It is not realistic to expect deacons or preachers to be perfect. None of them are. We are all a work in progress; however, deacons and preachers ought to be examples in the way they live their lives and relate to the church.

Faithful attendance is a must for an effective deacon. We acknowledge that there are times when everybody has to miss church, but a man to be considered as a deacon needs to hold church attendance as one of his priority commitments. This is true for Sunday School teachers, as well. We are always teaching in everything we do, and our commitment to attendance is not exception.

A deacon should be an example in his financial obedience. A man who doesn’t tithe has not learned one of the most basic lessons about trusting God, and a deacon should certainly be a man who trusts God. The dollar amount that his tithe represents has nothing to do with what we are talking about, but whether or not he is willing to trust God with the firstfruits of his increase speaks volumes about his love, understanding, and faith in God.

Living a clean life is of the highest importance for one to whom others will look as an example. One man, who was a teacher of teen-aged boys, didn’t realize how much he was still teaching them as he filled his lip with snuff, after the church services were over.

A middle aged man, who had just been converted to the faith, paid another man a very high compliment, when he said, “I’ve watched that guy’s life for many years, and he practices everything he says he believes.”