Questions for the Deacon Candidate and His Wife
Questions for the Deacon Candidate
During the Examination by the Council
You should be prepared to answer a wide range of questions. A sampling is listed here. Not all of these questions will necessarily be asked, and some other questions may be asked that are not listed. However, preparing for these questions will greatly benefit you, the candidate.
1. Explain your concept of God.
• What is the Trinity?
• Do Christians worship one God—or three?
2. Explain your understanding of God’s grace.
3. How would you explain to an unbeliever how he or she may experience God’s salvation?
4. What do you believe about the Bible?
• Its inspiration
• Its authority
• Its usefulness in today’s world
• Its place in your own life
5. Explain your understanding of Christian stewardship;:
• Time
• Talents
• Treasure (including what you believe about tithing)
6. What are the ordinances of the church?
• Explain what they mean.
• What role do they play in salvation?
• Why do Baptists generally prefer not to use the term “sacrament?”
• How do deacons generally help the church with observing these ordinances?
7. What do you believe about the creation of mankind?
8. What role does prayer play in your life?
9. Why was Jesus Christ born and why did he die?
10. What do the Scriptures say about Jesus Christ’s second coming?
11. What is the ministry of the Holy Spirit?
12. What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
13. Do you believe in the security of the believer (or “perseverance of the saints”)?
14. What are the duties of a deacon?
15. What are some ways that a deacon is to be an example to others, both in and out of the church?
16. In the past, many churches had “deacon boards.” Most churches today prefer to say they have “deacon bodies.” Is there any difference in the mindset of each expression? Which do you believe best expresses what a deacon is to be and do?
17. Why are you a Baptist?
18. Do you accept and affirm your church’s statement of faith? If you have any issues with this statement, please explain.
19. What are some of the main ways that Southern Baptists support missions?
20. What is the Cooperative Program?
21. Imagine that you are looking at an organizational chart. Place the following on the chart and explain something of their relationship to one another:
• Church
• Association
• State Convention
• Southern Baptist Convention
22. Is your wife supportive of your service as a deacon?
23. Is your home life consistent with the teachings of Scripture?
24. In addition to the above…
• Be ready to also answer any of the questions that are in the next section (public testimony) of this material.
• Be ready to answer questions concerning social and moral issues:
o Marriage, divorce, remarriage
o Race and racism
o Sexual purity (including chastity, cohabitation—living together sexually without marriage—, promiscuity, and homosexuality)
Questions for the Deacon Candidate and His Wife
During the Public Testimony Time of the Ordination Service
For the Deacon Candidate
1. Please share how you came to know and follow Jesus Christ.
2. How long have you been a believer?
3. How long have you been a member of this church?
4. What are some of the ways you have served Jesus Christ through the church?
5. The literal meaning of the Greek word for “deacon” is a “servant” or “minister.” How are deacons servants?
• In relationship to the Lord.
• In relationship to his Church.
• In relationship to partnering with the pastor.
6. What does it mean to you that a deacon is to be “filled with the Spirit?” Comment on the importance of the fruit of the Spirit in the life of a Christian leader. (See Gal. 5:22-23)
7. How can deacons reflect the love of Christ?
For the Candidate’s Wife
1. Please share how you came to know and follow Jesus Christ.
2. How long have you been a believer?
3. Are you willing now and in the future to support your husband in his role as a deacon of this church?
A Simple Organizational Chart Showing Southern Baptist Denominational Hierarchy
[pic]
The local church is the New Testament body. It is not under the authority of any of the other denominational bodies, though it may cooperate with them to accomplish common tasks (such as missions, education, church planting, training, and so on).
The three bodies on the second level are likewise independent of one another, although they may have cooperative agreements and relationships to allow them to further the collective work of the churches. Any of these bodies may interact with either of the two other bodies, although in common practice, the state convention is often the go-between with the local association and the national Southern Baptist Convention.
A church is not required to be a part of all three denominational bodies on level two, although most Southern Baptist churches choose to do so. Cooperating churches may send “messengers” to the annual meetings of the other denominational bodies. These messengers make decisions about officers, planning, budgets, etc. These individuals are called “messengers” rather than “delegates” because the local church never delegates its authority to the individual or to the denominational body. Thus, the local church is not bound by decisions of the other denominational bodies, but may choose voluntarily to follow them.
The Fundamental Concept
The key words to understanding Southern Baptist denominational hierarchy are cooperate, cooperation, cooperating, and cooperative. All denominational bodies on this chart are fundamentally independent of one another. Relationships between the bodies are based upon voluntary cooperation.
Another Way to Visualize Denominational Relationships
Another way to look at the relationships between denominational bodies is to see them as overlapping circles rather than as straight line boxes. On the chart below, the areas of overlap represent areas of cooperative relationship. Remember that the overlap areas do not imply structural integration; each body is still fundamentally independent of the others.
[pic]
-----------------------
STATE CONVENTION
ASSOCIATION
LOCAL BAPTIST CHURCH
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
Local Baptist Church
Southern Baptist Convention
Association
State Convention
................
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