Who is the Deacon in our midst? How do we find and call that person? Here are some core assumptions.
Baptismal Ecclesiology
All baptized persons are fully equipped for the ministry of the Good News to and for God's people in the church and in the world
The call to ministry of God's people, including the call to serve (diakonia) is made explicit in and embraced through the Baptismal Covenant
Specific orders of ministry exist to provide distinctive focus, vision, and leadership for all people in their various ministries; none is "better" or "superior / inferior"
There are elements of episcopal, presbyteral, and diaconal charism for ministry present in everyone: some are especially called to embody one of them to help lead and catalyze the full ministry of all
The Diaconate is a Full and Equal Order of Ministry
Deacons are an ancient, scripturally founded order in the church
Deacons are not secondary, subsidiary, inhibited, dependent, or incomplete
Deacons are professionals— called, trained, formed, and ordained to a distinctive ministry in the church and the world