FORK IN THE ROAD (From this point in our story, I would like to use fictitious names of specific individuals in order to conceal identities of those who may not want to be known in the story line.) 1 Tim. 5:22-25: “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others… The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.” NASU The rubbing of shoulders, the getting to know someone is so very important. Some things just are not known about a person until time is spent with them. Later on, you are able to view a person in the circumstances of life that reflect character every time. This opening scripture presents it well; it takes a while for a sin to show up. The scripture confirms by saying, “be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a man sows, he shall also reap”. (Gal. 6:7) In other words, it’s mockery to think that you can sow seeds and not have the fruit of that seed eventually show up. You can avoid being a party to that sin by just waiting a little. Waiting is not in agreement with any of us; we want results now. The greater results are achieved by not having to do things over and over. As the carpenter motto remains,“measure twice and cut only once!” This scriptural principle is vital for any group. This would be especially true for a small startup church early in its growth. We were to learn our lesson the hard way on a least two distinct occasions early on. The challenge for a small group is its desire to expand, continue, and sustain the so-called “spiritual land” that it has already gained. We do this, by filling positions and covering areas of responsibility with individuals that can meet the task. The hard part comes when you have such tremendous needs that there is a pressure on the part of leadership to fill the void. But, the congregation members or individuals may not be at the point of maturity or growth to be selected for such a responsibility. Because the demand is there, a faulty decision is made. A position is filled and trouble has been seated to arise at a time in the future. For example: Look at the list of criteria that is given to Timothy by the apostle Paul for selecting deacon leaders for a new congregation. 1 Tim 3:8-13 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. Here is a breakdown of the list to fill this crucial position: -good reputation or testimony of the individual by others -devotion or sincerity -not a boozer -love of God’s Word vocalized and lived out -testing and verification of his life -having a wife of good reputation or testimony by others -not “mouthy”-no loose lips or gossip about others -easy going and level headed -just one wife -behaved children and well managed family Now that is quite a list being presented. There is no way that you can select individuals like this on the spot. It takes a little time. It is found over and over that individuals that have traits as these come to the surface not because they are trying to follow some kind of list. These people have it in them already and are probably doing the work of a deacon before they are ever asked.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 13:38:04 +0000
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