deacons

This Sunday we begin a new series on Christian Stewardship and Leadership. Join us as we examine what it means to be a leader in God’s church today. Revd Daniel shares the word with us from 1 Timothy and the Book of Titus.

In this Bible Story, we peer into the childhood of Jesus. Even as a young boy, his purpose is clear. He is to teach the word of God and turn people’s hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Although his family doesn't entirely understand, Jesus grows up with purpose and mission. He grows in strength and wisdom, works as a carpenter, and waits to begin his ministry. This story is inspired by Luke 2:40-52. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is Luke 2:40 from the King James Version.

Episode 175: As Mary and Joseph were leaving Jerusalem, after their annual Passover visit, they lost track of Jesus. After looking for three days, they found him still in the Temple, asking questions of the Priests and learning from them. Mary was concerned, but Jesus was content and obeyed his father and mother. Growing daily in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man.

Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.

Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.

Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.

This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.

Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.

Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max Bard

Producer: Ben Gammon

Hosted by: Pastor Jack Graham

Music by: Andrew Morgan Smith

Bible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An example of a vision statement, a mission statement, goals and objectives for deacons and deaconesses, as well as a suggested outline of events for a weekend deacon and deaconess retreat. 

Many Jews were becoming followers of Jesus in Jerusalem. Needy widows were given food every day, but some were being left out. Instead of neglecting their teaching and preaching time to address this food problem, the apostles asked the Christians to choose seven faithful men to care for the widows and serve the church in this way.

Bible verses used in this episode:

• Acts 6:1-7
• Acts 6:3

Outline:

1. The church grew, and widows were missing out on food (Acts 6:1)
2. The problem is solved by choosing seven helpers (Acts 6:2-6)
3. The church grows even more (Acts 6:7)

Tips for teaching children:

• Guide the children in listing all of the “jobs” and helpers at church.  This could be preaching and teaching but also behind-the-scenes activities such as lawnmowing, washing dishes or placing songbooks in the pews.  What would happen if no one did these jobs? Write thank you notes to some of these people.
• Arrange for a widow or widower to visit your class and share some of their challenges.
• Collect food items to give to someone you know or donate to a local food bank.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Ask the class: If your congregation needed to choose some people to take care of the widows in the church, what qualities would you want the caregivers to possess?  Why? 
• Make a list of all the widows in your congregation and consider how the class might "adopt" them. Pray for and visit them regularly, buy their groceries for them, and take them out to their favourite restaurant.  Pick them up for church if they need it.  As a class leader, you could delegate different ones in the class to organise different things related to meeting the widows' needs.
•  If anyone in your class is a widow or widower, ask if she or he would like to tell the class about the challenges they have faced. 

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson:  Helpers in the Church 

Scriptures quoted from the International Children’s Bible®, copyright ©1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Tommy Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org

Why did Paul emphasize the importance of sound doctrine, godly living, and efficient leadership in the Church? This podcast episode is designed to take you on a journey through Paul's last letters to his spiritual sons, Timothy and Titus. We'll explore the profound wisdom and spiritual counsel these letters offer, focusing on the essence and relevance of their teachings even in today's world.

We begin our exploration with Paul's letters as he shares timeless teachings about the significance of truth, the importance of ministering from a pure heart, and the dangers of unsound doctrine. We unpack Paul's emphasis on the selection of elders who are well-versed in doctrine and his reminders to acknowledge their efforts in serving the Lord and the members of His body. Furthermore, we shed light on the significance of Paul's ‘faithful sayings’ and how these can be applied in everyday life.

Toward the end of the episode, we delve into the standards and qualifications Paul highlights for bishops, deacons, and the importance of order in the church. Also, we highlight Paul's guidance for all sectors of society - men, women, mothers, fathers, widows, servants, and even the rich. As we conclude this episode, we reflect on how Paul's letters serve as an enduring reminder of the strength of faith and the relevance of maintaining sound doctrine. 

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May God bless you and make you prosperous in Him as you listen and obey His voice!

In this Bible Story, we witness the brutal murder of Stephen. As stones crushed his bones, he looked up to heaven and saw the living God looking down at him. Stephen became the first martyr, and a new enemy emerges from the shadows. A pharisee named Saul. He would prove to be a deadly force for evil.This story is inspired by Acts 6:8-7:60. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is Acts 7:59 from the King James Version.

Episode 221: As the story of Jesus was spreading throughout Jerusalem, the number of believers was growing as well. The family of believers became so big that the twelve enlisted men to help them care for the needs of the people. One of these men, Stephen, preached daily in the synagogues. His teaching angered the Pharisees so they brought him to the Sanhedrin to be tried. As Stephen was giving his address to the men, he was beaten and stoned. But just like his Lord, while they were killing him, he prayed for their forgiveness.

Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.

Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.

Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.

This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.

Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.

Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max Bard

Producer: Ben Gammon

Hosted by: Pastor Jack Graham

Music by: Andrew Morgan Smith

Bible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I. We need deacons who manifest the grace of God in daily living, v8. II. We need deacons who are sincere in their faith in Christ, v9. III. We need deacons who can pass the test of blamelessness, v10. IV. We need deacons whose wives manifest the grace of God in daily living, v11 . V. We need deacons who are faithful in marriage and manage their children well, v12. VI. We need deacons who aim to serve well, and want the blessings of doing so, v13.

The June 16th episode on gluttony caught many listeners by surprise, so today Heather revisits this topic to go even deeper into what the Bible says about gluttony. Heather delves into the topic of gluttony again and provides listeners with tools to think critically about what it means according to Scripture, not bloggers or internet pundits.

Today Heather discusses how the Church has historically used manmade created lists of virtues and vices but how it's crucial to interpret them in light of God's word. She also questions how our interpretations of scripture have been influenced by diet culture and encourages listeners to have conversations with their spiritual leaders about this topic, with their Bibles open.

Here are some of the resources referenced in today's show:

Listen to part one on Gluttony here: https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/what-is-gluttony-really-what-the-bible-really-says

John Cassian's 8 Vices: https://www.wenorthodox.com/forum/on-spiritual-life/on-the-eight-vices-st-john-cassian-c-ad-360-c-435

Some interesting thoughts on Evagrius Ponticus and John Cassian from a Catholic priest: https://desertfathers.blogspot.com/2014/02/mysticism-evagrius-ponticus-and-john.html

Deuteronomy 21:18

Proverbs 23

Proverbs 24:13

1 Timothy 3

Colossians 2

Today's episode is sponsored by Classical Conversations. Learn more at: www.classicalconversations.com/comparedtowho

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Ready for Christian body image coaching? Learn more at: comparedtowho.me

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I. The crisis in mercy ministry, v1. II. The calling of mercy ministry, vv2-3. III. The qualifications for mercy ministry, vv3-6. IV. The consequences of faithful mercy ministry, v7. 

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Everyone loves to gain knowledge and learn about scripture and other fun topics, but does learning about the bible from the seminary or getting a biblical counseling certificate mean you are more qualified than the next?  What does Scripture say about the qualifications for leadership? And how does the prioritization of this education throw off the body? Well today we discuss just that! Buckle up and enjoy there episode!

Please send questions and comments to online.mtcarmel@gmail.com
We would love to hear from you!

In this stand alone sermon, Pastor Spence address the role of deacons at Mercy Church. Learn what a deacon is according to scripture, who is eligible to be a deacon, and how to nominate a deacon at Mercy Church. For more information on deacons, please visit mercycharlotte.com/deacons.

If you missed previous weeks’ sermons, you can listen to them here! You can also watch videos of the sermons at mercycharlotte.com/sermons. 

Mercy Church is located in Charlotte, NC, and is led by Pastor Spence Shelton. Learn more at mercycharlotte.com. We would love for you to join us on Sunday mornings! For current service times, visit our website. Looking for video content? Check out our Youtube Channel. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to stay up to date with everything that’s happening at Mercy Church! Check out upcoming News & Events at mercycharlotte.com/news.

What are the qualifications for deacons

Please send questions and comments to online.mtcarmel@gmail.com
We would love to hear from you!

 Theology in Action is a series where we discuss how we can direct theological truth toward the way we think about and engage  with the things we interact with in our daily lives.

In this episode we talk about church leadership by asking the question "what is an Elder?" If you would like to know how church leadership effects our lives then you don't want to miss this episode!

For more resources like this, visit us at:  Verse By Verse Fellowship.

For the study resources and manuscript go to VBVF.ORG

Simon Peter, the leader of the apostles, was now an older saint. It had been more than 30 years since he had last seen Jesus, experienced the coming of the Holy Spirit, and preached the gospel at Pentecost. Yet Peter knew times were changing – the Roman Empire was becoming more hostile to the faith, persecution of believers was becoming increasingly intense, and Christians needed to be encouraged more than ever. So, led by the Spirit, Peter wrote a letter – to the “elect exiles” – both Jews and Gentiles, those chosen by God but rejected by the world. Join us for an in-depth study of the book of I Peter and consider a message more timely now than the day it was written.

For more resources like this, visit us at:  Verse By Verse Fellowship.

For the study resources and manuscript go to VBVF.ORG

In this episode of Footnotes, Adam and Pastor Tony will discuss what the bible says about church leadership, the different ways scholars have interpreted that, and how to extend grace to people in your church that may have a different conviction on this issue than you.

The links mentioned in this episode are here:
https://www.9mark

s.org/article/theological-triage/

A short lecture Tony gave on church governance:

https://app.vidgrid.com/view/l1OQQpvs8ta9

for more resources like notes and manuscripts, visit us at Verse By Verse Fellowship.

For the study resources and manuscript go to VBVF.ORG

This week on the show Stan & Josh discuss a specific aspect of church revitalization by drawing from some lessons in Nehemiah.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

https://northsidemobile.org/messages

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