Deacon FAQ's

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Deacon FAQ’s

The Ministry of the Deacon

Deacons in the Christian Reformed Church are chosen by their local congregations to give leadership to diaconal ministry. In this ministry, deacons empower members of their own congregation and partner with neighbouring churches, Christian services, and local agencies.

In the Christian Reformed Church, the Form for the Ordination of Deacons outlines the role of the deacon, referencing the early church Apostles who designated special persons for the work of mercy. Today we call these people deacons. In both word and deed, deacons demonstrate the care of the Lord himself. Deacons serve by showing mercy to the church and all people. 

More specifically, diaconal ministry focuses on the following areas:

  • Community Ministry – Deacons lead and equip the church to get involved in the life of your church’s local neighbourhood.
  • Stewardship – Deacons train and empower their congregations to faithfully use and care for all that God has entrusted us; including time, talents, treasures, and trees (creation care)
  • Service & Justice – Deacons lead and encourage the church to amplify the voices of their community and globally that face systemic barriers and obstacles.
  • Benevolence/Mercy – Deacons model to the church how to appropriately walk alongside individuals or households while responding to situations that require assistance. 

Synod 2015 approved some important principles for diaconal ministry, including some amendments to the Ordination Form. For a helpful summary, click here.

With God’s help, deacons can be effective by…

  • knowing their area of “giftedness” in diaconal ministry and take the time to develop those gifts through study and equipping
  • committing a certain amount of time and energy to a ministry opportunity in addition to the time required for meetings
  • maintaining a healthy balance between work, family life, and church work
  • IF MARRIED, involving their spouses as partners in ministry where and when possible
  • renewing themselves spiritually on a regular basis
  • praying often, individually and with the diaconate
  • celebrating regularly what God is doing

The diaconate is at its best when it…

  • Creates a supportive place for deacons to share experiences and pray together;
  • Has clear, written goals that describes who does what. Goals and work plans establish a common purpose, provide a focus, enable the diaconate to evaluate what is being done, offer a sense of accomplishment and provide mutual accountability;
  • Ensures that there is ongoing communication with the elders and the pastor of the church. Communication will create an atmosphere of mutual respect, trust and appreciation. Diaconal Ministries Canada encourages pastors to attend at least one diaconal meeting each year to enhance understanding and support amongst the church’s leaders;
  • Affects the mission and ministries of the congregation in terms of its service, stewardship, justice, and community ministry. Likewise, compassion and kindness is modeled by the deacons in both word and deed;
  • Invites and motivates the congregation to participate in diaconal ministry.

Meetings play a significant role in a diaconate. However, meetings ought not to replace or take over the time needed for a deacon to engage in ministry opportunities between meetings.

It is critical that diaconal ministry be committed to God in prayer. Devotions that have been thoughtfully prepared prior to the meeting can increase the resolve of the deacons to ensure that their ministry will reflect the love of Jesus and also can lead to meaningful discussions.

At each meeting, deacons should spend some time learning about diaconal ministry. This time of learning could include study of a particular topic or a focused conversation about a challenging ministry situation. For suggestions on how to grow as a community of deacons, click here.

Contact the Diaconal Coach in your Classis for more assistance in setting up an agenda, creating a workplan or enhancing the effectiveness of your meetings.

Newly elected deacons can best be supported by a mentor – an experienced deacon who will help them answer the practical questions that will come up in their work. A mentor is able to share his or her experiences and also accompany the new deacon on visits. New deacons who are connected to an experienced deacon are ready to do ministry much sooner than those who are left to discover the task on their own. Diaconal Ministries has some helpful resources on mentoring as well as reverse mentoring.

The diaconate could also do the following to assist the transition:

  • Provide a written task description;
  • Explain how to respond to needs in the church and community;
  • Detail the activities in which the diaconate participates throughout the year;
  • Encourage ways to develop the particular gifts with which a deacon has been blessed;
  • Nurture each deacon’s spiritual growth with regular prayer and devotions.

The number of deacons required in a church depends upon each church’s unique governance structure and/or the scope of the ministries that a diaconate has developed and leads. Each church needs to decide how many deacons are necessary. In order to help make that decision, a church may find it useful to review the role of the deacon as found in the Ordination Form for Elders & Deacons and to assign deacons according to gifts and abilities.

Contact us today to book a workshop or receive personalized coaching for your unique context!

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Deacon FAQ’s

The Diaconal Network

Though not as common as it once was, a Diaconal Conference is group of diaconates who represent churches within a classis (a group of churches within a geographical area). They gather together to promote and build the church’s ministry of mercy.

A Diaconal Conference can:

  • promote mutual learning opportunities for the diaconates within a Classis;
  • provide training for new deacons and leadership roles for deacons in the church;
  • stimulate support for existing community ministries, especially local NewGround partners (formerly Operation Manna);
  • encourage diaconates to search for new ministry opportunities and ways to collaborate;
  • communicate with Classis on a regular basis where and when possible.

CRC Classis Websites:

Relying on the Holy Spirit, Diaconal Ministries Canada exists to inspire, empower, and equip deacons as they animate their churches to join in God’s transforming work in communities across Canada.

Diaconal Ministries was officially constituted in 2001 and is a partner agency of the CRCNA. You can learn more about us HERE.

Is there a “Diaconal Ministries USA”? No! There is no national diaconal agency in the United States; they still use a regional diaconal conference model. We do work with some agencies there as much as possible, like World Renew US.

A Diaconal Coach, formerly called a Diaconal Ministry Developer, is an individual with a passion for diaconal ministry. They serve the diaconates and churches of their Classis by visiting annually to give support and encouragement, by offering relevant workshops, and by giving support to their diaconal conference (if one exists).

Our team of Coaches have experience leading various workshops that speak directly into the work of Deacons. We encourage diaconates to contact their Diaconal Coach for help with…

  • Generating a vision and mission for your diaconate that will provide focus for ministry in your church and local community
  • New deacon’s training, including helping deacons understand their Mandate (what their role is);
  • Creating a work plan and setting goals;
  • Networking with other churches, both in your Classis and in your neighbourhood;
  • Creating a healthy and sustainable Benevolence ministry (including help with crafting policies);
  • Maintaining stability and momentum in your diaconate as deacon terms begin and end;
  • Help deacons understand the purpose and value of effective meetings, including their role at Classis and Synod.

Diaconal Ministry Shares form the main revenue stream that helps support the activities of Diaconal Ministries Canada each year. It’s important to note that Diaconal Ministry Shares are not the same as Denominational or Classical Ministry Shares.

In a nutshell, Diaconal Ministry Shares are part of the agreement that Canadian Deacons made with each other in the 1960s and recommitted themselves to in 2001 when representatives from every CRC Classis (and/or Diaconal Conference) in Canada met and approved Diaconal Ministries Canada as a national organization. 

Diaconal Ministry Shares are invoiced to each Christian Reformed Church in Canada and are based on each church’s membership.

To find out more about Diaconal Ministry Shares and/or how Diaconal Ministries is funded, click here.

Deacon FAQ’s

NewGround

When the Operation Manna Program became an official program of Diaconal Ministries Canada in 2001, its primary purpose was to “engage Christian Reformed Churches in community ministries that seek to bring about sustainable change in individuals and communities experiencing significant needs.” Because of this, many of the early Operation Manna partner agencies are still growing and thriving today! There is no question that Operation Manna was having meaningful impact on churches and communities across Canada yet it was time to update the program activities of Operation Manna and clarify its purpose to a new generation. On March 1, 2019, Operation Manna became NewGround. NewGround is the main program of Diaconal Ministries Canada that helps churches love their communities. The four (4) key activities of this program are: Community Opportunity Scans, Community Ministry Grants & Support, Deacon Scholarships and a Youth Justice Initiative.

You can read the full story of Operation Manna and NewGround HERE.

At NewGround, we believe that churches are uniquely positioned to lead with love and walk alongside their neighbours with purpose and compassion. Rooted in Christ’s love (Ephesians 5:2), churches can walk into their neighbourhoods with humility, curiousity, and generosity.

NewGround equips deacons, churches, and young people to follow His example — offering themselves as a blessing to their communities.

Through our grants and coaching, we help churches break new ground — not only in the soil of their neighbourhoods, but in the hearts of people who long to see restoration and justice.

You can find more information about NewGround and opportunities that are available HERE.

NewGround is primarily funded by an annual offering taken by Canadian CRCs. We also rely heavily on individual donors to partner with us as we walk alongside churches who are actively participating in growing God’s Kingdom in new and exciting ways! NewGround has its own restricted fund outside of Diaconal Ministries’ General Fund.

Diaconal Ministries Canada