The Deacon Ministry Handbook: A Practical Guide for Servant Leadership

by Alan Witham (editor)

If you ask any pastor what keeps their church moving forward, they will likely point to the serving work of the deacon. These special men are the foundation of healthy churches because of their unique servant leadership role, no matter the church size. Typically, they visit the homebound and the sick as they care and pray for those in need. 

Seeing the actions of these servants assists aspiring deacons in understanding what a deacon does, but it does not equate to understanding what a deacon is. Through this book, Alan Witham, Steve Rice, and their teammates bring clarity to the role of deacon by providing a practical guide that serves as The Deacon Ministry Handbook. The authors bring decades of local church experience having served as deacons, pastors, and consultants.

130 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 31, 2023

Reviews

[Matt Glidden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful summary. I liked how the content was laid out. Not all applicable but nice to see options. A bit narrow, but it’s coming from a southern Baptist tradition. A resource I’ll share with our deacons.

[Taylor Lassiter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book on the practical matters of Deacon ministry. I found the book too generic in a few places, and more than once the contributing authors recommended extra-biblical functions of deacons. I think it could have been strengthened in several ways, but one particular area would be a chapter on the "Deacon Chairman" and his role in the church. There were some very helpful sections on the calling and ordaining of deacons, and this book would be helpful for a new pastor, especially one who isn't familiar with traditional deacon roles in SBC life.

[Cullen Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty helpful and practical (especially the “Deacon How-To”s chapter). A great start if you’re looking for guidance as a new deacon or deacon-in-training. Not everything will apply to your church, so some sections will be a bit of a head-scratcher, but a solid attempt is made to cover everything a deacon *could* be expected to know, do, or be.

[Wade Rials · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid introductory book on deacon ministry from a Baptist perspective. The authors succinctly outline a deacon’s qualifications and responsibilities as well offering practical how to’s for many of the administrative aspects of deacon ministry. This book will serve a young pastor well.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good resource, but very singular, not cross denominational. I was disappointed. It's pretty much just focused on how to be a deacon in a Southern Baptist church, or a non-denominational church that doesn't understand how men should behave as deacons.

[Drew Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book. Good for a church starting up or one that has no outlines for ministry positions.