The Role of the Deacon
by Bill Blair on 02/10/09 at 11:57 am
Dr. Moore wrote an excellent post earlier this week regarding the office of the deacon which can be read here. The way deacons function in churches varies widely as can bee seen in the following quote from Dr. Moore:
There’s an entire generation of conservative evangelical churches where one would be more likely to find an unfrozen caveman in the congregation than a biblically-functioning deacon.
Some churches have known little more than a “board” of deacons making decisions for the church. Some have, at worst, a thugocracy in which the meanest and most aggressive men in the church intimidate the rest of the Body through verbal bullying or the threat of a loss of financial support.
In many contexts, deacons serve as the leaders of the church providing oversight for a single-elder otherwise known as the pastor. As common as this is, there are many of us who look at the Scriptures and see a different function of the deacon. We see Scripture giving the task of leadership in the church to elders with deacons given the task of service to the church. Notice I wrote “elders” as plural giving credence to the idea that a group of men should leading the church in this role (notice I wrote “men” too, but that is a discussion for another day). The group of elders should certainly include the senior pastor and possibly other full-time ministers, but should also include qualified men to serve as non-vocational elders. If this assessment is correct, it raises a question about the function of deacons. If elders lead, does that mean a deacon is just a servant? This question is addressed by Dr. Moore in his post as he explains that deacons are surely called to leadership, but of a different kind than elders:
The question is not whether deacons serve or lead. Leadership, scripturally defined, is servanthood. The question is in what way do deacons lead. Deacons maintain the unity of the Body by giving leadership to the serving of temporal needs. They’re not a corporate board, nor are they a spiritual council of directors. They serve the Body by removing potential obstacles to unity by meeting human needs.
This point clears up quite a bit for me as I have been thinking through what a biblical church structure should look like. Go read the full article here and then I want some feedback on the following alliterated paradigm to distinguish between the roles of deacons & elders. I, by no means, have completely landed here, but I think it is a good start. Of course, the alliteration is catchy too. Here are my distinctions:
Elder Function
- Doctrine — Teach right doctrine, establish right doctrine, & uphold right doctrine in the body.
- Decisions — Make tough decisions for church & be responsible to church for such decisions.
- Direction — Be responsible for the directional leadership of the church.
Deacon Function – being freed from the above responsibilities, the deacon can focus on the following:
- Shepherd — Focus on shepherding & discipling people within their context. Leading groups, teaching classes, being involved in the lives of people in the church, and available to admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, to help the weak, and be patient with them all (1 Thess 5:14).
- Serve — Focus on meeting needs within the church. Whether it be giving wise advice or counsel, helping the poor, or assisting the sick, the deacons are involved in making sure needs are being taken care.
- Submit — Submit to the elders’ doctrine, decisions, and direction by implementing them through living them out and leading others to do the same.
This paradigm allows for the deacon to be a leader in the church, but one that leads in the trenches. With deacons leading in the trenches, the elders are freed to focus on “prayer and the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:2), which was the point of establishing deacons in the first place. Of course elders must practice the S’s as well, but this paradigm simply lends itself to their primary roles. I think there needs to be something for “equipping” in the elder function, but I can’t think of a good “D” word.
So, what do you think about the office of a deacon and/or my paradigm?
A. Amos Love
Oct 5th, 2009
I have some question’s about the use of the word “leader” and “pastor.”
The words “leader” and “pastor” seems like a “high place.” Yes?
Jesus always took and recommended the “low place.” Yes?
Jesus humbled Himself, made himself of no reputation
and took on the form of a servant. Php 2:7
Doesn’t the “Title” pastor/leader give you a reputation
wether you want it or not?
Jesus in Mat 23:10 told His disciples “NOT” to call
themselves master/“leaders”
for you have one master/”leader” the Christ.
King James Version –
Neither be ye called masters:
for one is your Master, even Christ.
The Interlinear Bible –
Nor be called leaders,
for one is your leader the Christ.
Phillips Modern English –
you must not let people call you leaders,
you have only one leader, Christ.
Today’s English Version –
nor should you be called leader.
your one and only leader is the Messiah.
The Amplified-
you must not be called masters ( leaders )
for you have one master ( leader ) the Christ.
Jesus told His disciples not to be called “leaders” and none did.
Ro 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ,
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ,
Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God,
Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant
His disciples all called themselves “servants,”
none called themselves “leaders.” None? None.
None called themselves “servant-leader.” None.
If someone calls themself a “leader”
or thinks they are a “leader;”
Are they a “disciple of Christ?”
In the Bible, How many people… have the title pastor?
In the Bible, How many people are… referred to as pastor?
In the Bible, How many people are… ordained as a pastor?
In the Bible, How many congregations are… led by a pastor?
Be blessed in your search for truth… Jesus
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice;
and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
John 10:16
One Fold – One Shepherd – One Voice.
If Not Now, When?
Be blessed and be a blessing
Bill Blair
Oct 5th, 2009
Good questions. Although, you seem to have a wrong view of leadership. Leadership & being a servant are not mutually exclusive. I think you are trapped in viewing leadership from a worldly perspective where leaders manipulate and “lord it over” their followers, but that is not the picture of a godly leader.
Godly leadership is not a gift, but a responsibility. An ungodly leader desires to rule others so people can serve him, while a godly leader is given authority so he can serve the people. The godly leader looks after his followers, cares for the people, and bears a responsibility for his followers welfare. The following passage shows this responsibility (as well as the fact that there are leaders):
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17, ESV)
In your list of verses you highlight verses where people call themselves “servants,” but you neglect times when the Apostles call themselves “Apostle.” At times, Paul defends his authority as an apostle (Gal 1:11ff) to show why they must follow what he says. Other times Paul states that he has the authority to command, but chooses not to. All of this shows that there is such a thing as a leader in Christianity.
At the end of the day, the problem is not leadership but sin. If you have encounters leaders, even Christian leaders, who have mistreated their followers or even you, then perhaps you should pray for them because they will have to give an account for how they treated the people God entrusted to their care.