 16 15 I beseech you brethren to know the house of Stephanus that is the first fruits of acacia that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. I want I want men and women serving God here at ohana that say you know what this is my ministry and they have a passion for it you know they they have a love for it.

I I I think of a couple our deacons like Rich Pleski and Brother Grady. Both of them love teaching the kids. It's a passion. They're addicted to it. I think if Brother Rich had to stop teaching the kids, he'd die. You know, I think Brother Grady, if he couldn't be down there with the two and three year olds, he'd he'd go into withdrawal because they love it. They love doing that. I think of Jason, you know, he loves working on the property here. And if we told him, you can't fix anything anymore or don't break anything anymore either, but uh you can't fix anything anymore, he'd go into a draw on that because that's his passion.

That's what he loves. Serving God by working on things. And and what about you? Do you have a passion for whatever you're doing for the Lord? Do you have a passion for what you're how you're serving the Lord? Do you have a passion for working in the nursery or singing in the choir or uh doing the cameras or whatever else it may be? See, that's what that's what they should have. Um, look at Colossians 4:17. Colossians chapter 4 and verse number 17. And say to Archipus, uh, take heed to the ministry which thouast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it. Do what you're called to do. That's what you're asked.

and and anybody whether they're a deacon or a teacher or a nursery worker, do your job and do it with a passion. Do it to the best of your ability because one day you're going to stand before the Lord and I want to hear him say, "Well done now, good and faithful servant." Whether you are running a camera or whether you were greeting somebody down there at the table or whether you were singing the choir that you you could stand before the Lord and said, "I did this with a passion for God and a passion for my ministry and a passion for others." that you use your office. Well, okay. The next part of page 10 there, and I guess we're going to get into page 11, Ricky, so we'll go and pass that out.

Um, those are a bunch of questions that I put together for somebody that wants to be a deacon to ask themselves. Now, if you're called to be a pastor that you can go to Bible college, you can get trained, you can get in there, but you don't go to a church say, "I'm your pastor now." you know, they've got to call you to that position. And the same thing is true of a deacon. I believe there's a calling to be a deacon just like there's a calling to be a pastor. And not every person, not every man in the church, even though he's qualified to be a deacon, is called to be a deacon. I think it's a calling of God and it's something God wants you to do, but it's also a calling of the church.

But what I recommend to people, like I've talked to some guys and and about it because we, you know, every year we nominate new guys for deacons and and uh some people when I get chosen. I'll sit down and say, you know what, your name wasn't given the day and sometimes it's because they're young. They're relatively young. U you know, so they've got some growing up to do. And and but I'll sit down and say, "Listen, you could start now working on these qualifications so when God does call you, you're ready for it." And and so you know these are questions you can ask yourself and I would go through these questions for yourself not even just to be a deacon but just say what would my answer be here?

What would my answer be to these questions? Like for example um look at number five. Are you prepared to submit yourself to the Lord then to his people and finally to the pastor at least with whom you work? Whatever position you're serving, you got to be willing to submit to leadership. Submit to the people you're working with. Then look at number six. Do you support the church with local church at least tithe? Our deacons are making financial decisions. And I don't think the people making financial decisions for the church should be people people are not supporting the church. They're not doing what God called them to do is give their 10%.

And so I'll ask them directly, do you tithe? If you don't tithe, you can't be a deacon. See, these are these are qualifications, but they really can apply to every one of us. And so, I'd encourage you on your own to go through these questions and kind of ask yourself, how would I answer that? How would how would I would I be qualified? Would people look at my life and say, "Yes, that's true about him or her." And then go to number four there. Other scriptural positions of service in the church. We've got a lot of positions. There is nowhere in the Bible I found anything about cameramen or soundmen.

But that doesn't mean it's unbiblical. It just means that there they didn't have that back then. And really and to a certain extent, everybody that's serving in a ministry is a deacon. Not a deacon by title, but a deacon by serving in that ministry. But there are four other things that are specifically mentioned in the Bible. One is look at Ephesians chapter 4 and verse number 11. And they're kind of mentioned in as a sideline thing as much more rather than real direct. There's no real qualifications given. There's no real description given. But Ephesians 4 and verse number 11. Ephesians 4 and verse 11 it says, "And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists, some pastors and teachers."

Now, a lot of people put the pastor teacher together, but you can also separate it. So, there are people that are called to be teachers within the church that are not pastors. They're not in a leadership position as far as making decisions and all, uh, but they are called to be teachers. We've got some of them like I think brother Fay, for example, the men's class, I think he's called to be a teacher and I think he does a great job with that. I hear a lot of great comments about his class. And and so they're called to teach. And and then you have also uh what I call the preacher boys. If you look at second Timothy chapter 2 and verses 1 and two, thou therefore my strong being strong, my son be strong in the graces in Christ Jesus.

And the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses. The same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. And then go over to Acts chapter 16. Acts chapter 16:es 1-3. Then came he to Derby and Lististra. And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timoththeus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewish and believed, but his father was a Greek, which was well reported by the brethren that were at Lististeria and Iconium. and him would Paul have to go forth with him and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

So Timothy, Titus, uh a number of other men, Paul almost always had at least one or more young men that he was training for the ministry kind of a preacher boy and he was there to do whatever was needed to be done and get that OJT on the job experience. Uh look at Acts chapter 13 and verse number five. And when they were at Solomus, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had also John who or John Mark to to do their ministry. And so um within the church there was always some young men that were being trained for the ministry. And there was also many times young ladies as well that were being trained to serve the Lord as also.

and and they weren't formal positions, but they were kind of they were there at Ohana. Different times we've had preacher boys. Um there's a number of young men that are in the ministry today that start out here as preacher boys. We've uh at some points I've had a preacher boy class. Other times I just kind of mentored them specifically, but they were in training to serve the Lord. And and I believe that's a position within the church. And anytime we can have young men and young ladies are training to serve the Lord, that's a great thing to have. And then um talked about this before, widows in 1 Timothy chapter 5.

Uh there was a lot of widows in that day, a lot of older women in that day who had a lot of free time and and so the church would hire them on to do things. Sometimes maybe been just things like cooking and and cleaning. Uh other times it may have been uh you know uh visiting people or whatever else it might be. But they there it seems like they had widows that were called to serve in the church. Sometimes paid, sometimes unpaid as well. And uh they had qualifications that they had to meet in order to be in that position. And then look at Romans chapter 16 and verses 1 and two. Romans chapter 16 and verses 1 and two.

commend unto you Phoebe our sister which is a servant of the church which is at Sincria that you receive her in the Lord has become a saints and that you assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you for she hath been a sucker of many and of myself also and so they seem to have certain servants within the church in Philippians chapter 4 uh and different than the deacons uh Philippians chapter 4:es 2 and three I beseech you and I beseech synctity thee be the same mind in the Lord. I treat thee also true yoke fellow help those women which labored with me in the gospel with Clement also with others my fellow laborers whose names are in the book of life.

And so at different times the church would take on people for specific jobs. We do that here at Ohana. Sometimes we'll hire people to do uh technical work that's just time consuming or we'll hire them to uh uh play like the piano and we'll pay them for that because there's a lot of time and practice involved with that. And many of them would volunteer to do that. But we get to a you get to a certain point we realize there's a lot of time yet somebody has to put in here and so we're going to pay them for that time uh because they're putting in extra above and beyond. and and so they had that back in the early days and we have that today as well.

Sometimes it'll be a volunteer position and people will come and volunteer to do work. We've had people volunteer to be secretaries or volunteer to pay play piano, don't want to be paid for it, but but at the same time uh there there there's a time and they could be using that time to do something else over here and earning money. So we're at we're saying well we want to pay you to take that time to do that. And so these are the different positions that they have that sometimes were either paid positions or kind of official positions within the church. And we have a lot of those today. Again, we have a nursery director as well as nursery workers.

We have a music director as well as music workers. We have somebody in charge of the AV stuff as well as people that operate it. Uh you have both these. So some are volunteer and some are paid. Um the biggest challenge with volunteer labor, I'll be honest with you, is that they're volunteers. So you've got nothing to make them do it. It's it's their choice. And a lot of times volunteers is like, I'll do that when I have time instead of taking on that responsibility. This is my office. This is my passion. This is what I'm going to do and I'm going to do it as good or better than I'm asked to do it.

And then when you pay somebody, then you at least have some leverage there as well. I'm not going to pay you if you don't do what we're paying you for. But in both ways, they're serving the Lord. And and so that's what we have there. And then there's many miscellaneous positions of service. You have greeters. Look at Philippians 4:21. Um, salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with you greet greet you with me greet you. So there's people out there at the table, people in the welcome center, people here in the auditorium, ushers uh also uh in Psalms chapter 84 and verse number 10.

Um Psalms 84 and verse 10, the Bible says, "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I'd rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." I was at a church years ago. There was a guy in that church and he kind of had tense my like tupus. He'd been in he'd been in a lot of trouble in life, been in jail, and um and and and you'd ask him, you know, he was now the usher of the church, the head usher of the church, and you say he'd always say, "I'd rather be in church than be in jail." You know, I thought, "Yeah, I think I would, too." But he just he just loved and had that passion for serving in that position as an usher.

And these are important positions, important jobs. Um yeah, music ministry. We're going to we're running out of time here. So, we'll cover these next week and tell you about some more. That's why we're having you sign up for mysteries. We're going to have greeters. I think that's two weeks from today is the greeters ministry is going to be recruiting. We need ushers. Brother Ricky does an amazing job, but he can't do it by himself. We need greeters out at the table out here to welcome people when they first get here. Need people in the welcome center. We we I'd like to have greeters in each section of the auditorium to talk to people and greet them in that section.

And so we need help. We need help in all these different areas. The the cameras and the sound room and stuff. We need help. And so I I want to challenge you. What are you doing to serve the Lord? You don't have to be a pastor. You don't have to be a deacon to serve God. You don't have to be paid. You can do as a volunteer. But what is your passion? What is your ministry? What are you doing to serve the Lord? And everyone here should be at least involved in one ministry. And really in some areas it's more than one. you know, you can do too, and a lot of people do. Uh they're doing more than one thing. We try not to get you so involved, you're never in church. That's one of the things we're very try to be very careful on, but at the same time, you ought to be involved. And so, I hope you'll be challenged to do that. Uh thank you for being out tonight, even after a week off. That's good to see all of you here. And don't forget the men's prayer breakfast on Saturday morning.