Stephen C. Rice Uncategorized

Deacon Ministry Handbook

The office of deacon is still relevant and Biblical in the 21st century. Although there has been an increased emphasis on the office of elder in the local Baptist congregation, most Baptist churches still need and honor the office of deacon.

When I consider my years in the pastorate, I think of the men with whom the Lord surrounded me. God placed men in the office of deacon who encouraged me, challenged me, advised me, and prayed for me. These men were partners in the ministry of the Gospel, they were brothers in Christ, and they were friends. I cherish them and count it a special privilege to have served with them and to have personally served as a deacon early in life.

Many good deacon resources exist, but few are recent and updated. The authors of this resource work regularly with deacons and they believe that deacons play a crucial role in the success of the local pastor and church. They wrote the Deacon Ministry Handbook to provide concise, practical guidance to pastors and deacons. The combined ministry knowledge of the authors has produced a tool that can benefit every pastor and deacon in Kentucky and across the Southern Baptist Convention.

You can get a copy at any place books are sold, but you can purchase at a discounted rate from this LifeWay site designed to feature the book. The authors and I recently recorded supplemental video resources that will be available soon to assist with training. If we can assist your church or association with deacon training, please email me at steve.rice@kybaptist.org.

Stephen C. Rice Church Consulting, Church Revitalization, Leadership, Preaching, Uncategorized

8 Reasons to Hire An Interim Pastor

When a pastor leaves, it can be a difficult time for the church. Even if the pastor’s departure is somewhat desired by the church, it is still a very challenging season. One of the keys for success during this time is for the church to hire a good interim pastor. Here are a number of reasons why most churches should hire an interim pastor.

8 Reasons to Hire An Interim Pastor

1. The church needs consistency. When a church chooses to use guest preachers every week during this time of transition there is no consistency in the pulpit. This often leads to tension and confusion in the church.

2. You protect the doctrine of the church. It is much easier to vet one interim pastor than to vet a different guest preacher every weekend. A church is more open for doctrinal errors when using guest preachers, especially when those guest preachers are lay-members of the church who have no formal theological training.

A church is more open for doctrinal errors when using a guest preacher…”

3. The church needs time to grieve. When a beloved pastor leaves there is a time of grieving. Church members may not recognize that they are dealing with grief, but they are. It is important for them to work through that process before the new pastor begins so they will be emotionally ready to embrace him as their new pastor once he arrives.

4. There is a leadership void. When a pastor leaves it creates a leadership void. If the church does not hire an interim pastor, two dangers exist. First, the void does not get filled and the church lacks direction. Second, the void does get filled with church members who should not be leading and who are reluctant to relinquish the role once the new pastor is in place.

5. It gives the Search Team breathing room. The Search Team looking for the new pastor is under a great deal of pressure. The church has asked them to find their next pastor which is a huge responsibility. Having a good interim in place will relieve some of that pressure and help them to not feel rushed.

6. Fresh eyes. An interim pastor will have “fresh eyes.” He will have the ability and authority to address issues that exist with the facility, worship services, staffing, etc.

7. New ideas. Most interim pastors have years of successful ministry. As a result, they will have lots of new ideas that can help the church continue to move forward during this interim period.

8. Staff guidance. Even the most capable church staff will find it very awkward if nobody is filling the office of “pastor.” An interim pastor gives them someone with whom they can talk, plan, and consult.

Stephen C. Rice travel, Uncategorized

Footsteps of the Apostle Paul

I’m really excited about our upcoming 2023 trip to Greece as we travel in the FOOTSTEPS of the APOSTLE PAUL. I have led several groups to Israel, but have always wanted to take a group to Greece to walk in the footsteps of the great Apostle Paul. We will finally get to do just that on September 11-22, 2023.

“I always wanted to walk in the footsteps of the great Apostle Paul.”

I hope you can join us for this trip as we partner with our good friend, Alan Dodson at EDI Travel. We’ve created a special webpage for this trip that provides information and registration details.

The cost of the trip is $5,300 all-inclusive from a major International Airport which includes a 3-day cruise on the Mediterranean. Please let me know if you have any questions. You can contact me at steve.rice@kybaptist.org.

Stephen C. Rice Church Consulting, Deacon, Leadership, Security, Uncategorized

Is Your Church Safe & Secure?

Every church MUST think about church security in today’s world! Every church should have a comprehensive Church Security Plan and a Church Security Team in place! BUT, where do you begin and who can help?

We have six Kentucky Baptist Convention Regional Consultants prepared to make a presentation to your church or a group of leaders that will raise awareness for the need of a good security plan as well as cover some of the basics. They can provide first steps and help a church take next steps.

We created a Church Security page on our website with resources available for churches as well as links to several Church Security training videos filmed at one of our KBC Church Security Conferences:

For additional assistance please contact a KBC Regional Consultant directly or contact me at the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

Stephen C. Rice Uncategorized

Be Prepared

We are taking the lead at the Kentucky Baptist Convention in addressing the issue of church sexual abuse. The KBC has partnered with an organization called MinistrySafe to provide training sessions we are calling “Church Prepared: Sexual Abuse Prevention, Response, and Care.”

I encourage every pastor and church to be involved. The training will especially benefit the following:

  • Pastors
  • Other Church staff
  • Security Team members
  • Deacons
  • Elders
  • Children’s Workers
  • Student Workers
  • Sunday School Workers
  • Women’s Ministry
  • Men’s Ministry

The training sessions will be held at four locations across the state October 3-6, 2022. The schedule is as follows:

October 3 – Lone Oak First Baptist Church, Paducah

October 4 – Living Hope BC, Bowling Green

October 5 – Buck Run BC, Frankfort

October 6 – Fairview BC, Ashland

Registration
Here is the link to the registration page: https://www.kybaptist.org/churchprepared/. Please let me know if you have any questions or need more information.