Practical Theology - Deacons

Practical Theology For Deacons - Practical Theology is defined as the conduct of public worship; principles of sermon composition and delivery; principles and methods of Catechesis in the parish & community; Constitution and Canons of this Church and the Diocese to which the candidate belongs; and the use of the voice in reading and speaking.

• History, Office and Work of the Deacon
• Discipleship/Spiritual Formation - Discipleship is the study and practice of following Jesus as his apprentice. The end of discipleship is Christlikeness (Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18 and 1 John 3:2). The term Spiritual Formation puts discipleship within the context of God’s activity in forming whole persons and communities. Various modalities would include -
  • Bible Studies
  • Small Groups
  • Christian Education
  • Instruction in Catechism - The Creeds, The Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments served as the catechetical curriculum from the early church. Protestant Reformers introduced a Question/Answer format that has since become a standard method of Christian Education throughout the western church. (To Be a Christian - An Anglican Catechism) - Links per each Diocese.
• Homiletics - Homiletics may be either evangelistic or as a means of exhortation and comfort to those who are already Christians. Homiletics necessarily entails not only a thorough knowledge of biblical content, both of the Old and New Testaments, but hermeneutics, sermon preparation and communication skills.
• Each Diocese will license candidates according to their canons.
• Canonically, this will be determined by each Diocese, such as Diocese of Western Anglicans, Preaching Colloquium - For Deacons and Lay Preachers
• Pastoral Care - This would include sharing the love of Christ to those who are hurting, lonely, or grieving, whether the circumstance faced is physical, emotional, or spiritual.
  • Spiritual Guidance - Actively listen and understand how to guide them to the next level of care.
  • Healing Ministry - The ministry of healing prayer may be offered by individuals, groups or the entire congregation and may address physical, mental, emotional and relational issues. Ordained leaders may offer healing prayer during a liturgy, or privately to individuals or groups of people. They may also offer sacramental anointing to those who are either sick or in extraordinary circumstances, the dying.
• Leadership Development - The goal of all Christian leadership is to equip the saints for the work of ministry by building up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16). At the core of Christian leadership is the call to be the servant-hearted (Mark 10:42-45) in all we do. Leadership is best demonstrated and modeled by doing and taking the laity with them. Raising up servant ministers in the lay order and equipping them for lay ministry in the wider community.
• Constitution & Canons of the ACNA & Diocese of the Candidate -
  • Canon Law serves two primary functions: 1) it lays out the foundations of Provincial, Diocesan, and Parish governance and 2) it outlines mechanisms for ecclesiastical discipline. A basic understanding of the Constitutions and Canons is thus important for the exercise of ordained ministry in the ACNA.