Wyman Richardson – Page 2 – The Three Tables

Thomas Grantham’s 1678 Observation on Deacon Distribution of the Elements

In 1678, the Baptist Theme Grantham published in London Hear the church, or, An appeal to the mother of us all to all the baptized believers in England, exhorting them to steadfastness in the truth, according to the scriptures : together with some farther considerations of seven queries, sent to the baptized believers in Lincolnshire, […]

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Ray Van Neste on Deacon Service at The Table of the Lord

Table of the Lord / Wyman Richardson

In his essay, “The Lord’s Supper in the Context of the Local Church,” in the 2010 Broadman & Holman publication, The Lord’s Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes, Ray Van Neste writes: In many Baptist churches the deacons serve the elements. This is often connected to the service of the deacons in distributing

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The Three Tables (Audio) Overview with The North Arkansas Baptist Association

The Three Tables / Wyman Richardson

On Thursday, January 18, 2023, I offered an overview presentation of The Three Tables to a number of North Arkansas Baptist Association pastors, deacons, and spouses gathered at Freeman Heights Baptist Church in Berryville, Arkansas. Here is audio of that presentation with a few pictures below. My sincere thanks to Associational Missionary David Graham for

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Amongst the Saints in Light: On the Faithfulness of Deacon George Charlton

Table of the Pastor / Wyman Richardson

A letter from 1810 describes the importance and impact a faithful deacon can have on his pastor.

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The Three Tables and the Passing of the Flame

The Three Tables / Wyman Richardson

Last Christmas Eve, our church, like so many others, held a candlelight Christmas Eve service. We sang and prayed and turned to the Word to hear the good news once again. We took the Lord’s Supper to remember the great work of Christ and to proclaim the coming of the Lord. And then we took

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The Three Tables: A Proposal for the Organization of Deacon Bodies

The Three Tables / Wyman Richardson

PDF Version It has been said that the truly great movements in human history come about not as a result of the discovery of new truths but as the result of the rediscovery of old truths. I suspect there is something to that. At the very least the idea should encourage us not to dismiss

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A Challenge to the First Table

Table of the Lord / Wyman Richardson

Some have protested the Baptist inclusion of “The Table of the Lord” under the “Three Tables” served by deacons. For example, an 1879 Presbyterian synod report entitled “The Diaconate” seems to take issue with this Baptist practice.

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Want to Serve the Poor? Appoint Deacons.

Table of the Poor / Wyman Richardson

This article’s title is not my own. It was the title of a post written by Andrew Wilson of King’s Church London at the “Think Theology” website.[1] It is a fascinating title and a fascinating piece. In it, Wilson quotes Martin Charlesworth and Natalie Williams from their book, A Church for the Poor. They write: Social action requires leadership

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The Historical Drift of Deacons from and Return of Deacons to “The Table of the Poor”

Table of the Poor / Wyman Richardson

Jeannine Olson has written1 of the history of deacons in general terms as (a) first a body through whom charity and benevolence were dispensed, (b) then a body that became increasingly associated with church office and, in the Catholic church, a body that became a stepping stone to the priesthood, and (c) a body that, in

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