What does it mean to be a deacon in today's black Baptist church?Respected author and pastor Rev. Dr. Marvin McMickle explores the scriptural basis and historical context for the deacon ministry in the black Baptist church, and addresses the practical issues related to this ministry today: What personal qualities should a candidate for deacon possess?What does the ministry of deacons entail?What relationship should exist between the pastor and deacons?What about training, term of service (if any), and women deacons?Models of contemporary deacon ministry, illustrated by case studies, provide a twenty-first century look at this first century ministry.