“Greater Things” Thursday #6: Deacons’ Visitation Program

[NOTE: Lebanon Road’s theme for 2011 is “Greater Things.” To read more about it, click here. Each Thursday, we are focusing on one area of the work at Lebanon Road in which we are striving to do even better this year.]

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Near the beginning of 2010, Lebanon Road sought additional men to serve as deacons. They are special servants who help in various ministries, and these men truly are great. After that search, we had 24 men serving as deacons. Currently, we have 23.

Our elders reflected upon the Bible. They spent time in Acts 6:1-7, where the first men who served as deacons had a role in helping widows in the early church. They thought about James 1:27, where the visiting of widows is listed as one of the main indications of “pure and undefiled religion.”

Based upon that, they assigned each deacon one of our widows to visit each month. They are to make an in-home visit, checking on the needs of these ladies, and helping with smaller issues around the house that might need to be done. Several of our deacons take their wife and children with them on these visits if possible.

After the visit, the deacons are asked to fill out a brief report on a private page on our church website, reporting to the elders how the visit went, and any larger needs that might need to be brought to the elders’ attention. The program has done a great work, and many of our deacons are taking it very seriously. Our widows have noticed, and they are encouraged greatly by these brief, but uplifting, visits.

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What have you done to encourage widows who are members of the congregation you attend?

What suggestions would you have to make the program we have even greater?