Q & A - Church Order
Questions 231 (COD Page 900)
How far, Brother Branham, can or should a deacon go to keep order in the church? Should we keep the order or wait until Brother Neville tells us what we should do?
128 That isn’t Brother Neville’s job, that’s your job. See? You don’t tell Brother Neville what to preach on, how to preach it. See, that’s your job, you deacons, you’re supposed to do that. You take care of that. That’s nothing to Brother Neville, that’s your job. See?
129 Now, if a policeman’s out here on the street and he sees a man stealing property out of a back of a car, should he call the mayor and say, “Now, Mayor, your Honor, sir, I am working for you here on this police force; now, I find a man up the street here, he’s–he was stealing some tires off of a car last night; now, I just wonder, what’s your opinion of that?” Huh! See? See, that wouldn’t be sensible. Would it? No, sir. If he was doing something wrong, arrest him.
130 And if a man’s doing something wrong here in the church, or anybody, stop them, talk to them. Don’t be arrogant; but if they won’t listen, speak in a way that they know what you’re saying.
See? See, like you tell a child, say, “Walk back there,” and he’s misbehaving. Deacons, stay at your place! Put...There’s four of you, stay two in front and two in the back, on these corners or somewhere like that. And watch real close, for renegades and everything else come in like this, you see. And you be on the guard, you get to your post of duty and stay there, that’s your seat; or stand right beside of the wall and watch everybody come in.
131 A deacon takes care of the house of God. Someone come in, speak to them; be there to greet them, shake their hand. That’s, you’re the policeman, “Could we show you the cloak room?” or “Would you be seated?” “Could we hand you a songbook or something?” or “Now we would like for you to enjoy yourself here, and–and pray, and–and we’re happy you’re here with us tonight.” Lead them right down to a place, and say, “Would you like to be closer or would you like to be back here?” or wherever more. That’s hospitality.
132 A policeman (or the deacon) is a military police to the army, courtesy, but yet with authority. See? You know what a military police is, is actually, if he carries out his rights, I think he’s just like a chaplain. You see? It’s courtesy and everything, but yet he has an authority. See, you must mind him. See, he puts...These rookies get out there and get drunk, why, he puts them in their place. And so is the deacon to put them in their place.
133 Now, remember, the deacon is a policeman, and a deacon’s office is actually more strict than most any office in the church. I don’t know of an office any more stricter than the deacon’s office. That’s right, because he’s got a–he’s got a real job, and he’s God’s man. He’s God’s man just as much as the pastor is God’s man. Certainly, he is. He is God’s servant.
134 Now the trustees, only thing, they’re under duty by God to watch that finances and take care of that, the things that goes on like that. I told you about them tapes, and–and about other things here that goes on, about the building and repairs, and taking up the finances and things, that’s–that’s what they’re trustee of: the property, finances and things. The deacons has nothing to do in that. And neither does the–the trustee have anything to do with the deacons’ office.
135 Now, if the deacons wants to ask the trustees’ help on anything, or–or the trustees the deacons’, and you’re all working together... But that’s your duties, is singling out. See? All right.
136 Now, no, don’t ask Brother Neville. If Brother Neville asks you to do something, then that’s–that’s your pastor, with courtesy and love and everything...If he’d say, “Brother Collins, Brother Hickerson, Brother Tony, or somebody, would you see what’s wrong back there in the corner?” At the post of duty like that, you know, as a real man of God.
137 Remember, you are not working for Branham Tabernacle, neither are you working for Brother Neville or me, you’re working for Jesus Christ. See? You...That’s Who you are to...And He–He’s respecting your loyalty just the same as He is to that pastor or to anybody else, He’s expecting your loyalty! And we want to show our loyalty.
138 Now, sometimes it gets hard. It’s hard for me to see a minister setting there I love with all my heart, just have to really tell him; see, but in a way of love, I’ve got a hand out to help him. But, see, and they come to me and say, “Brother Branham, you’re just a wonderful person, why can’t you just compromise a little on that baptism, and on this, that, and the other, and that security, and the serpent’s seed?”
139 I say, “Brother, I love you, but now let’s us ta-...just take the Scripture and see who’s right or wrong.” See, I’ve got to be able to...
140 “Oh, now, Brother Branham, I tell you, you’re all wrong.” See, goes flying up.
141 “Oh,” I say, “well, perhaps I am. Then, if I am, surely (and you
tell me, you’re...you know where I’m wrong at), then you show me
where I’m wrong.” And I’m willing to take, see.
142 Same thing, “Hey, you ain’t got no business telling that child to set down.” Now, the deacon is the–is the custodian at the house of God. See? Now if you...He takes care of the house of God and keeps it in order. That’s what the Scripture says, and if you got anything else that a deacon should do, you come tell me. See, there’s the same thing, but that–that’s your duty to do that, yeah, just back up.
143 And you should ask nobody, that’s–that’s just your duty. Brother Neville don’t ask nobody, the church don’t has to ask...I mean, the–the–the trustees don’t have to go ask Brother Neville if–if he wants the roof put on the tabernacle. See? No, no, that’s not nothing to Brother Neville, not nothing to me, that’s to you. The deacons don’t have to...
144 The same way to the pastor. “What are you going to preach on? I don’t want you to do this.” They ain’t got no business saying that, he’s under God, see, their pastor. And then if–if–if...Brother
Neville, he preaches a message that the Lord has give us, and we’re all together in this. And if I tell Brother Neville something wrong, God holds me responsible for it. That’s right. See? So God is the
Boss of all of it. See? And we’re just working as His ambassadors, you see, down here in these offices.