Church Governments
Lesson 4
The Deacon’s Ministry
A deacon, by definition, is someone who is authorized to do the will of another. They are, in essence, official servants. There is a strong case to be made that the New Testament office was established under the Levitical priesthood. Under the Law of Moses, there were Levites whose responsibilities were to care for the peripheral needs of the Tabernacle, as opposed to the daily ministration of sacrifices, incense, and menorah maintenance.
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The Levites must join you in fulfilling their responsibilities for the care and maintenance of the Tabernacle, but no unauthorized person may assist you. You yourselves must perform the sacred duties inside the sanctuary and at the altar. If you follow these instructions, the LORD’s anger will never again blaze against the people of Israel. I myself have chosen your fellow Levites from among the Israelites to be your special assistants. They are a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD for service in the Tabernacle. But you and your sons, the priests, must personally handle all the priestly rituals associated with the altar and with everything behind the inner curtain. I am giving you the priesthood as your special privilege of service. Any unauthorized person who comes too near the sanctuary will be put to death. – Numbers 18:4-7 NLT
It might help to view deacons as “special assistants” to the necessary natural work of the ministry.
There are also numerous examples of kings, prophets, and priests having servants who cared for their needs: Joshua cared for Moses. Samuel cared for Eli. David cared for Saul. Elisha cared for Elijah. Gehazi cared for Elisha. Though these men could be viewed through the secular lens as mere servants, their care for their leader enabled him to advance the work of God.
Diakonéō (v.)—to be a servant, to wait upon, to care for another’s needs, to attend to another; to attend to anything, that may serve another’s interests; to run errands.
Diákonos (n.)—one who executes the commands of another, especially of a master; a servant, an attendant, a minister.
Diákonos is a general Greek word for “servant.” The Bible describes several different types of people as being or having diákonos:
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Kings had diákonos (Matthew 22:13).
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Wedding parties had diákonos (John 2:5).
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We are called to be the Lord’s diákonos (John 12:26).
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Governors, police, and soldiers are God’s diákonos (Romans 13:4).
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Jesus Christ was a diákonos of the circumcision (Romans 15:8).
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Phebe was a diákonos of the Cenchrean church (Romans 16:1).
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Apostles are diákonos to the churches (1 Corinthians 3:5).
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Preachers in general are diákonos of the gospel (Ephesians 3:7; Colossians 1:23).
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Paul was a diákonos (Colossians 1:25).
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Pastors are diákonos of Jesus Christ to their churches (1 Timothy 4:6).
The significant takeaway from this list is that the world systems are cared for by servants. Yet, there is still the church’s office of deacon. The official errand runner and attendant ordained by leadership to help care for the local church. These are the “special assistants” to the natural work of the ministry.
The first ordination of New Testament Church deacons is found in Acts 6.
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In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. – Acts 6:1 NIV
The natural burdens of some of the congregation members required special attention. In this case, it was the Grecian widows being passed over in favor of the Hebrew widows during the daily food distribution. There was apparently already some degree of deaconship in place since there was someone organizing food services, but these men were obviously prejudiced and needed to be replaced. The apostles determined that the new deacons should be selected by the people (the church had grown rapidly) and the candidates would need to meet three requirements (Acts 6:3):
1. Honest report—This implies they were well-known among at least most of the people
2. Full of the Holy Ghost
3. Full of wisdom
After the apostles prayed, they laid hands on the candidates and ordained them as the first official deacons of the New Testament Church. The people’s selection is very revealing:
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Stephen, a Hellenistic Jew
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Philip, of coastal Caesarea
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Prochorus,
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Nicanor, a Cypriot Jew
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Timon, a Hellenistic Jew
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Parmenas,
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Nicholas, a Gentile proselyte of Antioch
Five of the seven deacons were non-Hebraic Jews. There were either proselyte Jews (now believers) or Hellenized Jews (now believers). Their job was to care for all the believers, not just their favorite type of believer.
NOTE: It was important that the first deacons had a good report among the people, so they were sociable. Also, the apostles had to approve of the people’s selection since they would be the ones officially authorizing them and laying hands on them. The deacon’s office is a supernatural office ordained by God to help with a congregation’s natural needs.
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. . . “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men . . . We will give them this responsibility.” – Acts 6:2-3 NLT
Deacons free the pastor up from natural burdens so that he can focus on spiritual things. A deacon may cut the grass for a shut-in, take food to a new mother, vacuum the floors, clean the toilets, check on a missing sheep, etc.
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Deacons are selected and appointed by the pastor to help the pastor.
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Deacons serve God (and the pastor) by serving the people’s natural needs.
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They are third-tier leadership.
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They should reflect some of the very best of their church.
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Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 3:8-13
Combining Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13, there are a total of 17 qualifications to be chosen as a “special assistant.” They are:
1. Honest report
2. Full of the Holy Ghost
3. Full of wisdom
4. Grave (serious, venerable)
5. Not double-tongued
6. Not a drinker
7. Not greedy of money
8. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience (this will produce confidence because you know you are living clean)
9. Grave wives
10. Slander-free wives
11. Sober wives (in control of their mind, sane)
12. Faithful wives (dependable)
13. Only one wife
14. Ruling well their own home
15. You will be proved (examined, assayed, tested)
16. You will be publicly investigated (being found blameless)
17. A reflection of the very best of their congregation
42% of deacons will slip into obscurity (Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas); 42% will be promoted to greatness (Philip, Prochorus, and Stephen); 14% will become cult leaders and hurt the flock (Nicholas). This office will allow you to earn a promotion in God, or it can hurt you spiritually.
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Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 3:13 NLT
May God bless those that aspire to be special assistants in the Kingdom’s work! Amen.
