Deacons

May/June 2010, Volume 7, Issue 2

Jesus came to deacon (Mark 10:45; Rom. 15:8).

So did Paul, Apollos, and Tychicus (1 Cor. 3:5, 6; Eph. 3:7; 6:21; Col. 4:7). And the greatest among us will be deacons (Mark 10:43). It’s not a bad label to wear, apparently.

The New Testament only mentions this unassuming office two, maybe three times (Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8-13; cf. Rom. 16:1). But pay attention. It seems to direct the deacon’s attention to the church’s physical good, which in turn will serve the church’s spiritual good. The deacon is a unity builder—and shock absorber! There should be nothing unspiritual about a deacon.

What about your church? Do you officially recognize anyone as a deacon? Doing so publicly holds forth models of Christian love and service. We hope these articles will stimulate you to consider why and how to employ such individuals in your congregation.

Deacons: Understanding the Office
Deacons: Shock-Absorbers and Servants
By Jamie Dunlop
Being a deacon isn’t just about getting things done, it’s about building unity in the church. How? By being a shock-absorber and a servant. Read more >
The Biblical Qualifications and Responsibilities of Deacons
By Benjamin Merkle
Who should be a deacon? What does the Bible say deacons should do? In this article, a New Testament professor combs through the slim but significant biblical teaching on deacons’ qualifications and responsibilities. Read more >
What Makes Good Diaconal Ministry?
By Jeremy Smith
What makes good diaconal ministry? Good deacons, right priorities, teamwork, a human touch, and more. Read more >
Do We Need To Use the Titles “Elder” and “Deacon”?
By Benjamin Merkle
Does it matter what we call our churches’ leaders? Yes it does, if we want the leaders to be accountable, the congregation to know what to expect, and God’s wisdom, not ours, to determine how we run the church. Read more >
Deacons: Putting It into Practice
The Committee-Free, Task-Specific Deacon
By Matt Schmucker
Here’s one way to get deacons out of meetings and straight to work in our churches. Read more >
Moving from a Deacon-Led to an Elder-Led Church
By Phil Newton
What do you do when your church is led by deacons and you become convinced that elders should lead the church? How should you make the transition? Read more >
How to Separate Deacon Work from Elder Work
By Matt Schmucker
Satan loves to divide, especially along lines of authority. How do you keep the church from dividing over who does what? Read more >
A Deacon on a Deacon’s Reward
By John Ingold
A deacon speaks! And he tells the story of how he was “blessed to serve.” Read more >
Book Reviews
Book Review: The New Testament Deacon: The Church’s Minister of Mercy, by Alexander Strauch
Reviewed by Bobby Jamieson
What are deacons supposed to do? Are they to serve as the church’s executive board to whom the Pastor-CEO reports? Are they to be the church’s spiritual leaders? Who should be a deacon? Is a deacon simply a long-serving member whom the church honors with a title, like a politician receiving an honorary doctorate? Read more >
Book Review: Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome, by Kent and Barbara Hughes
Reviewed by Ken Barbic
Biblical, practical, and anecdotal. That’s not a bad combination of characteristics for a book on ministry. Yet Kent and Barbara Hughes’ book Liberating Ministry from Success Syndrome is all three. In it, this faithful biblical expositor calls on a lifetime of ministry experience to reorient his readers’ understanding of success in ministry. Read more >