(Editor’s Note: Evan Knies, publisher at Courier Publishing, recently interviewed Tony Wolfe, executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, about his new book, A Deacon on Purpose, published by Courier Publishing.)
Evan: What led you to work on this project?
Tony Wolfe: As a pastor’s son and a pastor myself, all my life I have been positively influenced by faithful deacons in many churches. The importance of the office of deacon became evident to me early in ministry. So, when I began serving churches at the state denominational level in 2017, I searched for a deacon training resource. Most were outdated, but all of them still carried some value. I initially wrote the book to provide a contemporary, broad training resource for churches. In 2023, the need for an updated edition became evident and the opportunity presented itself with Courier Publishing’s 1821 division. I believe A Deacon On Purpose is unique and valuable in the field of deacon resources in that it champions the office as critical to the health of the local church, simplifies the work of the deacon into four easy-to-remember categories, is grounded in Scripture, focuses on high-level principles, offers practical suggestions, and allows the reader to be the expert in his own context.
Evan: What do you appreciate about the deacons that you have served with?
Tony Wolfe: I was on ministerial staff at churches before I was a pastor. In that capacity, often deacons were my greatest encouragers. Many of them believed in me when it felt like no one else did. Then, as a pastor and interim pastor for 11 years, I watched deacons serve their congregations selflessly and sacrificially through some of the most difficult seasons of church life, and I walked beside them while the Lord multiplied His grace through our commitment to one another in local church service and leadership. Through the years, deacons in churches I’ve pastored have become some of my closest friends, some of my greatest encouragers, and some of my most trusted counselors.
Evan: What do you hope readers take away from A Deacon On Purpose?
Tony Wolfe: I hope churches see the value and significance of the office of deacon. God gave two offices to the local church — pastor/elder and deacon. Congregations will be best served and best led when both offices work together, in joyful cooperation, to strengthen the church. I also hope the deacons who read the book and work through the training opportunities will walk away with practical next steps for serving their congregations better and more creatively. I hope they’ll be encouraged and feel seen and appreciated. I hope they’ll own a greater level of confidence in Christ and His calling on their lives. Ultimately, I hope the deacons will be encouraged and the churches strengthened.
Evan: How do you hope pastors, deacons, and churches use this resource?
Tony Wolfe: A Deacon On Purpose is designed for a multiplicity of usages. It can be read by an individual deacon for personal edification. It can be given to new deacons or potential deacons to help set the tone for the expectations of the office during candidacy and the early months of service. It can be a group-read exercise in which a deacon body reads one chapter at a time and discusses the questions in their next gathering. It is often used as a guide for associational or regional trainings at which deacons from many churches gather for a morning of fellowship and training. The resource is not complicated, and it doesn’t take a professional leader or theologian to lead a group through it. It’s biblical, simple, and practical. My hope is that every pastor, deacon, and deacon body will find value in its pages whether as a solo reader or a group training exercise. And I hope they’ll pull it off the shelf every year or two for a quick read, looking for renewed encouragement and fresh insight.
Evan: Thank you, Tony, for your work A Deacon On Purpose. May it be helpful for many pastors and churches!
For more information or to purchase a copy of A Deacon on Purpose, please visit our website: https://courierpublishing.com/books/a-deacon-on-purpose/