Deacons

There are two biblical offices of the church, Deacons and Elders. Elders are the Pastors or Shepherds of the church and are focused on teaching, preaching, prayer, and shepherdingꟷthe spiritual matters of the church. So what is a Deacon? The title Deacon is translated from the Greek word diakonos, which means servant. All Christians are servants, following after the example of Jesus. Jesus told his disciples that "...whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28). Thus, servanthood is an important mark of Christ's followers. And guess what, there is a whole lot of work to be done to keep a church functioning! More work than can be left to the Elders.

In Acts 6, we see the first Deacons selected to help solve a problem that was threatening to undermine the effectiveness of the Apostles ministering to the spiritual matters of the church and disrupt the unity of the church. The solution was to find seven men who could attend to the practical needs of the church while protecting the unity of the church. These first Deacons were more than just servants. Instead, they were officers in the church who led by service.

Deacons lead the church in practical matters of service. Deacons are respectable Christians with humble attitudes willing to serve with little recognition. Sure Deacons are the ones who volunteer first, who step in to fill gaps before being asked. But more importantly, a Deacon is someone who brings others along with them to do what needs to be done. Faithful Deacons facilitate the effectiveness of the Elders and Pastors, strengthen the health of the church, protect the unity of their congregation, and safeguard the welfare of the flock they serve.