DEACONS: HARD WORKING SERVANTS

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

Every Christian church has them but do we fully understand their function and purpose? I’m talking about those men who serve as deacons. Possibly if we investigate the purpose and function given those who serve God in the local church we can learn something about this ministry position.

 

The Greek word “diakonos” from which the word deacon is taken is found 30 times in scripture. In most cases “diakonos” is translated as “servant” rather than “deacon.” In the Greek world, “diakonos” was used to describe the work of a servant; a person who waited on tables or ministered as a religious official. When the office of deacon was established in the New Testament church, it may have paralleled the function of the Jewish synagogue assistant; an official who took care of the administrative needs of the assembly.

 

There are two scripture passages that specifically mention the ministry position of deacon. The first is in Acts 6:1-6. Here we see that a need arose within the early church due to the increasing numbers of believers in the Christian community. Apparently some widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The disciples had a dilemma on their hands. They could refrain from preaching and teaching and serve the widows or find others who could help with this ministry need. After some discussion and prayer, they found seven men who were full of the Spirit and wise. They laid hands on these men and appointed them to this task of service. These men took it upon themselves to help with this need so that the disciples could focus on the teaching ministry.

 

In 1 Timothy 3:1-13 we find more references to deacons as an appointed ministry position in the early church. While this passage speaks of overseer (elder) the qualifications for deacons is implied to be identical. The only significant difference in scripture between the qualifications necessary for the position of deacon and elder is that an elder must have some significant skills in teaching the Word of God.

 

This passage in 1 Timothy lists numerous qualifications for men desiring to serve God and the local church as a deacon. Such qualifications are the following:

 

Not double minded: They must be consistent and obedient in their actions and behavior as a Christian.

 

Not double-tongued: They must be consistent and controlled in the words they speak.

 

Man of dignity: They must possess integrity and be   respected by others.

 

Not addicted to wine: They should not be overly fond of wine or alcoholic beverages. They must not be intoxicated or drunk at any time.

 

Not fond of sordid gain: They should not be greedy for money.

 

Holds to the faith: They should be stable in their faith and dedicated in their commitment to Christ and His Word.

 

Husband of one wife: They should be a one-wife kind of man, not a philanderer.

 

Manager of his children: His children should be respectful and obedient to his guidance.

 

Manager of his household: They should be a good leader in their home.

 

It goes without saying that Deacons are also to be men full of the Spirit and wise.

 

Often the ministry description for a deacon includes practical ministries which can include caring for the needs of the widows in the church body, handling the money as well as facility needs and such. This does not mean that teaching and serving in other capacities are ruled out. If the Holy Spirit has gifted them in areas of teaching or other areas beyond their role as Deacon they are capable of doing so; which means the local fellowship can be blessed with their service and gifts even more.

 

The process of appointment of deacons is laid out in this scripture passage in 1 Timothy. They first must be tested and observed serving in various capacities within the church body before being appointed as a deacon. There should be much prayer in considering who is to be approved for the position of deacon. This extensive prayer is to be done by the body as a whole and the elders specifically who have the task of appointing the deacons and other elders. The appointment of deacons is sealed by the laying on of hands by the elders of the church.

 

While all believers are members of the royal priesthood and should serve the local body, various men and women have been appointed to specific ministry positions in local church bodies down through history to oversee people, their needs and efforts of the church. The title deacon is just another name for a dedicated believer. It is indicated that it is a believer; who for a short or long period of time, serves in a special capacity or as a representative of the local church. God does the appointing and choosing using those in leadership, the elders, as the instruments of His will.

 

The ministry of deacons is extremely crucial to the healthy function of the local body. Even though they sometimes serve in the background in various ministries; they perform vital tasks that glorify God and serve the needs of those in the church. Two significant deacons are mentioned in the New Testament, Stephen and Philip.

 

Philip the evangelist was one of the original seven men chosen to serve the early church because they were reported to be “full of faith and the Holy Spirit.” Following the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, many Christians scattered from Jerusalem. Philip became an evangelist in Samaria where he preached the gospel, worked miracles, and brought many to faith in Christ. Probably the most noted conversion as a result of Philip’s ministry was the Ethiopian Eunuch, an official of great authority under Candace, the queen of Ethiopia. Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. The eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53, the passage about the suffering servant. Philip used this great opportunity to preach Jesus to him. The eunuch received Christ as his Savior and Philip baptized him. After this Philip preached in Azotus and Caesarea.

 

Stephen was also one of the first seven deacons of the early church and became the first Christian martyr. The story of Stephen is found in Acts 6:7-7:60. Since Stephen is mentioned first in the list of the seven administrators, he was probably the most important leader in this group. Stephen assumed a place of prominence among these seven leaders as the church grew. Stephen was probably critical of the system of Old Testament laws, claiming they had already lost their effectiveness because they had reached fulfillment in Christ. This viewpoint, which Stephen argued very skillfully, brought him into conflict with powerful leaders among the Jewish people. Stephen became well known as a preacher and a miracle worker. His work was so effective that renewed persecution of the Christians broke out. Members of certain Jewish synagogues felt that Stephen had blasphemed Moses and God. They accused him of being disloyal to the Temple and rejecting Moses. He was also accused of hostility toward Judaism; a charge that had never been made before against other disciples. In debates the Jews were no match for Stephen and he even outwitted Saul. Frustrated, the Jewish religious leaders resorted to force. Stephen was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, where charges were placed against him. False witnesses testified against him. The high priest then asked Stephen if these things were true. Stephen was not dismayed. The lengthy speech which Stephen made in his own defense is reported in detail in Acts 7:2-53. Stephen’s speech enraged the Sanhedrin. At this moment Stephen had a vision of God in heaven, with Jesus on His right hand. Stephen’s fate was sealed when he reported this vision to his enemies. The crowd rushed upon him. They took him out of the city, and stoned him to death. Among the people consenting to Stephen’s death that day was Saul, who later became the apostle Paul.

 

The later evangelistic work of two of these original deacons, Stephen and Phillip, serves as a role model for the spiritual ministry of deacons today. The work of Stephen and Phillip strongly suggests that gifted deacons became a permanent part of the church’s outreach to the world very early in its history.

 

One question that is often asked is “Can a woman be a deacon?” Actually they can serve in such a capacity but are called a deaconess. In the early church this referred to female helpers who had the care of the poor and the sick among the women of the church. Paul mentions Phoebe as a deaconess of the church of Cenchrea, and it seems probable that Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Persis, were also deaconesses (Romans 16:1, 12). The qualifications for a deaconess would be the same as that for deacons except a deaconess would be the wife of one husband. For whatever reason today numerous women serve in churches in the capacity as deaconesses but without the recognized title. This probably relates to the organizational structure within churches today rather than any other specific reason. We should also remind ourselves that many men also serve in capacities similar to deacons but without the title as well.

 

We see that God ordained the ministry of deacons within His local church to serve the needs of the body. This not only brings God the glory that He deserves, it also makes sure that the needs of the people in the local fellowship are met and the spiritual gifts of Christians are used appropriately. It would be recommended that those within any church fellowship pray for their deacons and their ministry and assist them whenever possible to further the function and mission of God’s church. Deacons, just like elders, are servant leaders and should model Christ’s life among the members of the church body whom they serve.