A: Deacons are officers of the Church, alongside the Pastor, and are called by God to special services. They are recognized as servants of the people and are primarily concerned with the spiritual and physical welfare of the church. Deacons are expected to maintain and exercise a meaningful Deacon Ministry in all their responsibilities to the needs of the Church and its members.

A: The qualifications for deacons are clearly revealed in Scripture, especially in First Timothy Chapter Three and Acts Chapter Six. Additionally, eligible candidates for new deacon elections must meet the following criteria:

• They must be male members of the Church who have been ordained by a Southern Baptist Church.
• For new elections, they must have been a member of South Garland Baptist Church for one year as of September 1st of the election year.
• They must have attained the age of 25 by September 1st of the election year.
• They must regularly attend worship services and Sunday Bible Study.
• Ordained deacons from other churches may be recognized after being tested and serving as a member of SGBC for approximately one year.

A:

• Spiritual and Physical Welfare: Deacons are concerned with the spiritual and physical well-being of the church and its people.
• Deacon Ministry: They are expected to maintain and exercise a meaningful Deacon Ministry. This includes assisting the Pastor and maintaining ministry to assigned families.
• Assisting the Pastor: Deacons, particularly the Chairman, Vice-chairman, or one of the Deacons, should be available to assist the Pastor during worship services as needs arise at the altar.
• Ministry to Families: Families or individuals becoming members are assigned a Deacon to provide ministry, with assignments managed by the Chairman or Vice-chairman on a rotating system. Deacons not on the active body may also participate in this ministry if approved by the Deacon body.

A: The Constitution and By-Laws describe two ways Deacons serve:

• Regular Deacon: All male members ordained by a Southern Baptist Church and elected for service by SGBC are recognized as Regular Deacons. They are invited to all Deacon functions and may serve in a nonvoting, advisory capacity at Active Deacon Council meetings. They are utilized as needed for deacon ministries.
• Serving on the Active Deacon Council: Deacons commit to serving on the Council for a term. This council makes administrative and decision-making contributions to the church.

Specific Responsibilities of the Active Deacon Council:

• Meetings: They meet regularly on a monthly basis or for special meetings, with all Deacons notified. A quorum of at least two-thirds of the Active Body members must be present for any official action.
• Leadership and Welfare: They work closely with the Pastor in the welfare and needs of the Church.
• Recommendations to Church: They present all recommendations from the Deacons to the Church for consideration and approval. A two-thirds vote of the council members present is required to proceed with a recommendation or action if objections arise.
• Staffing and Personnel:
  • Initiate additions or dismissals of Church Called Personnel or other Staff Members, requiring a two-thirds vote of the Deacon Council before recommendations go to the Church.
  • Recommend a Pastor Search Committee when the Pastor's office becomes vacant.
  • Make recommendations to re-staff the Minister of Education and Minister of Music positions.
  • Oversee employees and workers not considered Staff Members, in conjunction with a proper committee and the Minister of Education.
  • Receive recommendations from the Treasurer for a Financial Secretary replacement.
• Establishing Committees: They have the duty to establish all standing and special committees of this Church, Church officers, and personnel. Other committees should seek the Deacons' support to make their recommendations known to the Church.
• Discipline: The Active Council can meet in sessions of members only to deal with problems concerning personnel, discipline, or other requiring occasions. They can invite visitors by vote.
• Nominations: They nominate the Church Treasurer, Church Clerk, and Assistant Church Clerk. They also submit names for Church Trustees.
• Church Council Membership: The Deacon Chairman is a member of the Church Council, which reviews and coordinates program plans, policies, and activities, and recommends church goals.
• Constitution & By-Laws Committee: Recommendations from this committee for changes or additions to the Constitution and By-Laws must be submitted to the Deacon Council for approval before being presented to the Church.

A: The Active Deacon Council has a Chairman, Vice-chairman, and Secretary, elected by the council members at the start of each Church year.

• Chairman:
  • Schedules a special meeting for newly elected deacons.
  • Cannot succeed himself in office, nor can a newly elected Deacon serve as Chairman.
  • Presides over all business meetings of the Deacon body.
  • Works closely with the Pastor for the welfare and needs of the Church.
  • Presents all Deacon recommendations to the Church.
  • Acts as Moderator of the Church in the Pastor's absence or at the Pastor's request, and serves as Moderator if the Church is without a Pastor.
  • Seeks to utilize all Deacons in a meaningful ministry.
  • Responsible for assigning families to Deacons.
  • May elect or appoint Standing or Special Committees within the Council.
• Vice-chairman:
  • Succeeds to all duties of the Chairman in his absence and assists him.
  • Responsible for assigning families to Deacons.
• Secretary:
  • Maintains minutes of all Deacon meetings, which remain Church property.
  • Assists the Chairman, Vice-chairman, and Pastor.

A: The process was revised in 1995.

• Voluntary Service for Current Deacons: Each June, the Active Deacon Council determines the minimum number of Deacons needed for the coming year. Any ordained Regular Deacon, previously elected by the Church and currently a member, has the right to choose whether to serve on the Council for the term beginning October 1. A canvass is conducted by the Chairman in June for these decisions. Failure to make a decision renders a Deacon ineligible to serve.
• Election of New Deacons (if needed):
  • If the number of Deacons choosing to serve is not sufficient to meet the determined need, the Church holds a meeting in July for nominations of new Deacons to be elected and, if not previously ordained, ordained.
  • The Council determines the election date, publicized for two weeks in the church newsletter.
  • A list of eligible candidates (excluding previously elected ordained Deacons) is available in the Church office one week before the election.
  • A Screening Committee (comprised of Deacon Council officers and the Pastor) interviews elected candidates, starting with those receiving the most votes, to confirm eligibility (in accordance with scripture) and willingness to serve. Disqualified candidates cannot serve on the Council.
  • An Ordination Service, if necessary, is held as soon as possible after election and screening, and before October 1.
• Resignation from Council: If a Deacon resigns from the Council before their term expires, they must wait until the next annual canvass before being eligible to serve again.

A: Deacons serving on the Council are expected to attend all regular and called Council meetings, except for extenuating circumstances like illness or work demands.

• If a Deacon misses four consecutive regularly scheduled meetings, the Council officers will contact them and then recommend whether the Deacon should be dropped from the Council for the remainder of their term. The Council makes this decision by majority vote.

A: Any Deacon serving on the Council is subject to the Council's discipline concerning their conduct as a Deacon and their continued service.

• A complaint can be brought by any other Deacon on the Council.
• Before any disciplinary action, the Council officers and the Pastor must counsel with the Deacon to seek a satisfactory solution in accordance with Christian principles.
• If a satisfactory solution is not reached, the Council, by a two-thirds majority vote, can determine and carry out appropriate disciplinary action, which may include terminating the Deacon's service on the Council for the remainder of the Church year.