Meet Your Fellow Deacons: Redeemer OPC, Charlotte, NC

Matt Browning says, "I've lived in Charlotte for fourteen years now, and am a practicing "Mad Scientist". Cassie and I met at Redeemer about ten years ago, and we’ve had two kids there, Jack and Lucie. Well, we didn’t actually have them at the church. They were born in a hospital, much like normal children. Lately, we’ve been pretty involved with the homeschool community among the reformed churches in the area. We enjoy gardening together, cultural warfare, and driving incredible distances to visit family during the holidays. 

I love getting to serve our church families in simple things like moving house or helping with home repairs. Building a Christian community and culture is so important, and getting down to some physical work together is a great way to build community, especially for dudes who need something to do. The quality time of physical service is its own reward! I also really love teaching kids' Sunday school and generally organizing our Sunday school program. It has given many adults a chance to get involved where otherwise they’d be somewhat on the sidelines. 

A kind or encouraging word to a brother or sister can do much more than one might think. So can little things like dropping off a meal just to give a mom a break, or grabbing lunch with a brother. Time is usually more valuable than money. If there’s not a fire that needs putting-out right now, look for the little opportunities to encourage. Also, get your wife involved in your service. She’s a better cook than you.

Matt Posvar has been a deacon at Redeemer OPC since the summer of 2005. He grew up in the RPCNA and the OPC was always close by with school friends being at the OPC church in his town. He says he has always enjoyed helping others, sometimes to the detriment of his own family and duties at home. Being a deacon for over 15 years now has helped him to learn to balance those things and also to learn to allow others to serve in areas that he no longer can.

Matt was drawn to the local diaconate because he desired to serve the body in any way he could. This started out at first with more physically-oriented service that was easily visible as sure and obvious needs. He tells us, “It has been a joy to continue to do those things and to ‘wait tables’ so that the session can do their work, but I do greatly enjoy the more spiritual side of it, too." He looks forward to broadening the focus to those outside of the church as the deacons grow in their outreach to those in need in their community.

Matt is grateful for the work of their diversely skilled diaconate and the love they have for their congregation. He has learned to be more compassionate in general, and especially when it comes to others' needs. It is easy to go about your own work and to not see others in need or suffering around you. Matt explains, “Forcing myself out of my comfort zone to reach out to others has been wonderful and has been a true blessing to be on the receiving end, as well. It's wonderful to be able to be an extension of Christ to the Body despite the weakness and imperfect nature of this feeble extension.”

David Vogel has been a deacon at Redeemer since 2015, and tells us, “My wife grew up in the OPC, but I have a varied church background. I met Leah at Redeemer and married her a couple of years before I became a deacon. We have two little girls and I'm a third-year student at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's M.Div. program. I hope to become a pastor upon graduation. Serving as a deacon played an important part in my feeling a call to ministry.”

David believes the greatest strength of the men he serves with is their godliness and humility, “They truly exhibit the requirements of 1 Tim. 3 in their lives, and it is a joy to work together with them to serve the church. When we have a difficult case, I am confident it will be handled with prayer, patience, and diligence.” 

“Our community is largely upper-middle class, so we don't have much natural exposure to many types of need which can provide a field for fruitful diaconal service. We are also all relatively young men with families, which helps in some ways but also means we're consistently busy and our biggest limitation is usually our own time.”

David believes the biggest lesson is to be proactive about the big picture and to go slow on details—not to wait for trouble to develop. He hopes deacons will be aware, and have conversations before the crisis comes, if possible. However, once you're having the conversation, take time to listen and don't make assumptions. He admits, “Not saying I do this well yet, but I hope I'm learning!” 

The biggest encouragement to David has been a sense of caring for Christ's bride during times of real need and feeling His help and blessing as he does so. He adds, “Being a deacon has given me a greater sense of connection to the church, as well as a greater love for her.”