Matt Smethurst, Deacons: How They Serve and Strengthen the Church (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2021), 166 pp.
For several years, 9Marks has consistently produced solid resources in their Building Healthy Churches series. The newest installment, Deacons: How They Serve and Strengthen the Church by Matt Smethurst is no exception.
Smethurst’s aim is stated at the begging: “The basic thesis of this book is that deacons – rightly understood and deployed – are an irreplaceable gift to Christ’s church. They are model servants who excel in being attentive and responsive to tangible needs in the life of the church.”
The author provides the necessary context and historical background behind the office of deacon. A basic job description is offered along with the biblical qualifications. The ministry of Christ is the ultimate model of what a deacon should aim for:
And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:42–45).
Deacons: How They Serve and Strengthen the Church is short, readable, and filled with powerful stories about the impact that deacons have on a local church. Every pastor should pay careful attention to this volume along with the others in the 9Marks series.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Veritas et Lux 