Preparing Deacons to Minister to People in Need, When to Be Wary

Written by George Clark

Ministering to others produces a sense of excitement. This is as it should be. We are to rejoice in helping others. But just as deacons should prepare for ministering to those in need by learning what to do and what to say, they should also prepare to avoid the dangers that can be associated with some ministry situations.

Enjoy this article? Subscribe to Deacon

Deacons must be cautious in ministering to others in order to maintain integrity and protect the reputation of their church. Consider the fallout from recent news stories exposing church leaders who have abused the trust members placed in their leadership. As they minister, deacons should:

1. Learn to Detect Con Artists
Anyone who takes seriously the idea of ministering to those in need must always keep in mind that there are those well schooled and practiced in the fine art of "milking the system." Our Lord has urged us to be as "wise as serpents and as harmless as doves." There are those who have mixed their metaphors and become as crafty as snakes and as appealing as doves.

We do no one a favor when we allow ourselves to be conned. The alcoholic is certainly not benefited when he is able to trick some well-meaning do-gooder into giving him money to "buy a meal." The "meal" usually turns into more of the same poison which may have already shattered the alcoholic's home and is currently destroying his health.

2. Be Aware of "Appearances"
Time was when would-be rescuers of those in need were warned to "avoid the very appearance of evil" with members of the opposite sex. Now we must protect ourselves and our reputations from anything that could be misinterpreted in our relationship to anyone of either sex. If the deacon loses his influence through even the accusation of wrongdoing, his effectiveness in ministry can be permanently damaged.

3. Avoid Unhealthy Relationships
The would-be rescuer needs to be aware that an unhealthy dependent relationship between the rescuer and the rescued can sometimes evolve. This is only one of many reasons why deacons and their spouses can minister effectively as a team. By doing so, they provide an emotional check and balance system that helps avoid the development of unhealthy relationships.

4. Protect Home Life
Yes, ministering to others does produce a sense of excitement. But be aware, the devil can take this joy of well-doing and use it to hurt us. The caregiver must not let the high he gets from being the hero cause him to neglect his own home and family. To strike out at home plate is to lose the game.

Practicing caution in every situation does not devalue ministry, but allows a deacon's service to be more effective and rewarding.

George Clark is pastor, First Baptist Church, Pleasant View, Tenn., and retired editor of The Deacon, Proclaim, and Church Administration.

This article was adapted from "Ministering to People Dealing with Traumatic Change" in The Deacon Magazine.