Change the Picture

By Deacon Sunni Richardson, Director of Discipleship First Lutheran Church- Lincoln


I have had the privilege of working in a variety of settings and learning from some of the best leaders in the field. I watched these mentors and colleagues shine and watched them struggle. Along the way I came to realize the struggles were almost always tied to the expectation, or perceived expectation, that the top dog needed to be an expert on every topic, in every situation, and in every setting. Well, that’s just plain silly. So, I ask, how do we change the picture?

A few thoughts from my corner of the world … I think we’ve lost sight of one of Luther’s grounding principles -- the priesthood of all believers. If we are called to be the church, then we need to step up and BE CHURCH. That requires us to think outside the box when it comes to leadership.  We have to think about shared leadership which includes pastors, Parish Ministry Associates, laity, and ta-da - Deacons!

Deacons have been around for years in the ELCA and other denominations. In the ELCA, a Deacon is called as a Minister of Word and Service. In my case, I work with the programmatic and practical side of ministry. I get to interact with kids between the ages of 3 and 10, helping them grow as disciples. I get to create tools that equip and empower people to serve, guide the prayer and spirituality ministry of the congregation, support the administrative arm and engage in faith-filled conversations with people of all ages. As a Deacon I’m challenged to take God’s Word to the world and bring the world into the church. It’s always about Word and Service.

So I invite you to call me. Let’s talk about Deacons. I’d bet you know someone who is hearing God’s call to serve in rostered ministry as a Deacon.  And I’d love talk with you about how you could tap the resources of an experienced, trained Deacon to be part of your ministry leadership team?


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