Deacons

I Timothy 3:8-13

Do you ever wonder why the preacher's kids are so bad? It is because they play with the deacon's kids. LOL I never found that amusing growing up because one of my grandfathers was a deacon and the other was our pastor. Jokes aside, this hits at the heart of an issue that is all too often true in many churches. The pastor and deacon(s) seem to be pitted against each other. That is absolutely not how God intended the church to operate. The two ordained groups of men are supposed to work together. God is not the author, or originator, of confusion but of peace (I Corinthians 14:33). If the two are to work together, let’s look at what a deacon is supposed to be.

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“Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

I Timothy 3:8-13

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First we see that deacons should be reverent or honorable. If they are such, then the next few characteristics will take care of themselves. If a man reverences God, he will obey God and His commandments. This means that he will not stir up strife by saying one thing one moment and something different the next. He will not speak blessings and cursing (James 3:10). He will not be a drunk. His will not do things that could cause another Christian to stumble. He will also not use his position for the purpose of financial gain. The position of deacon should not be about social status or about what someone can get from the church. Unfortunately, many men seek the title of deacon for the "status", and many churches offer the title of deacon because of a person's "status".

Next, he must be firm in the faith. Paul said it this way, "holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience". The idea here is to hold secure those things they have learned of the faith in Jesus Christ. They are not only hearers of the word, but doers also (James 1:22). This is just another way of saying what he said about pastors, they should not be novices of the faith. That is because the deacon's work requires maturity in Christ that is not motivated by pride or selfishness.

I'm not going to break this down other than to say that an ordained man's wife and kids can make or break his ministry. A man can be trying to serve the Lord faithfully, and his wife can undo all the good that he is trying to do. No man should serve the church as an elder if his home has the appearance of being "unequally yoked". At the same time (and I can say this because I do not have a rebellious wife or kids), the church should understand that no home is perfect. No marriage is without conflict and no children obey their parents flawlessly. Pastors and deacons should not be held to a standard that every other church member would not be willing to be held to.

"For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” (v. 13). This verse is best summed up by a quote from Jesus, "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:27-28). When a man carries out the job of being a deacon like God intended it to be carried out, he is truly living a life a like Jesus. Jesus said He came to serve, not be served. This is why a selfish man should not be given the title of deacon. The deacon must set aside his own desires to serve others. The word deacon literally means waiter.

In the book of Acts, the Apostles had the church at Jerusalem set aside 7 men to be waiters, or deacons in the church. Their job was to distribute food to the widows so that the preachers were not tied up in that work. Peter said that preachers should not leave prayers and study of the scriptures for the task of waiting on tables (Acts 6:2). We see in these men all of the attributes described by Paul. As a matter of fact, the Bible follows two of these men, Stephen and Philip, who both become evangelists. Stephen is martyred in chapters 7 and 8, and Philip travels around preaching the gospel. A deacon's job is to take care of duties that are important, but that would prohibit a pastor from studying the Word of God if he had to attend to all of them. He must also live a life that makes him qualified to be called into the ministry. He may not receive such a calling, but there should be no distinction between their way of life. He strives to be holy as God is holy (I Peter 1:16).

If the deacons and pastors are doing their job, and living a life that honors God, there will be no conflict. The pastor will lead the church as he is led by the Holy Spirit. The deacon will follow the pastor and clear the path so that he can spend time praying and studying God's Word so that he (the pastor) knows how and where he should lead. The office of deacon is important. Praise God for Godly deacons!

Father, thank You that in Your wisdom, You created the office of deacon. When done right, they are a great aid to a pastor and the church. I pray that deacons would desire to serve You by being like Jesus. That they would serve You by serving the church. Help them to resist the temptation of being self-serving, and help the rest of us to resist this as well.