Preparing For The Deacon Ordination Service #1

Date & Time
Set the date and time of the Deacon Ordination Service at least three weeks ahead of time. This gives you time to publicize the meeting and invite area pastors. Deacon candidates have time to invite family and friends. We set it on a Sunday afternoon so those outside our church could attend without having to miss one of their regular Worship Services.

This also gives you time to order Deacon Certificate of Ordination, frame, etc.

Publicity
Have an announcement in the Sunday bulletin for at least a couple of Sundays before the Ordination Service. Build it up to the church; let them know this is a special kind of service.

Contact the Baptist Association and area pastors and invite them to the Deacon Ordination Service. Ask the Ordination Council to arrive one hour early. The Ordination Council will consist of ordained pastors and deacons in your church and, if you choose, visiting ordained Baptist pastors and deacons.

Ordination Certificate & Frame
The ordination council should chose a Clerk; his primary responsibility should be to get all members of the ordination council to sign the Certificate of Ordination. Also, he may want to take notes of those serving on the council and the proceedings.

Make sure the Certificate is signed by the entire ordination counsel before the Ordination Service. If you don’t get everyone to sign it then, you never will have them all sign it. . If the vote is not to ordain, you can tear it up!

Sometimes the front of the certificate just has room for the pastor and the clerk to sign it. If there is not room on the front for everyone on the Ordination Council to sign, then have them all sign it on the back.

Place the filled out and signed Deacon’s Certificate of Ordination in a nice frame. Place a couple of copies of the Ordination Service Bulletin in the frame behind the Certificate.

If possible, have the Ordination Certificate framed and ready to present to the new deacon(s) at the conclusion of the service. This will also give the church an opportunity to see the framed Certificate after the service.

Deacon Candidates and their families
During the Ordination Service, at the appropriate time, introduce the current deacons and their wives, the deacon candidates and their wives, and the Ordination Council.

Explain what is going on
During the Ordination Service, let the congregation know what is going on. Explain the laying on of hands. Explain what the Bible teaches about ordination and the laying on of hands. Don’t assume they understand what is going on.

Ordination Council
The Ordination Council will meet an hour early in a back room. At the opening of the Ordination Service, you may want the council to walk in together and take their seats. Some churches have them sit in the choir loft. Or you could have them sit to the side at the front of the sanctuary.

NEXT: Preparing For the Deacon Ordination Service #2; Deacon Charlie Joe Law; Questioning the Deacon Candidates; Order of Service for Deacon Ordination

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, June 21, AD 2010.