The Exhorter
2/7/2010

Who May Serve as a Deacon?

Servants of the church are the life support of a thriving body of believers. Christians involved and actively working bring growth to a local congregation. Certain aspects of the work in a church that must be done involve physical or manual labor. The apostles understood this lesson when they found themselves overseeing the care of widows. They instructed the church to choose men of good character to do this work (Acts 6:1-8).

Later the apostle Paul addressed the saints at Philippi with the bishops and deacons (Phil. 1:1). There is a kind of work that bishops or shepherds do for a church of Jesus Christ, and there is a kind of work that deacons or servants do for the church. The New Testament words of the Holy Spirit call upon men who serve as pastors or shepherds to watch over every soul of the flock while deacons or ministers watch over the physical needs of that sheepfold. The very Greek words that are used to designate the bishops and deacons tell us something about the work those men are called to do.

The men who may serve as deacons have personal qualifications listed in Scriptures. Timothy instructed by Paul was to help the church appoint men to serve as deacons (I Tim. 3:8-10,12,13). The following personal characteristics are what we should look for in the men we would appoint to serve as deacons:

• reverent suited to sacred character or as becometh holiness;
• not double-tongued saying a thing to one person and giving a different view of it to another;
• not given to much wine tarrying at wine or wine-bibbing;
• not greedy for money greedy of base gain or for filthy lucre;
• holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience holding to the gospel of truth with an open and honest mind;
• let them first be tested not inexperienced but men faithful to their work and its completion;
• being found blameless he is true to Christ in all his ways. No fault is seen in him as to these qualifications;
• husband of one wife married, a one woman husband;
• ruling his children and household well he is to have children, and his household is orderly under his guidance.

Men who become deacons are strong in the faith and have been tested in their faithfulness. They are godly men whose word can be trusted. They are clearly men of moderation and temperance.

Truly it is an important, vibrant ministry to serve the church as a deacon. The work of serving is rewarding and affords wonderful blessings to those who serve and are served!   Ron Drumm

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