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By Brent Lacy

In many small churches, the ordination service is brief and unremarkable. A few words, a prayer, a handshake. The new deacon or elder sits down and wonders if anything significant just happened.

Then they show up to their first board meeting with no idea what their role actually is, what authority they have, or what the pastor expects of them. And the confusion that follows is one of the most common sources of church conflict in small churches.

It does not have to be this way. Here is a practical guide to training deacons and elders well.

The Deacon Role

The word “deacon” comes from the Greek diakonos, which means servant or minister. It is not a title of authority. It is a title of service.

Deacons serve the congregation in practical ways so the pastor can focus on the ministry of the Word and prayer. Their three core responsibilities are serving the congregation, supporting the pastor, and protecting the church.

What deacons do not do: govern the church, set the pastor’s salary, or make decisions that belong to the congregation or the elder board. Role confusion is where most deacon-related conflict begins.

The Elder Role

Elders govern and teach the church. They provide oversight and direction, protect the doctrinal health of the congregation, and shepherd the congregation through pastoral care and prayer.

The elder-pastor relationship is one of the most important dynamics in a small church. It should be characterized by mutual respect, clear role definition, regular communication, and accountability in both directions.

Training Before Ordination

Before you ordain anyone, train them. A simple two-hour training session covering the biblical role, the practical responsibilities, the boundaries, and the expectations is enough to prevent most of the problems that arise from untrained leaders.

Give every new deacon and elder a written role description. Put it in writing before they are ordained. Review it annually.

The Ordination Service

A deacon or elder ordination service should be meaningful, not perfunctory. It should include Scripture reading, a charge to the candidate, public examination, congregational affirmation, and the laying on of hands with prayer.

See the Deacon Ordination Service guide for a complete order of service.

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