Utawala wa Kanisa kwa Usharika na Mfumo wa Kibaptisti — Sehemu ya 9: Nafasi ya Shemasi III: Huduma Wakati wa Shida, Mkutano wa Mashemasi, Kuuweka Mpango Hai, na Huduma ya WanawakeCongregational Church Government and Baptist Polity — Unit 9: The Deacon Office III: Crisis Ministry, the Deacons' Meeting, Keeping the Plan Alive, and Women's Service

Mstari MkuuKey Verse

"Mchukuliane mizigo, na kwa jinsi hii mtaitimiza sheria ya Kristo." (Wagalatia 6:2, SUV)"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, NKJV)

Malengo ya KujifunzaLearning Objectives

Utakapomaliza kipindi hiki, unapaswa kuweza:When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Kueleza jinsi shemasi anavyohudumu katika ugonjwa, kifo na shida nyingine, na jinsi anavyounganisha uwepo, msaada wa vitendo na maombi.1. Describe how a deacon ministers in sickness, death and other crises, and how he combines presence, practical help and prayer.

2. Kueleza mipaka ya usiri na hekima ya kuwapeleka watu kwa wengine wanaofaa.2. Explain the limits of confidentiality and the wisdom of referral.

3. Kueleza kusudi, uendeshaji na utoaji wa taarifa wa mkutano wa mashemasi, na ushirika wa shemasi na mchungaji wake.3. Describe the purpose, conduct and reporting of the deacons' meeting, and the deacon's partnership with his pastor.

4. Kutaja changamoto zinazosababisha mpango wa huduma ya shemasi kufifia, na hatua zinazouweka hai.4. Name the challenges that cause a plan of deacon ministry to fade, and the steps that keep it alive.

5. Kutaja mitazamo mikuu ya Kibaptisti kuhusu 1 Timotheo 3:11 na huduma ya wanawake, ikiwemo mtazamo wa Howell, na kueleza kwa nini makanisa ya Kibaptisti hutofautiana.5. State the main Baptist views on 1 Timothy 3:11 and the service of women, including Howell's view, and explain why the Baptist churches differ.

Tulipo Katika KoziWhere We Are in the Course

Kipindi cha 8 kilieleza jinsi kanisa linavyopanga huduma ya shemasi kati ya familia zake. Kipindi hiki kinashughulikia saa ngumu ambapo familia zinamhitaji shemasi zaidi, mkutano unaowaweka mashemasi pamoja, na swali la jinsi ya kuweka kazi kama hiyo hai kwa miaka mingi. Mwishowe, kufuatia sura ya 7 ya kitabu cha Howell The Deaconship (Ushemasi) (1846), tunazingatia huduma ya wanawake na swali la mashemasi wanawake (deaconess). Sehemu za kwanza zinafupisha Vipindi vya 8 hadi 10 vya kozi ya CTS ya Dkt. Wayne Cook "Deacon Family Ministry Plan" (Mpango wa Huduma ya Familia ya Shemasi), mwandani anayependekezwa wa kipindi hiki.Unit 8 described how a church organizes deacon ministry among its families. This unit covers the hard hours when families need the deacon most, the meeting that holds the deacons together, and the question of how to keep such work alive for years. Last, following chapter 7 of Howell's The Deaconship (1846), we consider women's service and the deaconess question. The first parts condense Units 8 to 10 of Dr. Wayne Cook's CTS course "Deacon Family Ministry Plan," the recommended companion to this unit.

Shemasi Wakati wa ShidaThe Deacon in Crisis

Mapema au baadaye kila familia hukutana na shida: ugonjwa, kifo, kupoteza kazi, ugomvi, kuporomoka kwa imani. Katika shida utunzaji ni kamba ya uhai, na watu hukumbuka ni nani aliyekuja. Kanuni chache humwongoza shemasi.Sooner or later every family meets a crisis: illness, death, lost work, quarrel, a collapse of faith. In a crisis care is a lifeline, and people remember who came. A few principles guide the deacon.

Anakuja, na anakuja haraka. Shida mara chache hutuma mwaliko. Jambo la kwanza na kubwa zaidi ni kuwepo.He comes, and he comes quickly. Trouble rarely sends an invitation. The first and greatest thing is to be there.

Analeta utulivu na analeta Kristo. Anapitisha faraja ambayo yeye mwenyewe ameipokea: "Atukuzwe Mungu, Baba wa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, Baba wa rehema na Mungu wa faraja yote; atufarijiye sisi katika dhiki zetu zote, hata tuweze kuwafariji wale walio katika dhiki yoyote" (2 Wakorintho 1:3-4).He brings calm and he brings Christ. He passes on the comfort he has himself received: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Analeta msaada wa vitendo. Familia iliyopigwa na janga mara nyingi imepooza. Shemasi anayepiga simu, kupanga chakula na kuendesha gari hospitalini huifanya familia iwe huru kuomboleza.He brings practical help. A stricken family is often paralyzed. The deacon who makes the calls, arranges meals and drives to the hospital frees the family to grieve.

Hachukui peke yake. Anawaita mashemasi wengine na kanisa.He does not carry it alone. He calls on the other deacons and the church.

Anapinga kueleza. Katika shida shemasi hujaribiwa kujibu "kwa nini" lisilo na jibu au kuharakisha familia ijisikie vizuri. Wanaoomboleza wanahitaji ndugu atakayekaa nao, kulia nao na kumtumaini Mungu kwa ajili yao. Mara nyingi jambo la hekima zaidi ni kusema kidogo na la huruma zaidi ni kukaa.He resists explaining. In a crisis the deacon is tempted to answer the unanswerable "why" or to rush the family toward feeling better. The grieving need a brother who will sit with them, weep with them and trust God for them. Often the wisest thing is to say little and the kindest is to stay.

Ugonjwa na kifoSickness and death

Katika ugonjwa shemasi huenda hospitalini au kitanda cha mgonjwa, huleta faraja, huomba na husoma sehemu ya Maandiko. Ugonjwa unapokuwa mzito humwita mchungaji, kwa kuwa huduma ya kanisa kwa wagonjwa ni kwanza ya wazee, ambao wanapaswa kuwaombea wagonjwa (Yakobo 5:14). Katika kifo hulia na wanaolia (Warumi 12:15), husaidia mahitaji mengi ya vitendo ya siku za kwanza, na husimama na familia kupitia mazishi. Sehemu muhimu zaidi hufuata baadaye. Huzuni haiishii kaburini, wala utunzaji wa shemasi. Simu katika kumbukumbu ya kifo inasema hasara haijasahaulika.In sickness the deacon goes to the hospital or the sickbed, brings comfort, prays and reads a portion of Scripture. When the illness is grave he calls the pastor, for the church's ministry to the sick belongs first to the elders, who are to pray over the sick (James 5:14). In death he weeps with those who weep (Romans 12:15), helps with the many practical needs of the first days, and stands with the family through the funeral. The most important part comes afterward. Grief does not end at the graveside, and neither does the deacon's care. A call on the anniversary of a death says the loss is not forgotten.

Shida nyingineOther troubles

Katika magumu kama kupoteza kazi, wito wa shemasi katika Matendo 6 unang'aa. Husaidia kwa heshima na hekima, kama katika Kipindi cha 7. Katika ugomvi wa familia husikiliza na kuomba na kuwapeleka wengine pale inapohitajika. Katika shida ya kiroho, mwamini anapokamatwa katika dhambi au imani inapotikiswa, huja "kwa roho ya upole" kurejesha (Wagalatia 6:1), akimwelekeza anayehangaika kurudi kwa Kristo.In hardship such as a lost job, the deacon's calling in Acts 6 shines. He helps with dignity and wisdom, as in Unit 7. In family conflict he listens and prays and refers when needed. In spiritual crisis, when a believer is overtaken in sin or a faith is shaken, he comes "in a spirit of gentleness" to restore (Galatians 6:1), pointing the struggler back to Christ.

Dhamana Takatifu ya UsiriThe Sacred Trust of Confidentiality

Huduma ya shida humwingiza shemasi katika sehemu za faragha za maisha. Watu humwambia mambo ambayo hawangemwambia mtu mwingine, na hufanya hivyo kwa sababu wanamwamini. "Mchongezi hufunua siri; Bali mwenye roho ya uaminifu huficha neno" (Mithali 11:13). Uvumi mara nyingi hujivika sura ya ombi la maombi. Shemasi mwaminifu huwaombea familia zake bila kutangaza shida zao.Crisis ministry takes the deacon into the private places of life. People tell him things they would tell no one else, and they do so because they trust him. "A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter" (Proverbs 11:13). Gossip often disguises itself as a prayer request. The faithful deacon prays for his families without broadcasting their troubles.

Hata hivyo usiri una mipaka. Si ngao ya hatari wala uhalifu. Mtu anaposema juu ya kujiua au anapotishia mwingine, shemasi lazima atende mara moja na kumleta mchungaji na wale wanaoweza kusaidia. Mtoto au mtu mwingine aliye hatarini anapoumizwa, hapaswi kukaa kimya ili kumlinda anayetenda madhara. Toleo la CTS la Howell linatoa hoja hiyohiyo: usiri haupaswi kamwe kutumiwa kuficha unyanyasaji, mwenendo wa uhalifu au mambo ambayo lazima yaripotiwe kisheria. Shemasi anapaswa kujua kile ambacho sheria za nchi yake zinahitaji na anapaswa kusema na mchungaji jinsi ya kukitimiza. Kunyamaza katika hali kama hiyo si uaminifu bali ni ushirika katika kosa. Hata hivyo, anasema tu kile kinachohitajika, na kwa wale tu wanaohitaji kujua.Yet confidentiality has limits. It is never a shield for danger or crime. When someone speaks of taking his own life or threatens another, the deacon must act at once and bring in the pastor and those able to help. When a child or another vulnerable person is being harmed, he must not stay silent to protect the one doing harm. Howell's CTS edition makes the same point: confidentiality must never be used to conceal abuse, criminal conduct or matters that must be reported under the law. The deacon should know what the laws of his country require and should speak with the pastor about how to meet them. To keep silent in such a case is not faithfulness but complicity. Even then, he tells only what is needed, and only to those who need to know.

Hekima ya Kuwapeleka Watu kwa WengineThe Wisdom of Referral

Shemasi mzuri anajua mipaka yake. Yeye ni mshiriki mwenye huruma, si daktari, mshauri mtaalamu, wakili wala mchungaji. "Kwa wingi wa washauri huwapo wokovu" (Mithali 11:14). Anampelekea mchungaji migogoro mikubwa ya kiroho, maswali magumu ya mafundisho na huduma ya wazee kwa wagonjwa. Anawapelekea wengine wanaofaa kusaidia: daktari, mshauri aliyefunzwa, wakili au mamlaka zinazofaa. Hata hivyo kuwapeleka watu kwa wengine si kuwaacha kamwe. Anabaki kando ya familia, bado akijali, bado akiomba, bado yupo. Kumpeleka mtu kwa hekima si kujali kidogo bali kujali zaidi.A good deacon knows his limits. He is a caring layman, not a physician, a professional counselor, a lawyer, or the pastor. "In the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14). He refers to the pastor for serious spiritual crises, hard doctrinal questions and the elders' ministry to the sick. He refers to others who are fit to help: a doctor, a trained counselor, a lawyer, or the proper authorities. Referral is never abandonment, however. He stays alongside the family, still caring, still praying, still present. A wise referral is not caring less but caring more.

Mkutano wa MashemasiThe Deacons' Meeting

Mashemasi hukutana kama mwili, na mkutano ndio mpigo wa moyo wa kazi. Si hasa kikao cha biashara, na mashemasi si bodi ya wakurugenzi. Ni ripoti kuhusu roho. Katika mkutano mzuri kila mtu anasema, "Familia ya mshiriki huyu ilizika baba yao wiki hii," au "Kijana huyu ameacha kuja," na kwa kila jina wanaume husimama na kuomba.The deacons meet as a body, and the meeting is the heartbeat of the work. It is not chiefly a business session, and the deacons are not a board of directors. It is a report on souls. In a good meeting each man says, "The family of this member buried their father this week," or "This young man has stopped coming," and at each name the men stop and pray.

Mkutano unapaswa kuwa na alama za mkusanyiko wa kiroho:The meeting should bear the marks of a spiritual gathering:

• Umejaa maombi, huku wanaume wakiombea familia zao, mchungaji wao na kanisa lao kwa majina.• It is bathed in prayer, with the men praying for their families, their pastor and their church by name.

• Ajenda yake ya kweli ni familia, huku biashara ikishughulikiwa mahali pake na isisonge utunzaji kamwe.• Its true agenda is the families, with business handled in its place and never crowding out care.

• Ni mahali pa kutiana moyo na uwajibikaji wa upendo.• It is a place of mutual encouragement and loving accountability.

• Ni wa mara kwa mara na si wa nadra, kwa kuwa mwili unaokutana tu katika shida daima uko nyuma ya uhitaji.• It is regular and not occasional, since a body that meets only in a crisis is always behind the need.

• Unaheshimu usiri. Kinachosemwa humo ni kwa ajili ya utunzaji na maombi, kamwe si kwa uvumi, na siri za ndani kabisa hulindwa hata kati ya ndugu.• It respects confidentiality. What is said there is for care and prayer, never for gossip, and the deepest confidences are guarded even among the brethren.

Kutoa taarifaReporting

Katikati ya mkutano kila shemasi hutoa taarifa kuhusu familia zake: nani ni mgonjwa, anaomboleza, hayupo, ana uhitaji au anafurahi. Hii ndiyo kinga ya ahadi kwamba hakuna familia inayosahaulika. Hutoa taarifa ya kile kinachohitajika kwa utunzaji na maombi ("Bi. Allen yuko hospitalini; tuombe na kutuma msaada"), si siri za faragha alizokabidhiwa yeye peke yake. Kuna tofauti kubwa sana kati ya kushiriki hitaji na kusaliti siri. Taarifa ya uaminifu pia inamaanisha shemasi anakiri anapoachwa nyuma: "Sijaifikia familia hii mwezi huu; ninahitaji msaada." Mkutano si mahali pa kuonekana vizuri bali pa kuhakikisha hakuna anayekosekana. Kutoa taarifa pia humweka mchungaji akijua.At the center of the meeting each deacon reports on his families: who is sick, grieving, absent, in need or rejoicing. This is the safeguard of the promise that no family is forgotten. He reports what is needed for care and prayer ("Mrs. Allen is in the hospital; let us pray and send help"), not the private confidences trusted to him alone. There is a world of difference between sharing a need and betraying a secret. Honest reporting also means a deacon admits when he has fallen behind: "I have not reached this family this month; I need help." The meeting is not a place to look good but to make sure no one is missed. Reporting also keeps the pastor informed.

Shemasi na MchungajiThe Deacon and the Pastor

Uhusiano wa shemasi na mchungaji ni jiwe la msingi. Ni ushirika wa Matendo 6: wale saba walichukua utunzaji wa vitendo ili mitume wajitoe kwa maombi na neno. Shemasi ni msaidizi wa mchungaji, kamwe si mpinzani wake na kamwe si bosi wake. Kama Kipindi cha 7 kilivyoonyesha, mchungaji huwaheshimu mashemasi kama washirika, na wote wawili huwajibika kwa Kristo na kwa kanisa.The deacon-pastor relationship is the keystone. It is the partnership of Acts 6: the seven took up practical care so that the apostles could give themselves to prayer and the word. The deacon is the pastor's helper, never his rival and never his boss. As Unit 7 showed, the pastor honors deacons as partners, and both are accountable to Christ and the church.

Picha ya kibiblia ni Kutoka 17:12. Mikono ya Musa ilipokuwa mizito, Haruni na Huri waliiunga mkono, mmoja kila upande, na "mikono yake ikawa imara hata jua lilipotua." Mashemasi huinua mikono ya mchungaji wao kwa njia nne: kwa kutia moyo, kwa kushiriki mizigo yake, kwa kumtetea dhidi ya ukosoaji usio wa haki na kukataa kubeba hadithi, na kwa kulinda umoja wa kanisa (Waefeso 4:3).The biblical picture is Exodus 17:12. When Moses' hands grew heavy, Aaron and Hur supported them, one on each side, and "his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." Deacons hold up their pastor's hands in four ways: by encouragement, by sharing his burdens, by defending him against unjust criticism and refusing to carry tales, and by guarding the unity of the church (Ephesians 4:3).

Hii haimaanishi kwamba shemasi hawezi kutokubaliana kamwe. Ushauri wa uaminifu ni sehemu ya utumishi wake. Lakini kuna tofauti kubwa kati ya kuleta wasiwasi faraghani, kwa unyenyekevu na moja kwa moja kwa mchungaji, na kuueneza kati ya kusanyiko ili kukusanya kundi. La kwanza huimarisha kanisa; la pili hulijeruhi. Wala haimaanishi mchungaji yuko juu ya uwajibikaji. Katika kanisa la Kibaptisti, mchungaji na mashemasi wote huwajibika kwa kusanyiko chini ya Kristo. Pale mchungaji na mashemasi wanapokubaliana, kanisa lina nguvu; pale wanapopigana, linachanika.This does not mean the deacon may never disagree. Honest counsel is part of his service. But there is a great difference between bringing a concern privately, humbly and directly to the pastor, and spreading it through the congregation to gather a faction. The first strengthens the church; the second wounds it. Nor does it mean the pastor is above accountability. In a Baptist church, both pastor and deacons answer to the congregation under Christ. Where pastor and deacons are agreed, the church is strong; where they are at war, it is torn.

Kuuweka Mpango HaiKeeping the Plan Alive

Mipango mizuri mara chache hushindwa wakati wa kuzaliwa. Hufifia, shauku inapopoa na waanzilishi wanapohama. Kozi ya Dkt. Cook inaorodhesha changamoto saba za kawaida: kupuuza na kuteleza; kupoteza maono; kulemewa na uchovu; mashemasi wasiofunzwa; kukata tamaa; mabadiliko ya mashemasi na wachungaji; na urasmi baridi, ambapo umbo linabaki na upendo umeondoka. Karibu zote ni kushindwa kwa moyo na uangalifu, si kwa muundo, na kushindwa kwa moyo kunaweza kutubiwa.Good plans rarely fail at birth. They fade, as enthusiasm cools and founders move away. Dr. Cook's course lists seven common challenges: neglect and drift; lost vision; overload and burnout; untrained deacons; discouragement; turnover of deacons and pastors; and cold formalism, in which the form remains and the love has gone. Nearly all are failures of heart and attention, not of structure, and a failure of heart can be repented of.

Tiba si ngumu. Kanisa linaendelea kutangaza maono kwa kila shemasi mpya na kwa kusanyiko zima. Linawafunza mashemasi wapya, vizuri zaidi kwa kumchukua kijana pamoja kwenye ziara. Linaweka mizigo inayoweza kudhibitiwa. Linawatia moyo wanaume waliochoka. Mchungaji na shemasi mkuu mwaminifu hulinda kazi isidorore. Na kanisa linazunguka kila kitu kwa maombi.The remedies are not complicated. The church keeps casting the vision to each new deacon and to the whole congregation. It trains new deacons, best by taking a younger man along on visits. It keeps loads manageable. It encourages weary men. The pastor and a faithful head deacon watch that the work does not lapse. And the church surrounds everything with prayer.

Kanisa pia linapaswa kutathmini kwa uaminifu, kwa roho ya "Jua hali ya kondoo zako kwa bidii" (Mithali 27:23). Linauliza: Je, kila familia bado imepangiwa? Je, kila moja inawasiliwa? Je, mahitaji halisi yanatimizwa? Je, shemasi yeyote amelemewa? Je, washiriki wapya wanapangiwa haraka? Je, mchungaji na mashemasi wanafanya kazi vizuri pamoja? Linapima kwa matunda, si kwa idadi ya ziara zilizoandikwa. Mapitio na kujitoa upya kwa kila mwaka huzuia kazi isiteleze. Kusudi si kumwaibisha shemasi anayehangaika bali kujaza mapengo. Thawabu yake ni neno la Bwana, "Vema, mtumwa mwema na mwaminifu" (Mathayo 25:21).The church should also evaluate honestly, in the spirit of "Be diligent to know the state of your flocks" (Proverbs 27:23). It asks: Is every family still assigned? Is each being contacted? Are real needs met? Is any deacon overloaded? Are new members assigned promptly? Do pastor and deacons work well together? It measures by fruit, not by the number of visits logged. A yearly review and rededication keeps the work from drifting. The purpose is not to shame a struggling deacon but to fill the gaps. His reward is the Master's "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).

Huduma ya Wanawake na Swali la Mashemasi WanawakeWomen's Service and the Deaconess Question

Sura ya saba ya Howell ni mojawapo ya sehemu za kuvutia zaidi za kitabu chake. Anahoji kwamba wanawake wa 1 Timotheo 3:11 si wake wa mashemasi wanaume tu bali wasaidizi wanawake wanaoitwa kwa kawaida mashemasi wanawake (deaconesses). Pia anaonyesha Foibe, anayeitwa mtumishi (diakonos) wa kanisa la Kenkrea (Warumi 16:1), na desturi ya Kikristo ya mwanzo. Alidhani wanawake wangeweza kuwahudumia wanawake wengine, wagonjwa na maskini kwa njia ambazo mashemasi wanaume wakati mwingine hawakuweza. CTS huiweka hoja yake kama ya Howell, ya kupimwa kwa Maandiko, na si kama jibu lililotatuliwa kwa leo.Howell's seventh chapter is one of the most interesting parts of his book. He argues that the women of 1 Timothy 3:11 are not only the wives of male deacons but female assistants commonly called deaconesses. He also points to Phoebe, called a servant (diakonos) of the church at Cenchrea (Romans 16:1), and to early Christian practice. He thought women could serve other women, the sick and the poor in ways male deacons sometimes could not. CTS keeps his argument as Howell's, to be tested by Scripture, and not as a settled answer for today.

Wabaptisti leo wanashikilia angalau mitazamo mitatu ya 1 Timotheo 3:11:Baptists today hold at least three views of 1 Timothy 3:11:

1. Wake wa mashemasi. Paulo anasema juu ya wake wa mashemasi, wanaoshiriki kwa karibu katika huduma. Neno la Kigiriki gune linaweza kumaanisha "mwanamke" au "mke," na "wao" la Kiingereza limeongezwa na watafsiri. Wanaoliunga mkono wanaona kwamba mstari wa 12 unarudi kwa mashemasi wenyewe, "waume wa mke mmoja," na kwamba kifungu kwa hiyo kinaweza kuwa orodha moja ya wanaume.1. Wives of deacons. Paul speaks of the deacons' wives, who share closely in the ministry. The Greek word gune can mean either "woman" or "wife," and the English "their" is supplied by the translators. Supporters note that verse 12 returns to the deacons themselves, "husbands of one wife," and that the passage may therefore be a single list for men.

2. Wanawake wanaotumika kama mashemasi. Paulo anasema juu ya "wanawake" wanaotumika katika nafasi hiyohiyo. Wanaoliunga mkono wanaonyesha Foibe, neno "vivyo hivyo," ambalo pia linawatambulisha mashemasi katika mstari wa 8, na mahali pa mstari wa 11 ndani ya orodha ya sifa za mashemasi.2. Women who serve as deacons. Paul speaks of "the women" who serve in the same office. Supporters point to Phoebe, to the word "likewise," which also introduces the deacons in verse 8, and to the place of verse 11 inside the list of deacon qualifications.

3. Huduma ya wanawake inayotambuliwa, mara nyingi inayoitwa mashemasi wanawake (deaconesses). Wanawake wanatambuliwa na kutengwa kwa huduma inayohusiana na ushemasi, lakini si kama mashemasi katika nafasi hiyo. Hoja ya Howell ya "wasaidizi wanawake" ni ya aina hii.3. A recognized women's service, often called deaconesses. Women are recognized and set apart for service connected with the diaconate, but not as deacons in the office. Howell's argument for "female assistants" is of this kind.

Sarufi inaruhusu usomaji zaidi ya mmoja, na Wabaptisti waaminifu hutofautiana kwa dhamiri njema. Hatupaswi kusema kwamba wasiokubaliana hawaiheshimu Maandiko, wala kwamba jambo hilo halina umuhimu. Kwa vitendo, makanisa mengi ya Kibaptisti huchagua wanaume tu kuwa mashemasi, baadhi huwaweka wakfu wanawake kuwa mashemasi, na baadhi hutumia mashemasi wanawake (deaconesses). Baptist Faith and Message (2000) (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti) inasema kwamba wanaume na wanawake wote wamejaliwa karama kwa huduma katika kanisa, na inaweka nafasi ya mchungaji kwa wanaume wanaofaa kama Maandiko yanavyosema; kwa ufahamu wetu, haisemi kwa maneno yaleyale kwamba nafasi ya shemasi imewekewa wanaume. Mtazamo mkuu wa mapokeo, unaoshirikiwa na vyombo vingi vya Kibaptisti vya kihafidhina, ni kwamba nafasi ya uchungaji huhifadhiwa kwa wanaume, na Kipindi cha 4 kilitoa sababu.The grammar allows more than one reading, and faithful Baptists differ in good conscience. We should not say that those who disagree do not respect Scripture, nor that the matter does not matter. In practice, many Baptist churches choose only men as deacons, and some ordain women as deacons, and some use deaconesses. The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) says that both men and women are gifted for service in the church, and it limits the office of pastor to men as qualified by Scripture; to our knowledge, it does not state in the same terms that the office of deacon is limited to men. The tradition's main view, shared by most conservative Baptist bodies, is that the pastoral office is reserved to men, and Unit 4 gave the reasons.

Mafundisho ya Kibaptisti hapa yanasimama juu ya kanuni ambazo wote wanashiriki. Kanisa la mahali pamoja huamua chini ya Maandiko, bila amri ya nje. Husoma maandiko kwa unyenyekevu na kuamua kwa umoja. Chochote linachoamua, wanawake wanapaswa kuheshimiwa kwa kazi yao. Wanawake hutumika kwa upana kati ya Wabaptisti: kuwatembelea wagonjwa na maskini, kuwafundisha wanawake na watoto (Tito 2:3-5), ukarimu, msaada, maombi na ushuhuda. Foibe anaonyeshwa katika Maandiko kuwa "msaidizi wa watu wengi" (Warumi 16:2), na Paulo anawasalimu wanawake wengi waliotenda kazi pamoja naye (Warumi 16). Kanisa linalopuuza karama za wanawake wake limeacha huduma ya lazima bila kufanywa.Baptist teaching here rests on principles that all share. The local church decides under Scripture, without outside command. It reads the text humbly and decides in unity. Whatever it decides, women are to be honored for their work. Women serve widely among Baptists: visiting the sick and poor, teaching women and children (Titus 2:3-5), hospitality, benevolence, prayer and witness. Phoebe is held up in Scripture as "a helper of many" (Romans 16:2), and Paul greets many women who labored with him (Romans 16). A church that neglects the gifts of its women has left necessary ministry undone.

Matumizi ya KichungajiPastoral Application

Mmoja wa mashemasi wako anakuja kwako akiwa na wasiwasi. Mwanamke aliye katika familia zake aliomba kuongea naye peke yake. Alimwambia kwamba mumewe humpiga anapokunywa pombe, kwamba watoto wake wameliona, na alimsihi asimwambie mtu yeyote. Shemasi anasema, "Niliahidi nitaficha siri. Je, ahadi ni ahadi?"One of your deacons comes to you troubled. A woman in his families asked to speak with him alone. She told him that her husband strikes her when he drinks, that her children have seen it, and she begged him to tell no one. The deacon says, "I promised I would keep it secret. Is a promise a promise?"

Mchungaji mwenye hekima kwanza anamshukuru shemasi kwa kuja, kwa sababu hilo lilikuwa jambo sahihi. Anaeleza kwamba ahadi ya usiri haiwezi kufunika hatari kwa mtu, na kwamba shemasi hakupaswa kuahidi usiri kamili. Kisha wanatenda. Mchungaji anamwomba shemasi amwambie mwanamke, kwa upole, kwamba lazima alete jambo hilo kwa mchungaji kwa usalama wake. Wanachunguza sheria za nchi zinahitaji nini kuhusu kuripoti madhara kwa mwanamke au watoto. Mchungaji na shemasi (pamoja na mke wa shemasi au mwanamke mwingine anayeaminika) wanakutana na mwanamke kumsikiliza, kuomba na kutoa msaada wa vitendo, ikiwemo mahali salama pa kukaa akihitaji. Wanamwelekeza kwa wale wanaofaa kusaidia, kama mshauri au mamlaka zinazofaa, na hawawarudishi wanandoa nyumbani tu "waombe kuhusu jambo hilo." Mchungaji baadaye atasema na mume kwa ukweli thabiti na wa upendo. Kwa muda wote, jambo hilo linasemwa tu kwa wale wanaohitaji kujua, na shemasi anabaki kuwepo. Ahadi ya siri ni takatifu, lakini si pale kuishika kungemwacha mtu kuumizwa.A wise pastor first thanks the deacon for coming, because that was the right thing to do. He explains that a promise of secrecy cannot cover a danger to a person, and that the deacon should not have promised absolute secrecy. Then they act. The pastor asks the deacon to tell the woman, gently, that he must bring the matter to the pastor for her safety. They check what the laws of the country require about reporting harm to a woman or children. The pastor and the deacon (with the deacon's wife or another trusted woman) meet the woman to listen, pray and offer practical help, including a safe place to stay if she needs one. They refer her to those fit to help, such as a counselor or the proper authorities, and they do not simply send the couple home to "pray about it." The pastor will later speak to the husband with firm and loving truth. All through it, the matter is told only to those who need to know, and the deacon remains present. A promise of confidence is sacred, but not when keeping it would leave a person to be harmed.

MuhtasariSummary

Katika shida, shemasi anakuja haraka, analeta utulivu na Kristo, anatoa msaada wa vitendo, na anabaki katika wiki ndefu baada ya kifo. Analinda siri lakini kamwe hazitumii kuficha hatari, unyanyasaji au uhalifu, na anawapeleka mambo yaliyo nje ya uwezo wake kwa mchungaji na wengine huku akibaki kuwepo. Mkutano wa mashemasi ni ripoti kuhusu roho, wa kiroho katika uendeshaji na wa uaminifu katika taarifa. Shemasi ni msaidizi wa mchungaji, anayeinua mikono yake, anayekubali tofauti faraghani na anayelinda umoja wa kanisa. Mipango mizuri hufifia kupitia kupuuza, kupoteza maono, kulemewa, mafunzo duni, kukata tamaa, mabadiliko ya viongozi na urasmi baridi, na huwekwa hai na maono, mafunzo, kutia moyo, uongozi, maombi na mapitio ya uaminifu ya kila mwaka. Kuhusu huduma ya wanawake, Howell alisoma 1 Timotheo 3:11 kama inayosema juu ya mashemasi wanawake (deaconesses). Wabaptisti hutofautiana kama inamaanisha wake, mashemasi wanawake au huduma tofauti ya wanawake. Mtazamo mkuu wa mapokeo huhifadhi nafasi ya uchungaji kwa wanaume, na Wabaptisti wote huheshimu huduma pana ya wanawake. Kozi kamili ya mashemasi ya CTS inapendekezwa kama mwandani wa kipindi hiki.In crisis, the deacon comes quickly, brings calm and Christ, gives practical help, and stays through the long weeks after a death. He guards confidences but never uses them to hide danger, abuse or crime, and he refers matters beyond him to the pastor and others while remaining present. The deacons' meeting is a report on souls, spiritual in conduct and honest in reporting. The deacon is the pastor's helper, who holds up his hands, disagrees privately and guards the unity of the church. Good plans fade through neglect, lost vision, overload, poor training, discouragement, turnover and cold formalism, and are kept alive by vision, training, encouragement, leadership, prayer and honest yearly review. On women's service, Howell read 1 Timothy 3:11 as speaking of deaconesses. Baptists differ on whether it means wives, women deacons or a distinct women's service. The tradition's main view reserves the pastoral office to men, and all Baptists honor the wide service of women. The full CTS deacon course is the recommended companion to this unit.

Usomaji ZaidiFurther Reading

• R. B. C. Howell, The Deaconship (1846) (Ushemasi), sura ya 7 na sura za mwisho, katika marekebisho ya CTS (kitabu cha lazima cha kozi hii).• R. B. C. Howell, The Deaconship (1846), chapter 7 and the concluding chapters, in the CTS adaptation (required textbook for this course).

• Dkt. Wayne Cook, "Deacon Family Ministry Plan" (Mpango wa Huduma ya Familia ya Shemasi) (CTS), Vipindi vya 8 hadi 10.• Dr. Wayne Cook, "Deacon Family Ministry Plan" (CTS), Units 8 to 10.

• The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti), kifungu cha VI.• The Baptist Faith and Message (2000), article VI.

• J. M. Pendleton, Church Manual (1867) (Mwongozo wa Kanisa), chanzo cha msingi cha Kibaptisti.• J. M. Pendleton, Church Manual (1867), a Baptist primary source.

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