March 29, 2019 by Jeff Jones
So churches need to try and test the character and maturity of their deacon nominees prior to their appointment by the elders, a process that requires time and familiarity. That’s the deacon’s examination....
March 22, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Biblical deacons, then, are to be examined by the assembly. That’s at the heart of the deacon’s nomination for office....
March 15, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Deacons, again, are to guard the unity of the church and the ministry of the elders from the demands of practical problems. Appreciating such problems requires the careful definition of each deacon’s role....
March 8, 2019 by Jeff Jones
There is only one qualification Paul mentions to Timothy that is not found in Acts 6, and it is that qualification we now turn to examine: the deacon’s purity....
February 28, 2019 by Jeff Jones
This combination of a practical, nuts-and-bolts focus and a separation from doctrinal and pastoral oversight ministry might tempt a church to overlook the piety and conviction of a candidate. That would be a grave mistake....
February 22, 2019 by Jeff Jones
The very fact that this responsibility requires dedicated attention should tell us that it may not come easily, and that not just anyone will be able to fulfill it. It’s no surprise, then, that the third qualification emphasized by the apostles in Acts 6 is wisdom......
February 15, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Having seen last week that the first qualification of a potential deacon is a solid reputation, we now turn to look at the second qualification found in Acts chapter 6: being “full of the Spirit.” Of all the qualifications, this one is perhaps most at risk of being misunderstood in the present day. What does “filled with the Spirit” mean?...
February 8, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Now that we’ve looked at the intent, mission, and objective of the New Testament deacon, it’s time to look at what kind of Christians fill this office. What are the qualifications of those called to be deacons?...
February 1, 2019 by Jeff Jones
We see in Acts 6 that even in the earliest church the temptation to be distracted from this ministry is strong. The apostles put it in blunt terms: “it is not right that we should give up the preaching of the Word of God to serve tables.”...
September 27, 2018 by Jeff Jones | Tags: Ministry, servant, practical, deliberate, participate, diligent
Remember: ministry is your job. So go do it! Go knowing you are equipped, empowered, and emplaced for ministry and with the hope that, one day, our Master will tell you, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”...
Keep ReadingSeptember 20, 2018 by Jeff Jones | Tags: Church, Word, Ministry, Spirit, Equipped, empowered, emplaced
Like a football player who refuses to show up on the field is useless even though he has all his equipment and training, the Word is useless in you, and your spiritual gifts are wasted in you, unless you are part of a local church where you can exercise your Spirit-given gifts according to the Word of God to “strive to excel in building up the church.” God’s will is ...
Keep ReadingSeptember 13, 2018 by Jeff Jones | Tags: Pastor, Ministry, maturity, Service, deacon, teacher, imitate
September 6, 2018 by Jeff Jones | Tags: Ministry, Service, every, member, consumer, burnout, equip
August 30, 2018 by Clint Humfrey | Tags: Time, Church, Gospel, Ministry, partnership, contributor, serve
Our aim is to see the prospering of the gospel message among the needy souls of Calgary and beyond. We trust that God will work through this partnership in order to bring lasting fruit, the spiritual prosperity of the life of the Age to come. ...
Keep ReadingAugust 23, 2018 by Clint Humfrey | Tags: Gospel, Service, post, hello, conversation, initiate
Don't assume that the visitor will be 'caught at the door' by the pastor. If God has blessed you in the service, you need to jump at the chance to share that blessing with someone else. That will make the post-service hello more than empty chit-chat. It will be small talk crammed with joy, praise and thanksgiving for the grace of the gospel of Christ. It’s exactly the ki...
Keep ReadingAugust 17, 2018 by Clint Humfrey | Tags: dog, food, charles, spurgeon, downgrades, marginalization
During the Downgrade Controversy, opponents of Spurgeon thought that he was ‘on the wrong side of history.’ They thought he was an egotistical dinosaur. His clarity about right and wrong was viewed as arrogance in the face of a changing world. Spurgeon was attacked. And in the end, he got eaten alive. ...
Keep ReadingAugust 11, 2018 by Clint Humfrey | Tags: ripe, harvest, Evangelism, season, unexpectant, pray
It is also a season for calling people to believe in the gospel. This is not just your own personal belief in Christ, but the importance of bearing witness to this news of salvation. The season for this is brief too. And that is all the more reason why we need to have a sense of urgency, even as we are basking in the sunlight of the Son....
Keep ReadingAugust 3, 2018 by Rob Snyder | Tags: Hope, Evangelism, Compassion, expectation
So, what is hope? Well, hope has to do with expectancy doesn’t it? If you are hoping for a raise at work or a good mark on your test you have a hopeful expectancy that those things will come to pass. So, hope has a way of making us keep going in our lives with the hopeful expectation of a desired outcome. The problem is that with deceived minds, idolatrous hearts and ho...
Keep ReadingJuly 27, 2018 by Rob Snyder | Tags: Sin, enmity, God, Salvation
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:3b-5)......and..... “But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13) ...
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