1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT - And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

DTR - When I’m in trouble, who do I call?

When my life seems to be on fire, burning down around me, who are the first responders in the context of the church?

Acts 6:1-7 New Living Translation (NLT)

Seven Men Chosen to Serve

6 But as the believers[a] rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

7 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

1. Deacons didn’t exist until there were problems to solve and programs to run.

2. Deacons are not just program directors, they are relationship rescuers.

3. Deacons protect Elders by multiplying their time and working under their authority.

4. Deacons are supposed to decrease problems while increasing people, not increase problems while decreasing people.