Role of Deacons
THE ROLE OF THE DEACONS IN THE OVERALL MISSION OF THE CHURCH
by Mark E. Ross, Ph.D.
Associate Pastor, First Presbyterian Church
The New Testament provides for two types of church officers: elders (overseers) and deacons. Paul's letter to the Philippians, for instance, is addressed "to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons (Phil. 1:1)." The way in which Paul mentions the "overseers and deacons" clearly identifies them as distinct groups within the church.
To the elders is committed the "shepherding" or spiritual oversight of the churches. Paul says to the elders of the church at Ephesus,
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Acts 20:28
Included within the general function of "shepherding" the flock is the matter of teaching and instructing the people of God. In I Timothy 3:1 7 Paul lays down the qualifications for elders, among which is the ability to teach (v. 2). In Titus 1:9 he further explains this as "able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict." Also included in this office is the ruling authority in the congregation. Peter cautions the elders against "lording it over those allotted to your charge," but he calls the younger men to be subject to these elders (I Peter 5:1 5). Paul likewise urges the Thessalonian Christians to
appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.
I Thessalonians 5:12,13
Paul does not call these leaders elders, but there can be little doubt that it is elders who are in view. Establishing elders in the churches was among the first things Paul did in the organization of a church (cf. Acts 14:23 and Titus 1:5).
From these passages we can see that the office of elder in the church is that of a shepherd, of a teacher, of a ruler. But what of the deacons? What is their role in the church?
What part do they play in the overall mission of the church? In I Timothy 3:8 13 Paul lays down specific qualifications for those who will be deacons in the church. Yet nothing in this passage tells us anything of what the deacons are supposed to do, or what contribution they are to make to the overall mission of the church. To discover these things we must look to the origin of the deacons' office, which may be found in Acts 6:1 6. This passage is in fact, the only place in the New Testament where we may discover the nature of the deacons' ministry. Here we find that
while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.
Acts 6:1
We can see here that the infant community of believers in Jerusalem was busily engaged in a relief program of caring for the needy among them. Acts 2:44,45 tells us that the believers in Jerusalem held all things in common, and that property and possessions were sold so that relief might be given to those who were in need. Acts 4:34,35 indicates that the proceeds of these sales were laid "at the apostles' feet, and they were distributed to each, as any had need." From the beginning of its New Testament life, then, the church was busily engaged in bringing relief to its distressed members. We may also note that the apostles were heavily involved in administering this relief.
As the community of believers grew in number, the demands of this relief effort also grew. The beauty of the church's evident love for its members now became marred by complaints from the Hellenists that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. This indicates that the supervision being given to this ministry by the apostles was no longer adequate to the demands of the program. Somehow or other, abuses or neglects were occurring. The apostles determined that it would not be possible for them both to provide adequate supervision for the program and to carry out the ministry of the word. Therefore they instructed the congregation to select from among themselves "seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom," whom they could put in charge of the task of aiding the widows (v. 3). The apostles, in turn, would continue to devote themselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word (v. 4).
This situation in the life of the early church provides an important focus for reflection on the purpose and duties of the deacons. When it became clear to the apostles that they could no longer carry out both the ministry of the word and the relief of the widows, they provided a means by which the latter task might be delegated to another group. From this we may learn that both of these ministries are essential to the church. It simply was not an option to cease providing for the relief of the widows; nor was it permissible to allow the ministry of the word to be neglected. Somehow both ministries must continue. Since the apostles could not do both, they provided for a class of church officers who would henceforth be responsible for the ministry to those in need.
Though the seven who were chosen to take charge of the relief of the widows are not called deacons here or elsewhere in the New Testament, it is generally agreed that this is the origin of the diaconal office in the church. As such, several things may be noted about the diaconal office:
- The diaconal office exists to facilitate the ministry of the word by alleviating those called to the ministry of the word of responsibility for other essential ministries. In this way, those called to the ministry of the word are enabled to concentrate on that work, while at the same time no essential ministry of the church is neglected.
- The diaconate office is principally concerned with attending to, as our Form of Government puts it, those "in material need or distress" (FOG, p. 183, VII.C.1). It is not an option for us whether we shall be concerned about those in need among us. It is our duty. Caring for one another is an essential ministry of the church.
- The diaconate was entrusted with the congregation's purse in order to accomplish the preceding two objectives: (1) to relieve the apostles' of this duty so that they could devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word; and (2) to provide for the relief of the widows now under their charge.
In the church today, we far too often consider the management of the church's funds to be the deacons' main work. But this is to make primary what the scriptures make to be secondary. The primary duty is attending to those within the church who are in material need and distress. Having charge of the church's funds is to facilitate the deacons in giving relief to those who are in need, and to relieve those charged with the ministry of the word of that duty that they might devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.
Once we have identified the principal concern of the diaconate as attending to those within the church who are in material need or distress, we can now discover the importance of this ministry to the church's overall mission in the world.
Jesus gave to His disciples what He called "a new commandment," which is, to love one another even as He has loved us (John 13:34). It is important that we appreciate how specific this instruction is. Jesus is not saying here that we are to love other people in general. In a way we are to do that too, but that is not what Jesus is talking about here. Jesus is saying that we are to love one another, that is, we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, even as He has loved us. Two very specific things are included here: (1) that we are to show love to other Christians, and (2) that we are to love them even as Christ has loved us.
In the apostle John's first epistle this commandment is applied with concrete illustration. John says,
We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
I John 3:16 18
Jesus loved us by self sacrifice, and we are to love one another in the same way. Such is the Lord's commandment to us. For that reason it is important that we do it. But it is also important because of what is to result from our obedience. When Jesus gave us this commandment, He also taught us:
By this all men shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:35
What Jesus is telling us is that the credibility of our witness as Christians will hinge on our keeping of this commandment. That is why Jesus so fervently prayed for us to be made one. He knew that in such sacrificial demonstrations of love and unity would be found the convincing proof that Christianity is true. Thus He prayed to the Father,
1 do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and 1 in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. And the glory which Thou hast given Me 1 have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.
John 17:20 23
Notice here the results which are to follow from our being perfected in unity: (1) the world is to know that the Father has sent the Son into the world, and (2) the world is to know that the Father has loved us even as He has loved the Son. Do these results actually occur when Christians love one another and live together in unity? They certainly did in the days immediately following Pentecost in the church at Jerusalem. In Acts 2:44,45 we read that the believers there "were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. " As the narrative continues we find that they were continuing daily in the temple "with one mind" and were breaking bread together from house to house, taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity, and praising God. Given this evident display of love and commitment to one another and to Christ, we should not be surprised to read that they were "having favor with all the people" while "the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved (Acts 2:46,47)."
Chapter 4 of Acts records a similar account. There we read that
there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of lands and houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales, and lay them at the apostles' feet; and they would be distributed to each, as any had need.
Acts 4:34,35
Following this little summary of early church life we read of one notable example of such generosity, that of Barnabas (Acts 4:36,37), who sold a tract of land and brought the proceeds to the apostles. Then we have a notable example of hypocrisy, that of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1 11), who sold a piece of property and brought some of the proceeds to the apostles, while keeping back a portion for themselves and pretending that they had brought the whole. The Lord's judgment fell quickly upon Ananias and Sapphira and they both fell dead on the same day. This caused many to fear even to associate with the Christians, yet despite it all, the church continued in love and unity together, and the Lord continued to add greatly to their number:
...and they were all with one accord in Solomon's portico. But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number.
Acts 5:12b 14
Acts 6 reveals the same pattern. Here the church is engaged in a daily distribution of food to widows. But now a complaint arises from the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebrews that their widows are being neglected in the daily distribution. The apostles propose that a group of men be elected to oversee this work. The idea meets with favor among the people, and seven men are elected, men full of the Spirit and of wisdom. Evidently this solves the problem, and the next thing we read is that
the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Acts 6:7
Here we can notice that not only did the church continue to grow, but even many of the priests, those who had been most opposed to the gospel and who were chiefly responsible for the Lord's crucifixion, even they were now becoming believers.
Time and again we see it. When the church shows itself obedient to the new commandment, outsiders take notice and many are brought to faith. The credibility of our message hinges on our love to one another. When we demonstrate such love, the word we preach bears fruit: lives are changed, and people begin to believe that we are truly Christ's disciples, that the Father has sent the Son into the world, and that He has loved us even as He has loved the Son.
Now certainly it is all Christians who have this responsibility to love one another as Christ has loved us. We must not think that deacons alone are to bear this responsibility. But deacons do bear special responsibility for giving leadership and organization to the church's ministry to those in material need or distress. As they do this, deacons are making it possible for the church to fulfil a vital part of its overall mission, which greatly aids the proclamation of the word. It is as people see concrete demonstrations of love love in deed and in truth, not just with word or with tongue that they take serious notice of what we say. Without this love, though we may speak with the tongues of men and of angels, we are but a noisy gong or a clanging symbol (I Cor. 13:1). It is vital therefore that deacons be faithful to their primary calling within the church, giving leadership and organization to the church's efforts to provide aid and relief to its members who are in material need or distress. 1f they will do so, we shall surely find that our message will speak with new power into our communities.
What kinds of things might these be in our day and age? There are of course widows today as there were then, and many of these stand in need of help in various ways. There are widows of other types too: those who have been deserted by husbands and left to care for children on their own. Remember that the apostle James has said, "This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world (James 1:27)." There are families in crisis through unemployment, disability, overwhelming financial problems, etc. There are elderly people who need help in various ways. Far too often we leave those in need to fend for themselves, when God has called us to bear one another's burdens and thus fulfil the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). When we fail to do so, it is not just the church which suffers; it is not just that brothers and sisters in Christ are left alone in crisis, though that in itself is a disgrace to us. The world of perishing people also suffers, for unbelievers are then deprived of that which shows most clearly the truth of Christianity, the witness of sacrificial Christian love. But if we do what Christ commands, others will see our good works and give glory to our Father who is in heaven (Matt. 5:16).
Many times such work happens quite spontaneously and informally, as private acts of one Christian toward another. This is as it should be. It is not as though every act of kindness must be centrally controlled by the deacons. Yet there are times when careful organization and faithful leadership are needed to enable the whole church to respond. It is also important that supervision be given to the whole body to insure that no one in distress is being neglected. It is in such ways that the deacons find their primary work. This is a work so important that it must not be neglected. Without it the preaching and teaching of the word of God will be much less effective, for then we will lack the concrete demonstrations that make the message credible before an unbelieving, but watching world.
May the Lord our God therefore look upon His beloved church and raise up among us deacons who are indeed full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task, to the end that the name of Christ may be honored because of what we do, and that the preaching of the gospel might be with great power and effectiveness. Soli Deo Gloria!
FIRST FRUITS is a publication ministry of the First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, South Carolina
All Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION Copyright c 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968,1971, by THE LOCKMAN FOUNDATION.
