At First Baptist Church of Salem, our Deacon Board is responsible for leading our church and to that end regularly studies the Bible together so that they might continually keep focused on the spiritual health of our church and how we might best pursue our mission. Recently the Deacons spent time studying the book of Acts and other parts of Scripture that helped us understand the organization of the early church, gifts that were given to the church and how people used them to advance God’s Kingdom.

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Through that study, the Board determined that our current structure, though strong, could create confusion, particularly because the titles given to people within our current structure do not fully align with titles provided in Scripture. This is especially true for the titles of Elder and Deacon or Deaconess. The attached handout titled Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses is a good summary resource for understanding the distinction between these roles. 

We do not waver on who God is, the message of salvation through Christ alone and the work of the Holy Spirit. We do continually work to improve how we minister to people. To that end it is good to periodically review our Bylaws to ensure that they line up with our practices as an organization. 

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One thing that hasn’t changed is that all who serve are accountable to our congregation. Given that, the three documents, which include our Articles of Incorporation, Constitution and Bylaws, have been recommended by the Deacon Board for your consideration and your acceptance during the business meetings for this purpose on April 12 and 13.

 

We look forward to the many conversations we will have in the next 30 days.