What is the purpose of deacons?
A deacon’s purpose is to exercise practical measures of servanthood in order to care for the body of Christ. We see this modeled in 1 Timothy 3 and Acts 6. Though the New Testament is fairly silent on the specific role of deacons, by definition of the Greek word (diakonos) means “servant” or “minister” and is sometimes translated as “deacon.” Based on our understanding of the pattern laid out in Acts 6, we can discern general responsibilities that can be applied to our church setting.

Who will deacons care for?

Deacons will primarily focus on caring for those in the GCC congregation. We do have systems in place to care for others outside of the GCC congregation.

Who will serve as deacons?
Like our elders and staff, our deacons will demonstrate Christ-like character and an engaged relationship with the Lord. They will also possess spiritual and natural giftings that are conducive to the role of compassionately caring for others. Any GCC congregant can nominate themselves or someone else to be considered for service in a deacon role. We affirm the appointment of both male and female deacons and require each deacon to be a covenant member of GCC.

In what ways will deacons serve at GCC?
Deacons will focus on caring for others in several primary ways including:
  1. Active engagement with those pursuing GCC covenant membership
  2. Emergency and Crisis Response
  3. Benevolence
  4. Visitation
  5. Meals and Emergency Child Care
  6. Prayer and Encouragement
  7. Grief and Mental Health

How many deacons will there be?
The deacon team will be made up of 15-20 individuals.

Will there be specific deacons for Gospel Community Rivermont and Gospel Community College Hill?
At this point, there will be one central deacon team that will include individuals from both congregations and who oversee care for both congregations.

How will a deacon’s role relate to those of the staff and elders of GCC?
To this point, the spiritual and administrative leadership of Gospel Community Church has been the primary responsibility of the elders and the staff. Our elders guide and shepherd the church, giving direction and oversight, and are often involved in teaching. Our staff takes on many of the day-to-day tasks related to ministry and helps to cast vision. Deacons will add a third dimension to the leadership structure of GCC and will work closely with our elders and staff. Their leadership responsibilities will take place in the care they provide for the GCC congregation.
 
Can those who are not deacons be involved in caring for those who are part of the GCC family?
Yes! Caring for others is not exclusively the responsibility of a deacon; rather, it is something we are all called to take part in as believers (Phil 2:4, Gal 6:2, Rom 12:10). There will be teams of volunteers to help assist deacons in most of the focus areas mentioned above. If you are interested in being a part of GCC care efforts, please email info@gospelcc.org or fill out a connection card here.